Americans are weary. We are weary of seeing billions of our hard-earned tax dollars going to fight forever wars. Weary of giving Israel a literal blank check as it commits genocide in Gaza, and carries out murderous pogroms in the West Bank. Weary of AIPAC’s tentacles wrapped around the necks of our elected leaders like a giant squid, turning so many of them into lapdogs who will do whatever Israel tells them. NYC Mayor Mamdani has referred to AIPAC as a monstrosity, which it is. And I don’t blame him for not marching in a pro-Israel parade. We must not reward genocide; Netanyahu has turned Israel into a terrorist state. (I’m Jewish, by the way, and am fiercely opposed to any form of antisemitism; it’s Netanyahu I despise.) We are weary of trillions lost to tax cuts for the super-rich and of being forced to pay for corporate welfare, as benefits are slashed for Americans who need help and who are going hungry and are deprived of medical care. Weary of watching helplessly while blood-sucking robber barons like venture capitalists and hedge-fund managers and Wall Street elites become fabulously wealthy at the expense of the American people who increasingly see their own futures as bleak and hopeless. The tech bros and other “masters of the universe” take everything, and shriek in protest as activists like Elizabeth Warren and Robert Reich call for them to pay their fair share of taxes. We are weary of infinite amounts of money for weapons while pleading poverty when the less privileged need our help. And we are weary of Trump claiming, falsely, that we won in Iran and that he’d conquered inflation and ushered in a fantastical “golden age” for the country.

For the first time in years I’m sensing signs of hope. Mamdani has initiated a revolution by doing what the entrenched powers-that-be see as their biggest threat: having the government give back to its citizens. It’s not complicated. For decades we have been browbeaten into believing we were helpless as we watched the rich get richer while ordinary citizens see their quality of life diminishing. It was just a matter of fact — power was for the rich, obscene amounts of money must be paid for corporate welfare, and the only ones getting breaks were those who need them least as they say to the rest of us, “Let them eat dirt.” He is actually giving back to his constituents, and he is enjoying a nearly seventy-percent approval rating. He has energized the entire nation. Young people everywhere are embracing democratic socialism, a model of government that is committed to the well being of its citizens.

I am not happy about the platform of the Democratic Socialist Party of America, but like all party platforms it’s pretty much meaningless. I don’t want to see defunding of the police, the abolition of ICE (though I think ICE needs to be razed to the ground and totally reformed), the complete opening of our borders, abolition of the Senate, no Thanksgiving and other pipe dreams. But Mamdani doesn’t stand for any of these things. He’s helping struggling New Yorkers with childcare, discounted supermarkets, a freeze on rents. And he is beloved. It seemed impossible; government was an arm of the wealthy and powerful and we average citizens would have to scramble for crumbs to keep our heads above water. Centrist Democrats like James Carville are hysterical, declaring the end of the Party. They don’t seem to realize there’s been a sea change, just as there was a few years ago when the majority of Americans finally approved of same-sex marriage. Many of us want the government overhauled so we can live with a robust safety net and universal healthcare. For years we were told such things were impossible, impractical, unattainable. But that is false. We have the resources. We just need leaders like Mamdani to unlock them. He has ushered in a new age of optimism. We’ll see if it’s sustainable but I’ve never seen such hopefulness before, similar to when Obama first won the presidency.

The depravity of the current administration cannot be exaggerated. I won’t list all their sins, like the pointless war in Iran, the desecration of the White House, the insanity with the reflecting pool, the outrageous corruption, Trump slapping his name on everything…Americans are tired of it. It’s reflected in all the recent polls; Trump has made our lives worse and the people are ready for dramatic change. It’s going to be a bitter battle as Trump seeks to suppress the vote and cling to power. But it can be done, and the exuberance of today’s young people can help usher in a new reality, one in which the government gives back to its citizens and frees itself from the blood-sucking super-rich. I am retired and live off of my investments. But I would gladly pay more in taxes to a government that actually cares about me and gives back in the form of universal healthcare and a lowering of the cost of living for everyday Americans. This coming election will determine whether we can transform our broken system with one that is of the people, by the people, and for the people. And I’m going to do all I can to usher in a better future. It’s time.