In an era of Clintonesque caution, when Democrats typically mute any expression of their leftward leanings, Bill de Blasio, who will almost certainly be elected mayor of New York City two weeks from now, does not concede an inch to the right.
He talks about sharing the wealth. He is pro-tenant and anti-landlord. He wants to tax the rich to help the poor. He stands solidly in support of undocumented immigrants. He sides with workers over employers. He backs the teachers’ union in its struggles with the charter school movement. He supports programs to ensure that every New Yorker eligible for food stamps, health care, income security and social services gets on the rolls, effectively resurrecting the welfare rights movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
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