Podcast Summary: Part Of The Problem

Episode: Mamdani's Historic Win
Date: November 6, 2025
Hosts: Dave Smith and Robbie “the Fire” Bernstein

Main Theme

This episode dives into the results and significance of the most recent “off-year” elections, with particular focus on Zoran Mamdani’s history-making win as the openly socialist, Muslim mayor of New York City. Dave and Robbie analyze what this means for the broader American political landscape, assess the continued weaknesses of the Republican Party under Trump, and dissect why voters—disaffected by economic hardship—are swinging leftward, sometimes toward socialism, despite conservative or libertarian counter-arguments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Election Night Overview: Why This Was Historic

[00:22]

• Mamdani's win: Zoran Mamdani, an openly socialist, Muslim candidate, becomes mayor of New York City—“the biggest city in America”—which the hosts agree is profoundly significant no matter one’s opinion.
• Democratic victories: Democrats swept all three marquee races—NYC Mayor, Virginia Governor, New Jersey Governor—demonstrating a resurgent party after suffering severe losses in 2024.
• Insight: For all the focus on candidate charisma and campaign drama, these elections were “outsized Democratic victories” even in regions traditionally considered competitive or only mildly blue.

Notable Quote:
“We are in a rapidly changing country with rapidly changing political dynamics. The fact that an open socialist, a socialist Muslim young, charismatic guy just became the mayor...is a very big deal.”
— Dave, [01:34]

2. The Failure of Conservative and Libertarian Messaging

[05:40 - 09:56]

• Personal accountability: Dave expresses a rare moment of introspection, blaming not just politicians but libertarian and conservative thinkers, think tanks, and media figures—“including mine and yours”—for failing to sell Americans on free markets and sound economics.
• Consensus collapse: Since WWII, broad right-of-center consensus anti-socialism/anti-communism existed; the rise of a socialist NYC mayor signals the breakdown of that coalition.
• Systemic blame: Both the collapse of the Republican establishment and the failures of Democratic leadership created an opening for someone like Mamdani.

Notable Quotes:
“Mamdani being the mayor represents many people's failures, including mine and yours. I'm not absolving us.”
— Dave, [05:40]
“You have to fuck up really, really bad for the average person to go over you.”
— Dave, [08:39]

3. Economic Anxiety: The Core Issue for Voters

[13:49] - [18:50]

• Election themes: All winning Democrats centered their campaigns on the “unaffordability crisis.” Ultimately, cost of living/inflation remains top-of-mind, across all lines— “it’s still about the same thing that it was always about, which is the economy.”
• CPI and “Biden inflation”: Despite Trump boasting of improvements, the average voter faces higher prices than even at the peak of “Biden inflation.” The show critiques the myth that spinning inflation statistics can fool the public.
• Right now, “no one’s seeing a night-and-day difference” under Trump either.
• Foreign policy as a distraction: Funding wars abroad (Israel, Ukraine, Venezuela, Iran) has done nothing for Americans’ economic security and has arguably hurt.

Notable Quote:
“The truth is...the economy... the price of everything is outrageously high. For all the other distractions, Donald Trump could try to spin it...but the truth is...things are worse.”
— Dave, [18:55]

4. Trump’s Leadership: A Year into His Second Term

[18:55] - [24:31]

• Trump’s trajectory: After a triumphant comeback in 2024, Trump now suffers plummeting approval. His record, on substantive issues (especially economy and foreign policy), is disappointing even to prior supporters.
• Policy critique: While border security improved, “mass deportations haven’t happened.” Tariff policies are “incoherent,” economic fundamentals (deficit, inflation, unaffordability) remain unaddressed.
• Libertarian/conservative disenchantment: Many who rallied behind Trump now withdraw support over increased wars and unchanged economic woes.

Notable Quotes:
“He had these fundamental core promises...but...we've gotten almost five years of him being president now...the swamp is as swampy as ever.”
— Dave, [54:10]

5. Republican Civil War and Its Consequences

[24:31] - [33:22]

• Fractured coalition: The right is undergoing a “civil war,” with MAGA loyalists attacking anti-war voices (Tucker, Candace, Dave) as “traitors.” Both sides blame each other for recent electoral losses.
• Broader coalition failures: The party’s attempt to cancel its most influential media personalities is ultimately self-defeating. The inability to form a broad coalition, especially when policy priorities (support for Israel, endless war) override America-first concerns, is costing Republicans votes and influence.
• Pop culture echo: Hosts cite comedy figures (Rogan, Theo Vaughn, Andrew Schulz) who once publicly backed Trump, but have recently and vocally distanced themselves because of continued foreign interventions, particularly in support of Israel.

