Mamdani Refuses to Bend the Knee to MAGA and Dem Gov. Goes Dark Woke

26 Feb 2026 · 20 min · 9 chapters

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IHIP News Episode Summary: Mamdani Refuses to Bend the Knee to MAGA and Dem Gov. Goes Dark Woke

Episode Overview In this episode, hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan discuss the political landscape surrounding Zoran Mamdani, a progressive candidate, and the implications of his policies on New York City. The conversation revolves around the challenges faced by governments when balancing corporate interests and the needs of the working class.

Key Points

  • Zoran Mamdani's Ascendancy
  • Mamdani's candidacy is positioned as a threat to both corporate Democrats and MAGA supporters.
  • His proactive approach to governance garners national attention, including mentions by the president.
  • The Blizzard Response
  • During a significant snowfall, Mamdani offered $30/hour jobs to clear snow, which is framed as an example of effective government action.
  • The internet humorously dubbed this initiative as showcasing "big dick energy."
  • Snowball Fight Controversy
  • Following organized snowball fights, some tensions arose when police were hit with snowballs, leading to right-wing backlash.
  • Mamdani's refusal to ban snowball fights was highlighted as a stand against right-wing framing and hysteria.

Progressive Governance vs. Corporate Control

  • Critique of Corporate Democrats
  • The hosts criticize corporate Democrats for being beholden to billionaires and corporate interests rather than the working class.
  • There is a call for a return to the Democratic Party's FDR roots that prioritize community welfare over corporate profit.
  • Taxation of the Wealthy
  • Hosts urge Governor Kathy Hochul to consider taxing the ultra-wealthy to alleviate budget deficits rather than shifting the financial burden to working-class citizens.
  • They assert that taxing the rich is a moderate and necessary stance to combat income inequality.
  • Mamdani's Leadership Style
  • Mamdani is portrayed as a model for effective and progressive leadership that refuses to yield to right-wing pressures.
  • His policies could serve as a roadmap for redefining the Democratic Party to focus more on workers than corporations.

Cultural Commentary

  • Billionaire Critique
  • There is a strong critique of billionaires and corporate elites who exploit the system while blaming workers for economic disparities.
  • The hosts emphasize the moral obligation of leaders to support workers and address systemic issues rather than perpetuating the status quo.
  • Future Political Landscape
  • The discussion includes a warning about the potential rise of more extreme politics if current trends continue.
  • The hosts advocate for a coalition of progressive leaders to set an example and create a sustainable political framework.

Sponsors and Promotions

  • The hosts thank their sponsor, Laundry Sauce, promoting their products and offering a discount code for listeners.

Conclusion The episode emphasizes the need for a political shift towards progressive policies that prioritize the needs of working-class citizens and challenge the influence of corporate interests. Mamdani's approach is offered as a viable alternative to the current political climate dominated by corporate Democrats and MAGA supporters. The hosts call for action from leaders like Hochul to realign their priorities with the needs of their constituents.

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Feel free to reach out for more detailed discussions on specific topics or concepts presented in the episode!

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

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Fear of a Successful Candidate

0:45 to 2:30

Discussion on the fear corporate Democrats and MAGA have of Zoran Mamdani's potential success.

“And this is how the internet has memed this.”

Blizzard and Snowball Fights

2:30 to 4:19

Explaining the snowstorm in New York and the reactions to snowball fights.

“seeing in this response this winter blizzard from the city workers as a whole, and that includes the hardworking men and women of the NYPD, is part of why the city is getting back on its feet.”

Zoran's Bold Stance on Snowball Fights

4:19 to 6:10

Zoran's response to the idea of banning snowball fights amidst right-wing criticism.

“So this whole shoveling thing that he did where he went, he knew they were going to have major, major, major dump of snow.”

Critique of the Right's Response

6:10 to 10:02

Criticism of right-wing responses and the conversation on government responsibilities.

“And this is their main complaint about him.”

Zoran's Governance and Public Investment

10:02 to 12:18

Analysis of Zoran's governance style and the controversy surrounding his public works initiatives.

“So where does this leave us with all of this?”

Corporate Influence and Political Evolution

12:18 to 14:00

Discussion of corporate influence on politics and the need for a shift in the Democratic Party's focus.

“So Kathy Hochul is going a little dark woke.”

The Fight for Workers' Rights

14:00 to 15:00

Listeners will learn about the importance of prioritizing worker rights over corporate greed.

“You and Zoron have got to create the roadmap for all of these other states, but more importantly, for the heart and soul of this nation.”

Critique of Billionaire Culture

16:09 to 17:55

The discussion highlights the issues of wealth inequality and the accountability of the wealthy.

