Glenn Beck exposes Mamdani’s ‘cheap groceries’ as a fraud pipeline — and classic socialist hypocrisy



Last month at a press conference announcing 30% discounts on staple groceries at planned city-owned stores, a reporter asked New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) how he would prevent people from buying up the cheap items for resale.

“Our RFP makes very clear that this is a program for New Yorkers to be able to put food on the table, not a program for people to be able to make a quick buck through reselling,” he replied before passing the question off to Economic Development Corporation chief Jeanny Pak, who floated the idea of using “library-esque cards” to moderate patrons.

Glenn Beck finds the proposal preposterous and deeply ironic.

“You're going to put out a library card? Do you need a license or any kind of identification to get a library card? The answer? Yes,” he says, emphasizing Mamdani's and other progressives' opposition to voter ID requirements.

“So you're asking for ID. Okay, well, that makes sense because … you have to know who's coming in. Are they qualified to buy the stuff in your store?” Glenn continues, highlighting the glaring similarities between accessing NYC’s city-owned grocery stores and voting in an election.

He wonders whether or not Mamdani and other NYC officials have considered the inherent sexism and racism in such a proposal.

“I don't know why they hate women so much, because married women, you're not going to be able to do it because maybe you've changed your name and you don't have a birth certificate or any other form of ID whatsoever that could prove who you are,” he sarcastically remarks, mocking liberals’ debunked argument that voter ID laws disenfranchise married women.

After the backlash, Mamdani’s team clarified that the “library card-esque” idea was not an ID requirement but actually a voluntary customer loyalty-style card (like supermarket rewards programs) that the private store operator could use to track purchases and limit bulk buying for resale.

But regardless of how they try to frame their fraud prevention initiative, the irony remains.

“So [it’s] like a Costco card, which I have to sign up for and they have to know who I am, because they just don't hand them out at the door. … Or like an Albertson's card, where you have to sign up for it,” Glenn says.

Glenn’s head writer and researcher, Jason Buttrill, notes that the mayor’s office has pledged that the cards will be voluntary and free, with no residency, identity, or income check required to get one — which would make them arbitrary and ineffective at preventing fraud.

“If you're not going to check residency, why even have a card at all? Because you can come from Texas and just say, ‘Yeah, I live in New York. Give me my discount card,”’ he says.

“They know they’re being hypocrites,” says Glenn.

Communism and socialism always fail, he explains, because even after common sense reveals their failures, the government — afraid of losing face and supporters — doubles down, insisting it will eventually find the magic solution that proves the system works.

“Once a communist, always a communist,” says Glenn.

To hear more, watch the video above.

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Mamdani backtracks on grocery store ID policy after critics cry ‘hypocrisy’



New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s government-run grocery stores have hit another obstacle — and critics have been merciless.

Mamdani and his administration are now walking back a proposal that appeared to require shoppers to verify their eligibility for discounted groceries at city-run grocery stores.

'There will be no system to verify identity, residency, or income, and no one will be asked to show ID to shop.'

The announcement came shortly after prominent conservative figures blasted the mayor over his apparent hypocrisy on identification requirements.

During a press conference last week, Mamdani announced that the city’s five government-run grocery stores would offer “a collection of essential staples” at prices “30% cheaper” than typical retail rates.

When a reporter pressed Mamdani on how the city would stop opportunists from buying up the taxpayer-subsidized groceries in bulk and flipping them for a profit, a top administration official suggested requiring shoppers to prove they are “everyday New Yorkers.”

New York City Economic Development Corporation Interim President and CEO Jeanny Pak did not specify how shoppers would verify their eligibility, though she floated the idea of a “library card-esque” system, suggesting some form of identification or residency verification may have been required to access the store.

President Donald Trump and his allies blasted Mamdani over his double standard — pointing to the mayor and his fellow Democrats’ opposition to voter ID requirements.

During a press conference Monday, a reporter asked Trump about Mamdani’s proposal and the president’s message for Democrats who oppose the SAVE America Act.

"This was just announced. I heard about it," Trump said. "Well, I wish they’d have an ID to access the voting booth. You know, they don’t want to access the voting booth with any identification. We want voter ID, and we want proof of citizenship."

RELATED: Immigrant business owners revolt against Mamdani's 'Soviet'-style grocery plan

Elon Musk wrote on X, "Oh, the irony is too much ...."

Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), an advocate for the SAVE America Act, slammed Democrats on their “hypocrisy.”

“DEMOCRATS: Are fighting to ensure you don’t have to show an ID before voting in our elections. ALSO DEMOCRATS: Want you to show an ID before entering a supermarket.”

Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) chimed in, writing, “So ID for government grocery stores to stop people abusing the system is fine ... but requiring ID to vote not?”

Trump also referenced a separate controversy involving the mayor’s emergency snow-shoveling program, which required paid shovelers to provide “two original forms of ID” and a Social Security number to register — another policy that critics claimed represented a double standard on identification requirements.

In light of the intense backlash, Mamdani spokesperson Cassio Mendoza refuted the claims circulating online.

“Comparisons to voter ID laws or the SAVE Act simply do not apply. This is not an identification system, nor is it a mechanism to verify who someone is, where they live, or how much they earn. It is a practical inventory management tool to ensure affordable groceries remain available for the people who need them instead of being cleared off shelves for resale,” Mendoza said.

“To be absolutely clear: NYC grocery stores will be open to everyone. There will be no system to verify identity, residency, or income, and no one will be asked to show ID to shop,” he added.

A Mamdani spokesperson told Fox News that, in lieu of an ID program, the store could employ a privately designed “customer card” as seen in comparable loyalty programs at private grocery stores. This alternative would ostensibly protect the stores from concerns such as bulk purchases without requiring identification to shop.

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Mamdani rejects voter ID, but his grocery stores may ask shoppers for proof



New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his fellow Democratic Socialists of America have long opposed voter ID requirements, but his administration may have a surprise waiting for shoppers at his government-run grocery stores.

During a press conference last week, Mamdani announced that the city's five government-owned grocery stores would offer "a collection of essential staples" at prices "30% cheaper" than typical retail rates.

'We are looking to make sure that we target New Yorkers, whether it be at sort of a library card-esque thing ...'

When a reporter pressed Mamdani on how the city would stop opportunists from buying up the taxpayer-subsidized groceries in bulk and flipping them for a profit, a top administration official suggested requiring shoppers to prove they are “everyday New Yorkers.”

"Our RFP makes very clear that this is a program for New Yorkers to be able to put food on the table, not a program for people to be able to make a quick buck through reselling," Mamdani responded before turning the question over to New York City Economic Development Corporation Interim President and CEO Jeanny Pak.

"We are looking to make sure that we target New Yorkers, whether it be at sort of a library card-esque thing, and also we manage who's buying and that it's focused on everyday New Yorkers," Pak said.

"So we are mindful of that, and so we're going to make sure that we have all the things in place to make — ensure that that does not happen."

RELATED: Socialist Mamdani says city-run grocery stores will undercut supermarkets by 30%

Pak did not specify how shoppers would be required to verify their eligibility, though her reference to a "library card-esque" system suggested some form of identification or residency verification may be used to access the discounted groceries.

Spencer Pratt, the former candidate for Los Angeles mayor, slammed Mamdani on X over his contradictory positions.

"Racist Commie Mamdani is going to make you show ID in his markets. You want your government-subsidized arugula? Show your papers! Ask for ID to vote? BIGOT!!!" Pratt wrote.

"Are you starting to realize what disingenuous lying buffoons these commies are?"

This is not the first time Mamdani has faced criticism over identification requirements.

Earlier this year, New York City's emergency snow-shoveling program required paid shovelers to provide "two original forms of ID" and a Social Security number to register — a move that drew intense backlash from critics.

“Let’s get this straight: in Zohran Mamdani’s socialist utopia, it takes 2 forms of ID to SHOVEL SNOW, but no ID to vote. Make it make sense,” the House Republicans wrote on X at the time.

The first of five publicly owned grocery stores is anticipated to open in the Bronx by the end of 2027, with the remaining four storefronts slated to be operational by the end of Mamdani’s four-year term, including one in East Harlem.

Construction of the Harlem location alone is expected to carry a $30 million price tag.

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Poll: Majority Of Americans Worried About ‘Ineligible’ Voters Casting Ballots As Dems Fight Voter ID

If the new Gallup poll shows anything, it's that Senate Democrats (and a few RINOs) aren't listening to what the people actually want.

Polls Show Majority Of Americans Support Voter ID As SAVE Act Stalls In Senate

'The Senate needs to do its job and pass the SAVE America Act. The time for excuses is over.'

'I'm trying to be nice': Trump piles pressure on Thune over SAVE America Act



Trouble likely awaits a budget resolution tied to the SAVE America Act as it heads to the stubborn upper chamber of Congress.

On Wednesday, the House passed a $95 billion budget resolution, 216-214, carrying with it important incentives for states to pass the SAVE America Act, alongside funding for Iran-related operations and farm aid.

'It's like the Senate is a place that you send things when you want them to die.'

