New York City voters have plenty of reasons to question Zohran Mamdani’s bid for mayor, and his push for free buses just added another red flag to the list. The Democratic Socialist assemblyman, now the party’s nominee after a contentious primary win, wants to scrap fares on the city’s bus system while pouring money into upgrades that sound good on paper but come with a hefty price tag for everyone else.
What started as a campaign promise to make transit more accessible has drawn fire from unexpected quarters, including The Washington Post’s leftist editorial board, which tore into the idea in a recent piece.
Mamdani pitches the overhaul as a bargain, claiming it would cost “just under $800 million a year, which is $50 million less than what New York spent on the new Buffalo Bills stadium.”
The Post wasn’t buying it. “Oh, is that all? In fact, it is not,” they shot back. They pointed out how other cities tried similar experiments with disastrous results. “Plenty of cities have eliminated bus fares, but it always comes at a cost. Olympia, Washington, did so in 2020 to avoid having to upgrade their fare-card readers but hiked the local sales tax. That means everyone pays, whether they ride or not.”
And that’s before factoring in Mamdani’s extras, like new dedicated lanes and loading zones, which would pile on even more expenses.
The real kicker, though, is what happens when you make something “free” in a city already grappling with crime and disorder. The Post warned that quality would tank, turning buses into rolling shelters for the wrong crowd.
“Vagrants and drug addicts would camp out all day on New York’s buses, especially in the winter. Parents would grow afraid to let their children ride alone. Wealthier residents would find another way to get around, but poor New Yorkers who depend on the bus would suffer the most,” they wrote. It’s a scenario straight out of Portland’s failed fare-free era, where buses became magnets for trouble until officials pulled the plug in 2012.
This isn’t the first time the Post has called out Mamdani’s extremism. They previously slammed his plan to ditch gifted programs for young kids in the name of equity, labeling it “shocking” and a step backward for education. And with Governor Kathy Hochul ruling out tax hikes on the wealthy to fund his schemes, the bill falls squarely on middle-class families and working stiffs who can’t afford another hit to their wallets.
Dig a little deeper, and the whole thing starts to smell like more than just bad policy. Mamdani’s campaign has been caught accepting nearly $13,000 in illegal foreign donations, including cash from his mother-in-law in Dubai and other overseas sources. That’s not pocket change—it’s a violation of election laws that ban foreign money in U.S. campaigns.
Who knows what strings come attached to those funds? In a time when global actors are meddling in American affairs, one has to wonder if this socialist agenda is part of a bigger play to erode law and order in our biggest cities, turning them into chaotic zones where hardworking people pay the price while outsiders pull the levers.
Polls show Mamdani leading the pack in the mayor’s race, but revelations like these could shift the tide. New Yorkers deserve a leader who protects their safety and savings, not one who invites trouble with open arms. If even the Post sees the folly in Mamdani’s vision, it’s time for voters to hit the brakes before it’s too late.
Why the National Debt Is the Looming Threat to Your Retirement Plans
The Hidden Crisis No One Is Talking About
Every day, headlines warn about inflation, market volatility, and global instability—but the greatest looming threat to your retirement might be something far more fundamental: America’s skyrocketing national debt.
You can learn more about how the national debt affects you by reading this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“.
With debt growing faster than most Americans can possibly fathom, the government’s borrowing habits have reached historic—and dangerous—levels. To cover spending, Washington is making moves with their budget packages, tariffs, and taxes. Is it enough? No. It’s not even close to what would be necessary to stop out-of-control debt, let alone reverse it.
How Debt Erodes Your Nest Egg
There are only so many levers government and the Federal Reserve can pull to try to protect Americans, assuming that’s even a top priority for them. Unfortunately, pulling one level to relive one pressure invariably adds pressure from another direction. This is why prices keep going up even as inflation reportedly slows.
For retirees and pre-retirees, that’s a perfect storm. The dollars you’ve worked hard to save lose value, and your cost of living increases while your investments lag behind.
If you’re relying solely on paper-based assets—stocks, bonds, or mutual funds—you’re essentially tied to the same system that’s creating the problem. It’s a system that was designed to work well in the 20th century, not in today’s world with people living longer and the dollar rapidly losing value.
This is why the 3-minute report, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now,” is so important.
The Precious Metals Hedge
Thousands of Americans are looking for a tangible, time-tested hedge: physical gold and silver.
Unlike paper assets, precious metals aren’t dependent on government policy or the stock market’s mood swings. They’re real, finite resources that have maintained value for thousands of years through wars, recessions, and inflationary periods.
In fact, during times of high inflation and fiscal instability, gold often performs its best—because it’s seen as a store of value when faith in the dollar weakens. This is why prices have skyrocketed this year and are expected by many economists to continue going up in the future.
Take Control with a Gold IRA
One of the most effective ways to protect your retirement from national debt fallout is through a self-directed Gold IRA. This IRS-approved account lets you hold physical gold and silver within your retirement portfolio, giving you:
- Direct ownership of your assets
- A hedge against inflation and dollar decline
- The control to diversify beyond Wall Street
Augusta Precious Metals specializes in helping Americans just like you take this step with confidence. The company has earned a strong reputation for transparency, education, and personalized service—making it one of the most trusted names in the industry.
The Next Step: Secure Your Financial Future
Augusta Precious Metals has helped thousands of Americans with at least $50,000 to invest from their IRAs, 401(K)s, TSPs, and other retirement accounts safeguard their savings through precious metals.
If you’re concerned about what the rising national debt could mean for your future, now is the time to act.
Read this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“ and learn the simple steps you can take to protect your retirement.