“And I do find it interesting when I hear all this about these billionaires and they're going to leave.”

Taxation and Economic Stability

17:55 to 19:55

Explore the necessity of taxing the wealthy for long-term economic health.

“Or, Kathy Hochul, you can make working people pay through higher property taxes, which is completely unfair.”
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Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:04All right, the biggest fear that everybody has, and I'm talking about corporate Dems plus MAGA. Their biggest fear is that a candidate like Zoran Mamdani, not that he fails, is that he succeeds. That's their fear. And that is a corporate Democrats fear as well, because they want to be beholden to the corporate tit. And it is getting worse and worse as we head into these midterms. So Zoran obviously has the president's attention, which is incredibly interesting. The president cannot quit talking about him, even mentioned him in the State of the Union address, that they talk all the time that he really likes him.

0:43And they're all wound up because New York had this big blizzard, right? And 16 inches of snow. And this is how the internet has memed this. Pop this up. Here we go. Zoran, 16 inches. And then he offers New Yorkers$30 an hour to plow every street. And it says every street across all five boroughs plowed. This, ladies and gentlemen, is big dick energy. And if we go to what happened after this, this is just phenomenal. So New Yorkers plan these snowball events where every snow fight, snowball fights. And some cops showed up at the snowball fight and some people hit some cops with snowballs. I don't think people should throw snowballs at cops, but I think on a scale of one to 10, this is a 0.02 situation.

1:39It is a snowball. All right. And so the right wing and even some Democrats, they want to fall into this. Oh my God, people are throwing snowballs. It's all Zoran's fault. Andrew Cuomo had a stage five meltdown over it. And so they asked Zoran, Are you going to ban snowball fights? And notice a lot of corporate Dems would buy into this framing by MAGA. They buy into that. They allow MAGA to frame them and they cede so much ground. Here's how Zoran handled it. Would you consider banning these crowdsourcing events because they can and sometimes do get out of hand? So I'm not going to be banning snowball fights or organized snowball fights.

2:25I've shared my thoughts with New Yorkers, and I continue to believe that what we are seeing in this response this winter blizzard from the city workers as a whole, and that includes the hardworking men and women of the NYPD, is part of why the city is getting back on its feet. Okay. So I think this is just absolutely incredible. And here's how Tim Miller responded to this. Glad the socialist mayor does not give an inch to the insane reporter who thinks government surveillance of snowball fights is a reasonable policy idea in a free country. And we know Tim Miller that he doesn't give an inch. He gives 16 inches in this big dick energy.

3:08So to me, the way he handled that, he didn't seed an inch. He didn't buy into right-wing hysteria about this. He said very calmly, I am not going to be banning snowball fights because on the one hand, all of these right wingers are about freedom and Zoran's a commie and he's a socialist and he's going to take your rights away. And then they're all like ban snowball fights and he will not buy into it. He stays laser focused on the big issues. The biggest fear that Hakeem Jeffries has, that Chuck Schumer has, that other Republicans have, is that they don't want to see him succeed. And bizarrely, I kind of think Trump wants to see him succeed because my personal opinion is he has a crush on him.

3:56Trump likes a winner. He does. And here's the thing. When I saw this, I was just like, get a real problem. Like there are real problems. You have the January Sixers who took guns to the Capitol, cops attacked, killed. Nobody gave a shit about that on the right. But now we're talking snowball. It's like, shut the fuck up. It's just kind of how I see it. Like get a real problem. We have real issues to deal with. This is not one. Okay. So this whole shoveling thing that he did where he went, he knew they were going to have major, major, major dump of snow. And so he did what people want to see government do.

4:35And Ariana Jasmine posts, Zoran launched a$30 an hour snow shoveling jobs with$45 an hour overtime. And Republicans mocked him. And not only were the sidewalks completely cleared within a day, but he did exactly what taxes are intended to do. Take taxpayer money and invest it in people while producing results that benefit everyone. Here's what the right-wing meltdown was all about. You had a ketamine head in a K-hole, Elon Musk saying, Zoran's trying to hire people to shovel the streets and you have to bring two forms of ID to do this. Well, you know why, Elon? You have to bring two forms of ID?

5:22Because they're going to pay them and take out taxes. These shovelers aren't getting$30 in their pocket without taxes like you do, Elon. They are paying into Social Security. They're paying into the city. These people are paying taxes, which is completely different than voting and completely different than the way you and Peter Thiel and Alex Karp operate. I wonder if Peter Thiel and Alex Karp have to give two forms of ID to not pay taxes to the billions of dollars they make off of taxpayer money. So this is what the right is complaining about with Zoron, using taxpayer money to solve city problems.

