Thanks for this detailed follow-the-money article -- it confirms a couple of key things:
1. Bloomberg, Ackman, the Lauders, and Gebbia (of Airbnb) are all stridently pro-Israel folks but their ads say absolutely nothing about Israel -- that's because most NYC voters (including Jews) are now opposed to Israel.
2. They are acknowledging Cuomo is "flawed" (read: even a crook and murderer!) because they've read the polls that showed voters are sick of crooks in politics. Nice try, but it won't work.
3. When they lose, it will be a serious takeaway in American politics that the power of money will lose every time against a candidate who's ethical, transparent, and a straight-talker.
This is very helpful reporting. Among other things, it highlights the miseducation of the public regarding the relative impact of two Supreme Court cases on campaign financing. Many, perhaps a majority of voters, have heard of Citizens United and are at least somewhat aware that it allows corporations to indirectly donate to the campaigns of political candidates through political action committees (PACs). The case that few have heard of is the 1976 decision, Buckley v. Valeo, in which the Court decided for the first time that money equals speech. What few people know, because neither the media nor the two major political parties have educated them to the fact, is that even if Citizens United were overturned, as it should be, billionaires and other wealthy people could still buy elections under Buckley, as Bill Ackman and Michael Bloomberg, just two examples in the article, are attempting to do in the NYC mayoral race by way of negative ads and other expenditures made through billionaire-funded PACs. And billionaires are increasingly out-spending corporations in these Buckley enabled PACs. Again, overturning Citizens United, for which Buckley is precedent (i.e., Citizens United relies on and is an extension of Buckley), would do nothing to stop billionaires from buying or attempting to buy elections. Focusing exclusively on Citizens United and corporations as corrupting the electoral process amounts to misinformation, too often contributed to by pundits and individuals who have not read the cases, but pass it on in their posts. The whole concept of money equals speech needs to be reconsidered and struck down, and that means overturning Buckley.
Will those who oppose Mandami please consider the "cost" of their war inciting comments and bare in mind the potential death count of American boys. We need peaceful thought here.
We do need “peaceful thought," so what was Mamdani doing, commenting on Venezuela and Maduro? He's running for the NY mayorlty, not some foreign affairs position. Playing up to the establishment Dems, who have endorsed him? Free free Palestine 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸
First, those campaign messages (especially the "Cuomo murdered my husband but I'm still voting for him" one) are positively deranged.
Second, how fucking tone-deaf is it to expect New Yorkers, of all people, to be convinced by any message coming from Trump???
Third, the irony is that this collection of moneyed yet worthless nincompoops are likely spending more on these ridiculous campaign adverts (by at least a few orders of magnitude) then they would lose in any taxes that Mamdani manages to raise on them.
So that is all our country is about? The military industrial complex can't stay quiet for a change! Always wants to waste our tax dollars on the endless war machine! I thought Trump was the PEACE president. Doing anything in Venezuela and Colombia is sheer lunacy and complete irresponsibility!!! How can we stop this insanity?? How about diplomacy?? Oh yeah its not about drugs! Its about the oil! Follow the money!! Can't we just "shut up" and take care of our own country that is falling apart in front of our eyes and STOP meddling in other countries business! Enough is enough. Isn't Ukraine and Gaza and Sudan enough !! Rubio is got to go!
Besides (Oh my God!) communism, what exactly can you say these people against Mamdani are against? The amount of money they are throwing at this campaign is grotesque. In what way do they believe New York (and they) will suffer if Mamdani wins? Or is it simply that Cuomo is so obviously corrupt, he is the guy who will look after their needs (especially after all the money they gave his campaign)?
Thank you Ryan and Saagar for the reporting. It’s great to hear from Saagar. After years of following Rising and subscribing to Breaking Points, the thing I miss the most now that I am not subscribed is the Bro Show and the Pound. You all take care.
I hope the headline on Tuesday night would be. "Mamdani defeats the zionists and Oligarchs of United States."
It's a rare moment when money vs anything comes up short. May this be that moment ?
