Editorial note: The following is a work of political imagination—an entirely fictional scene written to explore what a pro‑affordability future might look like.
In this imagined scene, three mayors—Zohran Mamdani of New York City, Katie Wilson of Seattle, and Karen Bass of Los Angeles—walk into a bar. The bartender looks up and says, “What’s the occasion?” They reply, “We’re here to save civilization.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani kicks things off. “When I was running with my pro-affordability platform, I became a catalyst that brought almost every billionaire together to fight against me. And yet, the public voted me in, despite their best efforts to discredit me.” He raises his glass. “So we have solutions sitting right here, and the public is ready for change.”
Mayor Katie Wilson of Seattle nods. “It’s true. We can’t hold on to the past. We have to work in the present, where we have vast resources. There are companies that can build a multi‑story apartment building in 30 hours. And in every area—transportation, healthy food, child care, and health care—technology is just waiting for us to use it.” She leans in. “Even AI can help organize every project. It’s about time we embrace it.”
Mayor Karen Bass joins in. “We have to ensure housing is affordable, but also health care, healthy food, transportation, and child care. It’s a comprehensive view. We’ve got to leverage these technological tools and bring the public along with us.”
The bartender smiles. “Sounds like a revolution.”
The three mayors clink their glasses. They know the road ahead is full of challenges, but they also know that together, with the public behind them, they can save civilization one city at a time.
Disclaimer: This blog post, the Affordable Cities for All website, and the 5 Essentials Platform book collection reflect the personal views and independent work of Dr. Dominic Cappello and are not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution of higher education. The vision, mission, and random typos are all mine—Dr. Dom.
Note: The image shown is of fruit juice—the healthy choice.