6:02They had so many people that sign up for these jobs. The streets were completely clear. This is exactly the way people want their cities run. And this is their main complaint about him. My main complaint about the Republican Party is that you guys defend child rapists and you guys defend pedophiles. And you're fine kissing the ass of billionaires who think so little of you. That's the difference. That's the moral difference between the left and the right right now. And then you have these corporate Democrats that are playing patty cake with all of these oligarchs behind the scenes. You know, it's interesting to me.

6:43They wanted to pick on this idea because it was such a good idea. It was so well executed. And the worst thing they could say was you had to get two forms of ID. Like they are reaching on this. And when I think about all the billionaires, I've really been thinking about it. Like death and taxes. Those are two things that are absolutely assured. Not for them. Right. Yeah. They don't have to pay them yet. We all benefit. I'm happy that a single mother gets to take her child and gets a childcare credit. I'm happy to pay for that because somebody needs to help these people. This, these people don't want to help anybody.

7:19They want to make billionaires richer. And the reason why these people need help is because the government and corporate Dems and Republicans refuse to put laws for people making a livable wage because the Republicans freak out and go, oh, my God, you're harming big business. We couldn't possibly pay somebody more than$8 an hour. And then when these people make$8 an hour and they're told by the Republican Party, be a pro-family, breed, have kids, live the American dream, they can't afford it. And then the Republican Party, the family values party, demeans them and browbeats them because of a system that they set up for them to fail.

8:04And so the thing with Zoran has been really interesting because the Democratic establishment sent in an alleged sexual harasser slash abuser, Andrew Cuomo, to run against him after he lost in the primary because, oh, my God, businesses are going to flee New York. They are going to flee New York. The billionaires are going to move out. Well, ever since Zoran has won, the luxury housing market in Manhattan is booming. And furthermore, everybody said if Mom Donnie is elected, rich people will flee. Multinational financial services company says we're going to build a two million square foot headquarters a few blocks from City Hall.

8:50American Express posts. We are excited to share our plans to build a new state of the art global headquarters at two World Trade Center, affirming our company's deep commitment to lower Manhattan. Read more about this announcement here. It's all bullshit. The one thing that these politicians, these corporate politicians and these corporations have in common is they lie. They are lying liars that get away with it. And the only way we can get away from this is to stop believing their lies and start believing politicians who put forth policies that are for the people. You're either for corporations or you're for the workers.

9:34You're either for Peter Thiel, who doesn't pay that much in taxes, who has decided. He doesn't think democracy is compatible with his life anymore. Does he put his name on a ballot and run like Zoran does? No, he wants to cheat. He is in the Epstein files colluding with Jeffrey Epstein, celebrating the downfall of Brexit, trying to dismantle democracy right now because he thinks he's smarter than you. And he's simply not. He's just better at exploiting people and better at being a psychopath. So where does this leave us with all of this? Zoran goes in to City Hall and Eric Adams left him with a horrific, horrific budget deficit.

10:20It is a part of law that he has to operate with a balanced budget, Soran does. So he has to work with the governor, Kathy Hochul, to help bridge this divide. And so basically, there's two options here. He can do, Kathy Hochul can do, what all Democrats do is they act like they're for the people, but secretly they're for corporations and they allow this right wing narrative. In order to be pro-business, You have to give all businesses and all rich people tax breaks. Otherwise, they're going to hold you emotionally hostage and threaten to leave. I'm sorry, but we're going to have to have leadership that bucks the system.

11:02And Zoran is calling on Albany, specifically Kathy Hochul, to help define a different Democratic Party. But the thing is, it's not that different. It is the Democratic Party of FDR. are. This new Democratic Party that has been ushered in since the ruling of John Roberts Court Citizen United is not the Democratic Party. It is the party for corporations that adds in a slight bit of harm reduction. We all need to open up our eyes to this. And Kathy Hochul seems to be going through a political evolution that all of us are going through. We're all opening up our eyes that these corporations are liars.

11:42They don't care about the American people, nor do they care about the American government. Are people fleeing Manhattan? No. Do you think they want to go live in dump truck, Ron DeSantis, Little Kitten Hills, Florida? No, they don't. They're investing in Manhattan. They're investing in New York City. So New York needs a governor that will cooperate with this new Democratic Party, which is the party of the people, by the people, for the people, not for these billionaires that try to skirt taxes and then blame the very workers that made them rich? Disgraceful. So Kathy Hochul is going a little dark woke.

