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Blue City Blues

'BLUE CITIES ARE OUT OF CONTROL': CNN's Zakaria Goes Off on LA, NYC — 'Promising More, Delivering Less' [WATCH]

posted by Hannity Staff - 2.23.26

CNN host Fareed Zakaria sharply criticized Democratic leaders in major U.S. cities, arguing they are expanding government spending while failing to deliver affordability.

Opening Sunday’s show, the Fareed Zakaria GPS host said blue cities are “out of control,” accusing them of promising more while producing fewer results.

Zakaria pointed to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s proposed 9.5 percent property tax increase as an example.

“New York is really a prime example of a problem Democrats seem unwilling to confront. Blue cities are out of control, promising more, spending more, delivering less, and pushing off the fiscal problems to some future day,” Zakaria said.

He then turned to Los Angeles, describing it as “another one-party metropolis wrestling with affordability and disorder.”

Zakaria highlighted Los Angeles’ $950 million homelessness budget this fiscal year under Mayor Karen Bass, arguing that large spending has become routine despite worsening outcomes.

Citing reported data, he noted homelessness rose 9 percent countywide and 10 percent in the city in 2023, and has increased roughly 70 percent countywide and 80 percent in the city since 2015.

“All this amid public frustration, despite billions spent,” Zakaria said, adding that an audit of $2.4 billion in homelessness funding found officials could not reliably track spending or results.

Zakaria also criticized Chicago, citing Mayor Brandon Johnson’s low approval ratings and warning that pension obligations could eventually overwhelm the city’s finances.

“What is the theory of good government here?” Zakaria asked. “If the answer is keep adding programs, the city will keep producing unaffordability because unaffordability is what happens when government becomes a machine that grows faster than the society it governs.”

Zakaria argued policymakers should focus on affordability — especially housing — without relying primarily on subsidies, which he said risk driving up rents.

Watch the clip below: