Inspiration from abroad: a more hopeful US politics?
At time of writing, it’s terrifying that Trump’s cronies are now planning to drill for oil in Greenland, against the permission of the people of Greenland. In an area that includes a Ramsar-protected wetland.
If you’re feeling disillusioned by US politics, let’s learn about two rising stars in US politics, and neither of them are white!
Rupert Lowe recently was interviewed on how the definition of a ‘white Briton’ is someone whose parents were both born in the UK. So what happens to the rest of us? We’re off on boats back to Ireland or Europe?
Nearly all of us have proud roots elsewhere: from the beautiful Emerald Isle to mainland Europe. You could imagine the almost comical results: the overwhelmed harbour master at Dun Laoghaire who appears to have ‘all of Liverpool docking at one time!’
Zohran Mamdani (New York’s young mayor)
Zohran Mamdani is very young (just 32!) but has quickly become one of the USA’s most influential politicians. He can’t ever be President (he was not born in the USA) but his ideas are very inspirational. His latest one is to launch a chain of affordable public-owned grocery stores for people across the boroughs. Let’s learn more about him to inspire people in England. Especially as Andy Burnham has promised more power for local mayors.
The election of America’s first Asian American mayor obviously has upset a huge amount of the establishment around the world. And if you’re concerned over Halal meat, know that it’s perfectly okay within the faith to be vegan or vegetarian, to comply with Compassion in World Farming’s concerns over unstunned meat (just avoid it and eat plants).
Born in Uganda to Indian parents, Zohran moved with his family to New York age 7, and after graduating, has worked in politics ever since.
What are Zohran’s policies?
- Fare-free city buses
- University child care
- City-owned grocery stores
- A rent freeze (or rent-stability)
- Affordable housing
- A $30 minimum wage by 2030
- Public safety reform
On election, the first two laws he enacted were a second home tax (to make local homes more affordable) and to bring action against big companies that had not paid their staff properly (to ensure staff got back the money they should have earned).
Heavily into environmental plans, he has opposed the expansion of a gas-fired power plant. And proposed a Green Schools plan for New York, to retrofit schools with solar panels and green schoolyards.
He has also launched enforcement to ban dozens of online retailers that sell e-bikes and e-scooters, that have caused fatalities on New York’s streets.
Abdul El-Sayed (a potential US President?)
Potential Democratic presidential candidate Abdul El-Sayed was born in the USA, and his policies are similar, including ‘getting money out of politics.
Very relevant to the controversy in the UK at present with political donations, he says ‘We’ve allowed corporations and would-be oligarchs to dominate our lives, in that they use money and power to buy politics and politicians that allow them to rig the system’.
He’s currently running for Senate, but fans say he could run for President (he has likeability and the same oratory skills of Obama or Luther King).
A medical doctor (and serious weightlifter!), he wants to abolish the Supreme Court system (where the President can appoint people to vote for what he wants). And make corporate polluters pay to clean up the earth and water.
He’s also not afraid to call out genocide, citing that the Jewish faith which he supports is very different to the war in Gaza.
I love Judaism and the Jewish people, because I love People. And I love Palestinians, because I love People. Abdul El-Sayed
Abdul is being endorsed by many including popular indie politician Bernie Sanders, as someone who could give a bit of hope, in a world that has gone made with focus on money over planet. He has even written a book Healing Politics, about a doctor’s journey into the murky world of politics.
People are looking for an alternative that really can fight for people without having to worry about whether or not that politician is being bought off by a corporate lobbyist. Abdul El-Sayed