12:21I've got her on my watch list. Here's Kathy right here. So Pop Crave tweets, the cottage from heated rivalry will be available to book on Airbnb beginning March. Kathy, I didn't know you had this in you. She says, I hope the taxpayers are ready to fund Cash Patel's weekend here. Kathy A plus, love it. Right there. You did it. You said it right there with that tweet. Are the taxpayers wanting to fund Cash Patel? The overwhelming answer to that is no. Do the taxpayers want to fund Bill Ackman or some other billionaire asshole that blames them for being poor while he exploited them? You've got to tax these guys.

13:09You've got to. And it's bigger than just the billionaires because we can pick a personality and pick on them all day long. I could start right now on Elon Musk and not finish till next year. The same with Zuckerberg. But they aren't the problem. It's the system, the system that has enabled and allowed them. And you and Zoran have a roadmap to help the Democratic Party get back to its FDR roots. We have to be a party of the workers and you have to sit down with these corporations and explain to them that you're changing the culture. It is a pro-business culture in New York, but it is a business culture that supports New Yorkers.

13:51What? These people on the board of directors lose a couple hundred million dollars when their net worth is over a billion? I mean, this is just the greed and the selfishness that is enabled by corporate Democrats has to stop with you, Kathy Hochul. You and Zoron have got to create the roadmap for all of these other states, but more importantly, for the heart and soul of this nation. You're either pro-corporation and pro-rich, greedy psychopaths, or you're pro-America and you're pro-workers. And we're going to stop allowing these corporations to exploit workers and then blame them and scapegoat them for all of America's problems.

14:34Kathy, you've got to buck up and do this. I just cannot believe it is 2026 and I have all these little goals, some like big time things that I want to accomplish, some minor. And I was thinking, you know what, I'd like to have a new little scent. Like when you're around Jennifer, what does she smell like? And I don't want it to be like too perfumey. So I thought I might kind of tackle this with my laundry soap. And if you don't already know, listener, Laundry Sauce is a premium collection of high performance detergent pods and other laundry essentials that are infused with bold and sophisticated fragrances crafted by the world's top perfumers.

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16:03That's 20 % off at laundry sauce.com with the promo code IHIP. And after you check out, they're going to ask where you heard about them. Don't forget to drop our name. Trust us. Your laundries never smelled this good. I thought that was really funny. And I do find it interesting when I hear all this about these billionaires and they're going to leave. And can you see Lauren Santos and Jeff Bezos rolling around Oklahoma City, Oklahoma? Fuck no. If you make more money, then you pay more money. I'm not an economist, but that just doesn't seem that outrageous to me. If you make less money, you pay less taxes.

16:46I mean, it's like a percentage game. And I don't, you know, somebody like a billionaire, to me,$10 ,000 is a ton of money. $100 ,000 is a ton of money. To them, it's not. And so it doesn't hurt them. It's not like they're punishing them. They're never going to know the difference. They're enabling them. They're enabling this grotesque entitlement that the Republican Party started. And after Citizens United, the corporate Dems hopped on it. And it's that, oh my God, we have to keep these billionaires happy. Well, look at what it's enabled. Look at how deranged that Alex Karp at Palantir, that crackhead.

17:26Look at Elon Musk shows up to the White House with a black eye, tripping balls on ketamine. Why? Because American culture has said, you get to do what you want to do. Yeah. Yeah. You can do whatever you want to do, Elon. Nobody on the planet is going to hold you accountable because you're rich. And we just as a political party and as a country cannot enable that. So Governor Kathy Hochul, you have two options here. Number one, you can tax the ultra wealthy, the billionaire class that has been largely untouched and create a culture, sit down and sit down with these billionaires, sit down with these corporations, explain to them what community is, explain to them that we have to do something for long-term economic stability, not their short-term yachts and PJs.

18:17It has to stop. Or, Kathy Hochul, you can make working people pay through higher property taxes, which is completely unfair. The burden that working class Americans have had to carry in order for these billionaires to reach this level of wealth income disparity and the exploitation that has ensued has incubated Trump. And if you do not do this, Kathy, you're going to incubate far worse than Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York. It will incubate something really, really dangerous. So you have to be a governor that works with this mayor who has the highest approval rating in the country right now. And taxing the rich and taxing billionaires is not some fringe opinion.

19:10It is a moderate position. The only people who oppose this are billionaires and a few MAGA cultists that are capitalists with zero capital. So I hope that you can set a blueprint for the rest of the country that this is how we are going to move forward as a culture because MAGA is going to keep incubating crazy shit. The Democratic party, we have to have Democrats like Kathy Hochul create common ground with Democrats like Zoran Mamdani to create a blueprint for the electorate to feel like we can believe in something because I can't sit here and report on this greed any longer. And I hope that you do not partake in it.

19:55All right. That's all we have. Like, subscribe, comment. We'll be back later with more news.

20:06you

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