I will loose all hope for democracy in the US if millionaires buy this for Cuomo. Talking to you Bloomberg
Thanks for this detailed follow-the-money article -- it confirms a couple of key things:
1. Bloomberg, Ackman, the Lauders, and Gebbia (of Airbnb) are all stridently pro-Israel folks but their ads say absolutely nothing about Israel -- that's because most NYC voters (including Jews) are now opposed to Israel.
2. They are acknowledging Cuomo is "flawed" (read: even a crook and murderer!) because they've read the polls that showed voters are sick of crooks in politics. Nice try, but it won't work.
3. When they lose, it will be a serious takeaway in American politics that the power of money will lose every time against a candidate who's ethical, transparent, and a straight-talker.
May the best man (Mamdani) win!
This is very helpful reporting. Among other things, it highlights the miseducation of the public regarding the relative impact of two Supreme Court cases on campaign financing. Many, perhaps a majority of voters, have heard of Citizens United and are at least somewhat aware that it allows corporations to indirectly donate to the campaigns of political candidates through political action committees (PACs). The case that few have heard of is the 1976 decision, Buckley v. Valeo, in which the Court decided for the first time that money equals speech. What few people know, because neither the media nor the two major political parties have educated them to the fact, is that even if Citizens United were overturned, as it should be, billionaires and other wealthy people could still buy elections under Buckley, as Bill Ackman and Michael Bloomberg, just two examples in the article, are attempting to do in the NYC mayoral race by way of negative ads and other expenditures made through billionaire-funded PACs. And billionaires are increasingly out-spending corporations in these Buckley enabled PACs. Again, overturning Citizens United, for which Buckley is precedent (i.e., Citizens United relies on and is an extension of Buckley), would do nothing to stop billionaires from buying or attempting to buy elections. Focusing exclusively on Citizens United and corporations as corrupting the electoral process amounts to misinformation, too often contributed to by pundits and individuals who have not read the cases, but pass it on in their posts. The whole concept of money equals speech needs to be reconsidered and struck down, and that means overturning Buckley.
Will those who oppose Mandami please consider the "cost" of their war inciting comments and bare in mind the potential death count of American boys. We need peaceful thought here.
We do need “peaceful thought," so what was Mamdani doing, commenting on Venezuela and Maduro? He's running for the NY mayorlty, not some foreign affairs position. Playing up to the establishment Dems, who have endorsed him? Free free Palestine 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸
First, those campaign messages (especially the "Cuomo murdered my husband but I'm still voting for him" one) are positively deranged.
Second, how fucking tone-deaf is it to expect New Yorkers, of all people, to be convinced by any message coming from Trump???
Third, the irony is that this collection of moneyed yet worthless nincompoops are likely spending more on these ridiculous campaign adverts (by at least a few orders of magnitude) then they would lose in any taxes that Mamdani manages to raise on them.
From Venezuela to NYC, power follows dollars, not people.
So that is all our country is about? The military industrial complex can't stay quiet for a change! Always wants to waste our tax dollars on the endless war machine! I thought Trump was the PEACE president. Doing anything in Venezuela and Colombia is sheer lunacy and complete irresponsibility!!! How can we stop this insanity?? How about diplomacy?? Oh yeah its not about drugs! Its about the oil! Follow the money!! Can't we just "shut up" and take care of our own country that is falling apart in front of our eyes and STOP meddling in other countries business! Enough is enough. Isn't Ukraine and Gaza and Sudan enough !! Rubio is got to go!
So trump is ok child molestation, racism ,sexual abuse but not with drugs
I can think of a recently legalized recreational drug that mellow him out and more human
Besides (Oh my God!) communism, what exactly can you say these people against Mamdani are against? The amount of money they are throwing at this campaign is grotesque. In what way do they believe New York (and they) will suffer if Mamdani wins? Or is it simply that Cuomo is so obviously corrupt, he is the guy who will look after their needs (especially after all the money they gave his campaign)?
Thank you Ryan and Saagar for the reporting. It’s great to hear from Saagar. After years of following Rising and subscribing to Breaking Points, the thing I miss the most now that I am not subscribed is the Bro Show and the Pound. You all take care.