New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) twisted a famous Ronald Reagan quote to justify his government-controlled grocery stores.
Announcing a new city-operated grocery store in the Bronx, Mamdani told supporters, “This store, and The Peninsula as a whole, will serve as physical proof of our conviction that government can be a force for good. That government can drive change that improves people’s lives.”
“And standing here this morning, I cannot help but think of the words of our 40th president, Ronald Reagan,” he continued. “He famously said, ‘The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’ It’s a good quote, but I disagree. I think nine more terrifying words are actually, ‘I worked all day and can’t feed my family.'”
Mamdani argued that when the government works to serve the “very working people that it has left behind time and again, it can make a difference in the most pressing struggles facing our city today.”
“It’s not just that government can help; it’s that government must help and our government will help,” he declared.
Mamdani plans to spend $70 million to develop five city-run grocery stores across the five boroughs, his office explained. The project, called the N.Y.C. Groceries Project, is an “NYCEDC initiative designed to lower the cost of everyday essentials by utilizing City-owned property.”
The first store, a 20,000-square-foot plan in Hunts Point, is set to open in 2027 and will “serve as an economic anchor for the South Bronx community,” his office noted.
