“If you are a New Yorker, I am your mayor,” says Mamdani.

UNLESS you own property in New York that you believe belongs to you, and not the government. UNLESS you believe you may sell your property at the price you and a willing buyer agree upon. UNLESS you believe Muslims have no right to impose their religious beliefs on non-believers. UNLESS you don’t wish to pay taxes above 50 or even above 80 percent. UNLESS you think the Bill of Rights transcends the will of a city mayor.

Sure. Mamdani is your mayor so long as you let him decide everything in your life, especially if you’re productive and will be picking up the tab for those who cannot or choose to work.

Totalitarianism isn’t for everyone. It’s only for those the totalitarian deems worthy. And Mamdani knows it.

#NotMyJihad

The post #NotMyJihad (Good Luck, New York City) appeared first on Michael J. Hurd, Ph.D. | Living Resources Center.

Communism has arrived in New York.

New York passed the ‘COPA Act’ – which forces homeowners to offer their property to the government or an NGO before they can list it for sale.

The law triggers a mandated “right of first offer” period, giving pre-approved nonprofits up to 45 days to express interest and another 90 days to submit a bid, followed by a 15-day window to match any third-party offer if one emerges.

Failure to comply could result in civil penalties starting at 3% of the sale price, and nonprofits could seek court injunctions to block deals.

Many are calling it a blow to private property rights and free-market principles, that gives the government and non-profits—exclusive first dibs on purchasing properties before owners can sell them on the open market.

The bill, which passed with a 30-10 vote despite fierce opposition from landlord groups and real estate stakeholders, requires owners of distressed residential properties to notify the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) before even listing or accepting offers.

Supporters say the new law will preserve affordable housing as the city suffers from a housing shortage, but critics disagree saying it represents government overreach and will exacerbate the housing crisis by discouraging property maintenance and new development.

COPA’s rollout is phased.

In the first year (2026), it targets only the most severely distressed properties, such as those in HPD’s Alternative Enforcement Program, facing foreclosures, or with orders to fix the issues.

Starting in the second year, coverage widens to buildings with at least one open hazardous or immediately hazardous violation per unit, as well as those where affordability restrictions have expired within the past two years or are set to lapse soon.

Exemptions include one- to three-unit buildings, owner-occupied properties with five or fewer units, vacant lots, and purely commercial structures.

Conservatives say this plan ignores the root causes of New York’s housing crisis—decades of rent control, zoning restrictions, and high taxes that have lessened the supply and inflated costs for everyone.

In short: You can no longer sell property in New York City without first getting the permission of the government — on the price, and all the details of the sale.

Imagine being unable to sell your home without first getting permission from government authorities as to the price and the terms. Would you still feel like it’s your property? Would you still feel like you live in a free market, even a regulated one — or even in a free country, at all?

The government has, in effect, declared that it owns all private property in New York City. You can dispose of that property only with the government’s permission.

This is Communism. It’s evil — but it’s also poverty-inducing. When you stop people from acting rationally and in their own best interests economically, you force people into stupidity, bureaucracy and poverty as a way of life.

New York City is in serious trouble.

The post Communism Arrives in New York: More Gruesome Details appeared first on Michael J. Hurd, Ph.D. | Living Resources Center.

Bari Weiss has sent a chill down the spine of Progressive USA.

How?

She’s a Center-Left lesbian who, after being cruelly attacked by fellow New York Times employees for being a free thinker, created a media empire in a stunningly short amount of time.

Introducing The Free Press.

Then, when Weiss’ new venture proved profitable, she sold it to Paramount and agreed to personally overhaul the company’s CBS News franchise.

Her hand-picked anchor, Tony Dokoupil, kicked off his tenure by admitting the news media has lost its way. The modern reporter is disconnected from the average American and deserves much of the criticism leveled against it, he added.

New ‘CBS Evening News’ Anchor: Make Me Earn Your Trust https://t.co/Xyqi4d0Kgp

— Chuck Jordan (@ChuckJordan4) January 2, 2026

All of the above has made Weiss an enemy of both the Left and Legacy Media outlets (but we repeat ourselves). The far-Left Entertainment Weekly just dubbed Weiss a “conservative,” even though it rarely, if ever, uses ideological labels for Hollywood elite.

And, more importantly, how is Weiss conservative again? 

The Left’s panic over Weiss taking over CBS News, captured in a public meltdown over a spiked “60 Minutes” story, came to a head courtesy of a handsome Oscar winner.

George Clooney called Weiss out by name, saying she’s “dismantling” CBS News.

Typically, when a celebrity takes a progressive stand, the story circulates around the digital ecosystem. Legacy Media outlets regurgitate the charges, putting a not-so-subtle positive spin on the comments.

Words like “passionate” and “fiery” sneak into the reportage. And it more or less ends there. No journalist with access to someone like Clooney will challenge them on what was said.

Except Weiss ignored this media playbook.

RELATED: JUSTINE BATEMAN SHAMES GEORGE CLOONEY, TOM HANKS AND MORE

She’s a big enough pop culture voice now that she can directly address a Clooney type and know her message will be received. Heck, she oversees a broadcast news network, one of the biggest megaphones possible.

That explains the following Weiss response to Clooney’s accusations.

“Bonjour, Mr. Clooney! Big fan of your work. It sounds like you’d like to learn more about ours,” Weiss said in an email statement that CBS parent company Paramount Skydance shared with The Post on Tuesday.

“This is an open invitation to visit the CBS Broadcast Center, where I’m spending the holidays working to relaunch the Evening News with my colleagues. Tune in January 5.”

The “bonjour” reference targets the Clooneys fleeing America for France, a dig at a patriot who loves his country so much he decided to live elsewhere.

That’s just a surface-level taunt, but a powerful one. The real message is clear.

You can shoot your mouth off and the rest of the media will share it far and wide. But … if you want to have an adult conversation, and potentially a healthy debate, you’re welcome to join me.

You might even have a change of heart after hearing opinions you oh, so rarely hear.

Will Clooney take the bait? Don’t bet on it.

Either way, the bigger implications are obvious. If there’s now a major news network that tells it like it is, celebrities will have one less place where their views are left unchallenged. 

The post Why George Clooney (and Hollywood) Should Fear Bari Weiss appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.