Category: 3-SometimeCommentary

Just two weeks ago, New Yorkers voted en masse for a self-proclaimed socialist—someone who once called for “seizing the means of production.”

This is, of course, Zohran Mamdani, who dominated in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor with a definitive victory over Andrew Cuomo.

He has called for rent freezes, free buses, and even government-run grocery stores.

He won 56 percent of the vote in a campaign fueled by young, highly educated, wealthy people—many of whom believe in reviving socialism here in America, in 2025.

According to a Cato Institute poll from May: 62 percent of Americans age 18 to 29 say they hold a “favorable view” of socialism. And 34 percent had a positive view of communism.

Polls by Emerson and Marist from May and June had shown Mamdani leading with voters under 45 by as much as a 2:1 ratio against the former governor.

This phenomenon has left many people wondering: Why are so many young people embracing a failed economic system? Is it their university education? Is it the influence of social media? Is it just “cool”? Is it a desperate call for anything to fix wealth inequality? Or is it something else?

Here to help us understand are Tyler Cowen and Kyla Scanlon.

Tyler Cowen is an economist and Free Press columnist who just wrote an important essay for us called “Why Won’t Socialism Die?”

Kyla Scanlon is a writer, economic commentator, and educator—and, importantly for this conversation, a member of Gen Z. She is 28, and her new book is In This Economy? How Money & Markets Really Work.

This conversation was originally a Free Press livestream—and you’ll hear throughout this conversation that I take lots of questions from people who joined us live. To make sure that you never miss one of these in the future, you can become a paid subscriber today.

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Murderbot showrunners Chris and Paul Weitz join to discuss their sci-fi series’ blend of chamber thriller, workplace satire, and reluctant hero tale—all orbiting a security unit who just wants to be left alone to binge his stories. They talk robot servitude, world-building exhaustion (“every chair must be a space chair”), and how Alexander Skarsgård’s performance brings Scandinavian placidity to a roiling interior monologue. Also: the GOP goes ball(point)istic over Biden’s legal use of an autopen.

Produced by Corey Wara

Production Coordinator Ashley Khan

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On July 4, 2026, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

President Donald Trump kicked off the countdown to the anniversary at a rally in Iowa – right as Congress passed his sweeping domestic policy bill.

But how has this country's identity changed in 250 years? And what innovations – in science, technology, and democracy – have led us to this moment?

In this installment of If You Can Keep It, we discuss what can we learn about the future of American innovation and democracy through its past.

Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

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Around the world many nations are facing a full-blown depopulation crisis. In the U.S. birth rates have steadily declined and the U.S. fertility rate is now well below replacement level. Some parts of the country are already experiencing population loss, aging demographics, and labor shortages. What needs to happen to change the population decline before it’s too late?array(3) { [0]=> string(20) "https://www.tpr.org/" [1]=> string(0) "" [2]=> string(1) "0" }

• Tim's interview with Julie K. Brown last year
• Bill's 'Bulwark on Sunday' conversation with Julie Brown

When Republicans passed their big domestic policy bill just over a week ago, they kept making the same argument about sweeping changes to Medicaid: that the measures, including new work requirements, would encourage able-bodied adults to earn their health care, ultimately creating a fairer system for everyone. Critics said the opposite: they have predicted that millions of working people who need health care will lose it.

The truth will emerge in rural and often Republican-voting areas where cuts to Medicaid funding will be felt most deeply. Natalie Kitroeff spoke to a family doctor in one of those places, western North Carolina, about what she thinks will happen to her patients.

Guest: Shannon Dowler, a family physician and health advocate in western North Carolina.

Background reading: 

• In North Carolina, President Trump’s domestic policy law jeopardizes plans to reopen one rural county’s hospital — and health coverage for hundreds of thousands of state residents.
• The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office predicted that the Senate’s version of Trump’s bill would mean that 11.8 million more Americans would become uninsured by 2034.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Photo: Kaoly Gutierrez for The New York Times

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