A tale of two cities

Progressive candidate Bill de Blasio won a landslide victory to become the next mayor of New York, running largely on the Tale of Two Cities narrative of economic inequality. Not only did he harness the power of the post-occupy narrative, but also the long-term community organizing of groups like Make the Road NY and the Working Families Party.

From The Nation: “Without a dramatic change of direction—an economic policy that combats inequality and rebuilds our middle class—generations to come will see New York as little more than a playground for the rich…a gilded city where the privileged few prosper, and millions upon millions of New Yorkers struggle each and every day to keep their heads above water,” de Blasio said in a May 30 address, crystallizing his portrait of New York as a modern-day Tale of Two Cities.

"Unfortunately, his speech was drowned out by the frenzy surrounding Anthony Weiner’s sudden return to politics (which quickly became a distraction from the real issues thanks to the media circus surrounding the revelations of his continued "sexting" activities). But in placing the city’s roiling inequality at the center of his campaign, de Blasio has offered not only the sharpest description of the problem—what he called “the most urgent priority of our time”—but also the most forceful solution." Read the full article here.