<p>What do a Democratic Socialist in New York and a Green Party leader in Britain have in common? Charisma, clarity, and, apparently, a hatred of high bus fares. In this episode of <em>Mid-Atlantic</em>, host Roifield Brown and the transatlantic panel tackle the political rise of <strong>Manami</strong> in NYC and <strong>Zack Polanski</strong> in the UK—two left-wing politicians who’ve gone from fringe to front page without watering down their message.</p><br><p>Manami’s victory over Andrew Cuomo to become New York’s mayor-elect wasn’t just an electoral upset; it was a messaging masterclass. Free buses, city-run groceries, and rent freezes—policies that many establishment Democrats wouldn't touch with a barge pole—landed him in City Hall with a wave of grassroots energy and a TikTok-savvy machine behind him. Meanwhile, across the pond, Polanski’s strategic reframing of the Green Party—away from "tree hugger" stereotypes and toward a hard-hitting, cost-of-living political vehicle—has seen the party overtake the Lib Dems and Tories in membership numbers.</p><p>But is this revival of unapologetic leftism a fleeting blip, or a realignment? Can charisma and clear messaging finally outgun billionaire-backed centrism and weary technocracy? Roifield is joined by regulars <strong>Denise Hamilton (Houston)</strong>, <strong>Steve O'Neill (London)</strong>, <strong>Cory Bernard (Manchester)</strong>, and <strong>Mike Donahue (Los Angeles)</strong> to unpack what the centre-left keeps missing—and why <em>hope</em> might just be the most radical policy of all.</p><br><p><strong>Five Standout Quotes:</strong></p><ol><li><strong>“If people feel seen, they feel heard, they feel valued, they will support you—and they will vote for you.”</strong> – Denise Hamilton</li><li><strong>“Corbyn always sounds like someone’s just stolen his lunch.”</strong> – Corey Bernard</li><li><strong>“Even if you elect Bernie Sanders president, how effectual is he going to be? But the mayor of New York—he can change things.”</strong> – Mike Donahue</li><li><strong>“Polanski just sounds like he enjoys it. Same message as Corbyn, but without the gloom.”</strong> – Steve O'Neill</li><li><strong>“We’ve embraced a cynicism and a hopelessness that Manami rejected—and people gravitated to it.”</strong> – Denise Hamilton</li></ol><p><br></p><p><strong>Panel Social Handles:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Denise Hamilton:</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/officialdham" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@officialdham</a></li><li><strong>Mike Donahue:</strong> [@MichaelDonahue on Bluesky]</li><li><strong>Steve O’Neill:</strong> [@SteveZeroONeill] – Mostly on LinkedIn</li><li><strong>Cory Bernard:</strong> @168Polymer</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Next Episode Tease:</strong></p><p>Will the UK general election be a bloodbath for Labour—or will Starmer’s centrism survive the green wave? Stay tuned.</p><p>Need tweaks to match a specific platform (Spotify, Apple, etc.) or want a shorter version for email/newsletter blasts? Let me know.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>