Notable Quotes:
“Do we want to have this MAGA coalition win, or would we rather make sure we get Israel all the weapons it needs? And it seems to me the choice was made.”
— Dave, [31:43]
“You want to kick out all the boats...you're talking about picking a battle with a huge portion of the constituency here.”
— Dave, [25:29]

6. Why Are Voters Turning to Socialism?

[35:17] - [43:27]

• Broken economic system: Hosts argue both parties oversee an economy “rigged against the working people on behalf of the powerful.” Bailouts (2008, COVID) transferred wealth upward; Republicans haven’t effectively pushed back against this.
• **Republicans have “a conceptual problem with combating socialism”—they spend more, support lower interest rates, more socialized medicine, and central planning for their own base, blurring the ideological line between the parties.
• Voter logic: Many voters see the game as fixed, so a candidate who “promises to steal stuff for me” (Robin Hood style) has appeal.

Notable Quotes:
“The argument is now between central planning or central planning for you…that’s the only difference now.”
— Dave, [42:24]
“It sends a heavy signal that Donald Trump is not cleaning up corruption…that cedes more area to the socialists.”
— Robbie, [43:27]

7. The Missed Opportunity of ‘America First’

[43:56] - [52:48]

• True America First message: Dave insists that a real “America First” agenda—ending foreign wars, securing borders, defending the currency—could build a victorious, genuinely big-tent coalition reaching into the left. But both parties' commitments to empire and spending thwart this possibility.
• Failure to deliver: Trump’s records of promises vs. actions: No end to Ukraine war, no revealing of Epstein files, failure to “drain the swamp.” The personality-driven movement is waning in excitement; underlying rage at the establishment remains, but substantive solutions are not being offered.

Notable Quotes:
“A true America First message could be a really big tent. This is a message that can win you national office...But the reason—among so many of the people who, amongst the Trump supporting Zionists—so many of them...except we gotta support Israel.”
— Dave, [43:56]

Notable and Memorable Moments

• [05:40] Dave’s Accountability: “Mamdani being the mayor represents many people's failures, including mine and yours...it's every other libertarian podcaster, commentator, institute, and even the party. What a goddamn failure.”
• [08:39] Dave’s Critique of Establishment Candidates: “You have to fuck up really, really bad for the average person to go over you.”
• [18:55] Election Lessons: “The price of everything is outrageously high…It’s not, ‘Oh we went up 4% last year and 3% this year, so we’re down 1%.’ No, it’s the compound effect. Things are worse.”
• [31:43] On Israel and Foreign Wars Splitting the Right: “Do we want to have this MAGA coalition win, or would we rather make sure we get Israel all the weapons it needs? And it seems to me the choice was made.”
• [43:27] Corruption and Lost Trust: “It sends a heavy signal that Donald Trump is not cleaning up corruption. And I think people are aware that's why they don’t have economic opportunity…”
• [52:48] The Fade of Trump’s Magic: “I don’t know how people on the right can’t be getting sick of Donald Trump’s most wonderful, greatest, never no one’s ever seen…and then, you know, doesn’t pull through on anything.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:22] – Election night overview and Mamdani’s win
• [05:40] – Why Mamdani’s win signals the failure of both establishment and alternative right
• [13:49] – “Unaffordability crisis” and the economic lens
• [18:55] – Trump’s record gets shredded; economic critique
• [24:31] – How the right's civil war is sabotaging itself
• [31:43] – MAGA coalition vs. foreign policy; Israel as dying point
• [35:17] – How rigged economics and central planning push voters to socialism
• [43:56] – The lost promise of “America First” and Trump’s failures to deliver
• [52:48] – Trump’s persona waning; need for substance, not just show

Tone & Language

• Direct, irreverent, and skeptical: “You have to fuck up really, really bad for the average person to go over you.”
• Self-reflective, often self-deprecating: Dave takes blame for not winning, but also pokes fun at the tribalism across all sides.
• Relentlessly critical but occasionally hopeful: Argues for the need for a genuine populist realignment based on peace and prosperity.

Conclusion

This episode of Part of the Problem offers a sobering dissection of the new populist left in power in New York City while issuing an urgent warning to the right: both establishment and “outsider” conservative/libertarian voices have failed, and unless they pivot to a true “America First” agenda (eschewing foreign wars and elite enrichment), they will continue to lose—even in areas they should win. The show’s trademark: cutting through the noise with hard data, unvarnished opinion, and a dash of gallows humor.