Europe’s ‘socialists’ might not be so socialist
Bronx: To Voicer Josephine Kay: Democratic socialism is the implementation of socialism via democratic process. Your statement that “an accurate assessment of governments that can be described as democratic socialist are Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, The Netherlands” is inaccurate.
In 2015, Danish Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen gave a speech at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government to specifically state that Denmark is not socialist. When social democrats in Sweden kicked their program into full gear in the ’60s, government spending caused taxes and inflation to skyrocket while productivity and innovation tanked. Not a single net private sector job was created between 1970 and 1995. Ultimately, Sweden suffered a spectacular crash in 1990, as did the other Scandinavian countries. Sweden’s Social Democratic Minister of Finance Kjell-Olof Feldt concluded that the experiment with socialism was “unsustainable, rotten and perverse.” He stated: “That whole thing with democratic socialism was absolutely impossible. It just didn’t work. There was no other way to go than market reform.”
Center-right reforms like reduced taxes, privatization of state owned entities along with pensions and social security were enacted. Vouchers for private school were provided and private health care became a popular alternative. There’s also no minimum wage. The current social welfare safety net is generally paid for by the middle class, which is taxed at nearly 60%. There’s also a 25% sales tax known as a VAT.
Perhaps former Social Democratic Minister of Industry Bjorn Rosengren said it best when he said: “The social democrat’s success formula is socialist rhetoric but center-right policies.” Charles T. Compton
Out-of-towner
Bronx: To Voicer Maria Bonsanti: Andrew Cuomo doesn’t love the city. Remember that he moved out years ago and only moved back to run for mayor. He only loves himself, like his boy President Trump. Curtis Sliwa should be put in charge of animal welfare. W. Twirley
The American way
San Francisco: Zohran Mamdani’s election is more than representation. It’s a democratic outcome rooted in the New York civic tradition of expanding who gets to lead. His victory shouldn’t be reduced to identity alone. It demonstrates the practical strength of democracy when it’s accessible, inclusive and open to merit. America faces real threats: voter suppression, polarization, algorithm-driven misinformation, and exclusionary rhetoric. But New York’s choice shows that the future of this nation doesn’t have to be fear-based. It can be evidence-based and policy-based. Diverse leaders produce better public policy because they reflect the complexity of their city. Even the symbolic roles of first lady and second lady now reflect the immigrant experience. Government legitimacy increases when those who govern look like the governed. If we protect voting rights, expand ballot access and preserve civic participation, this nation can still correct itself. Democracy works best when more voices are allowed to rise. Abebe Gelagay
Pendulum swing
Staten Island: The experts analyzing the results of the mayoral election are missing the main point. Ten months ago, Mamdani was an unknown assemblyman in Albany. It was also the beginning of Trump’s second administration. In March, Cuomo announced he was running for mayor, and the polls showed he would win by a landslide. As Trump started to implement his agenda, the polls started to change. Mamdani’s campaign, noticing the change, energized young voters. As Trump was implementing more of his agenda, the polls changed favorably toward Mamdani. Yes, New Yorkers elected Mamdani mayor, but to me, it seems that NYC voters felt that voting for Mamdani was voting against Trump. In 2018, during Trump’s first administration, N.Y. elected numerous progressive and socialist politicians. In 2022, during the Biden administration, a group of the socialist politicians were voted out. In 2025, the cycle started again. Vincent Ragosta
Truer movement
Whiting, N.J.: Voicer Marion Friedman tells us that New York City is going down the toilet due to an ignorant electorate. Funny, I have been thinking the same thing about our country since the election of Trump. The difference is that this most recent election was way more of a landslide than 2024. Bill McConnell
Luxury loo
Melbourne, Australia: Sotheby’s auction house is selling the solid gold toilet with a starting bid of probably $10 million. As it is named “America,” this could be a great Christmas present for Trump. From pictures of his Mar-a-Lago bathroom/secure secret documents storeroom, it looks like the current toilet lacks the glamor we would expect, and it isn’t even gilded in gold. There were plenty of people willing to buy massive amounts of his meme coins or whatever they were in order to get to his fancy dinner and bask in his golden glory. You will, however, need to have the money to hire some movers, as it weighs about 220 pounds, and also a plumber to install it. OK now, put your hand up quickly, as this one will sell fast. Dennis Fitzgerald
Overcome by odor?
Scranton, Pa.: What caused that man to collapse in the Oval Office recently? It was John Hinckley who shot Ronald Reagan in 1981. As it has been alleged that the president has a malodorous aura, perhaps the victim was felled by Don Stinkley. Vin Morabito
Evildoers
Oak Ridge, N.J.: What a sleazebag is Trump? His administration has appealed an order to fund SNAP, which would prevent people in the U.S. from going hungry, yet the sleazebag is killing random “drug dealers” in international waters without retribution and sending National Guard troops against U.S. citizens. His whole administration is a bunch of sleazebags. All of a sudden we have to go by the rules? No, he’s just playing King Herod! He and his people are pieces of crap. Jim Heimbuch
Essential workers
Brooklyn: The unpaid air traffic controllers are overworked and very stressed. I would be fearful of flying under these conditions, as there have already been several close calls. Maybe if the members of Congress weren’t receiving their unearned paychecks, there might be money to pay the controllers and funds to cover SNAP payments. L. Veneroni
Clinging to power
Pearl River, N.Y.: Chuck Schumer has nothing to lose by not opening the government. He knows that socialist AOC is going to challenge him for his Senate seat and win. He is done, put a fork in him. He has never cared about New Yorkers or his constituents. He has always been about power and money in his pocket, nothing more. Good riddance to him and Nancy Pelosi. May they both live miserable lives and suffer for all the dirty money they acquired. Robert Brennan
Backpedaling
Waltham, Mass.: This is a formal call for Schumer’s resignation as minority leader in the Senate. His recent concession — offering a one-year Affordable Care Act subsidy extension without securing SNAP restoration, Medicaid continuity, federal worker protections or rhetorical leverage — wasn’t negotiation. It was collapse. He led with a giveaway, not a demand. He failed to name the moral cost of the shutdown and allowed Republicans to reject the offer while reframing it as ideological extremism. This is not a tactical misstep, it’s a breach of leadership. It is an insult to the American people and a docile step toward wayward backpedaling for Democrats. Schumer’s decision signals a party willing to trade dignity for optics, and governance for delay. Millions face hunger, eviction and medical discontinuity. The Democratic leadership’s failure to hold the line, name the cost and protect the vulnerable demands accountability, not deflection, with conviction, fortitude and attitude. Helen Maslocka
Ch’kn parmed & dangerous
Windsor, Conn.: Now that a Washington, D.C., jury has turned Subway hero assaulter Sean Dunn free after his violent assault on a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent, what will you anti-Trump law-and-order liberals say when Dunn’s next sandwich assault victim dies? Jonathan Brewster
Good one
Charlotte, N.C.: I absolutely loved the last line in Voicer John Kern’s letter: “I’ll be in the D.C. area for Thanksgiving this year, and I’ll be very careful of how I interact with people carrying take-out.” Couldn’t stop laughing and I hadn’t even made it to the comics yet. Barbara Haynes