The $95 billion package includes $73 billion for defense and intelligence funding, $12 billion for agricultural aid, and $10 billion in election-related funding for states, a key aspect of the SAVE America Act.

The bill itself is five primary issues: voter ID, proof of citizenship to register, an end to universal mail-in ballots, and bans on transgender athletes in women's sports and transgender surgery for minors.

The SAVE America Act is now sitting with a Republican-controlled Senate that is in apparently no rush to deal with it.

Trump ramped up his pressure campaign against Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) at a Georgia rally Wednesday, urging supporters to flood Thune's office with calls demanding action on passing the budget bill and, eventually, the SAVE America Act.

RELATED: House narrowly passes SAVE America Act as rider to trillion-dollar spending bill

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

He credited Johnson and the House for doing their part, but blamed the Senate for the holdup: "It's like the Senate is a place that you send things when you want them to die."

“We’re not going to take this any longer. … I’m trying to be nice; I’m trying to be really nice,” Trump added.

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) also suggested on X that Thune should "step aside" if he won't act.

Politico's reporting from inside the GOP conference shows the resistance runs well past the three sitting holdouts — Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

A source familiar with the matter told Blaze News that Thune is prioritizing the continuing resolution to avoid another shutdown and that the budget resolution is in reserve.

Asked Wednesday how close he was to 50 votes, Thune said only, "Good question."

By Thursday, he was blunter: "I can't count to 50 right now on a budget resolution."

Per Politico, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) told reporters Wednesday he doesn't expect Thune to take it up at all; Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) isn't sure the votes exist in the first place; and newly named Budget Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said there has been no formal conversation yet.

Thune himself has asked colleagues, "Is the juice worth the squeeze?"

Reconciliation needs only a simple majority, as opposed to the 60-vote threshold for passing bills into law. Even so, the bill has failed twice — once in April and again in June — with Collins, Murkowski, Tillis, and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voting no alongside every Democrat both times.

RELATED: New Jersey's noncitizen voter blame game doesn't add up — literally

Win McNamee/Getty Images

Earlier this month, Speaker Johnson called the package "our best shot" at 50 votes plus Vice President JD Vance as the tiebreaker. For now, McConnell's indefinite absence drops the vote count to 99, meaning Republicans need a plain majority. One holdout flipping to yes still passes it outright, while an abstention reopens a possible 49-49 tie, putting Vance's tiebreaker back in play.

Only if all three hold firm does the package fail.

Asked directly at Tuesday's weekly Senate GOP leadership press conference whether the House's reconciliation push is more than an academic exercise, Thune demurred: "We'll see ... what they get done this week and what it all consists of."

He confirmed the Senate would "hold" any budget resolution the House sends over — but specifically as a fallback to fund the government, not to advance the SAVE America Act.

"I hope that's not necessary," he said, noting he's already having "productive conversations" with Democrats on a separate funding deal to carry the government past the November election.

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If voter ID stops women and minorities from voting, how are they getting Olive Garden’s Pasta Pass?



When Olive Garden revived its Never-Ending Pasta Pass promotion, allowing a limited number of patrons to purchase 13 weeks of unlimited pasta bowls for just $100, the nationwide chain known for breadsticks and gargantuan proportions didn’t expect it to become political fodder for the GOP.

But that’s exactly what happened.

The pasta pass, which is personalized and non-transferable, requires the pass-holder to show a valid ID at the time of ordering — making a pasta transaction technically more secure than many state elections thanks to no-ID voting policies.

When news of the promotion spread, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Indiana AG Todd Rokita, among other Republicans, jumped at the chance to dunk on Democrats’ opposition to the SAVE America Act, which would mandate voter IDs.

BlazeTV host Pat Gray was shocked when he got wind of Olive Garden’s Pasta Pass stipulation.

“So voter ID got a little boost, as far as I'm concerned, over the weekend, when we found out that Olive Garden's endless Pasta Pass has stronger security than voting in an election in the United States of America!” he exclaims.

"Don’t they know women couldn’t enter that? Don’t they know blacks can’t enter that?” Pat asks sarcastically, highlighting the debunked Democrat claim that voter IDs somehow bar women and minorities from the ballot box.

But purchasing Olive Garden’s Pasta Pass is just one on a long list of activities that also require ID. From driving or renting a car or boarding a flight to purchasing a transit ticket or opening a bank account, IDs are required all the time.

“If you go to the bank and you want to set up a checking account or an account of any kind, they're going to ask you to show ID. How hateful is that? I guess mothers can't go to banks,” Pat jokes.

“Cashing a check requires ID. Applying for credit, sending money transfers, checking into a hotel, signing a residential lease, setting up public utilities,” he continues.

“You want to have electricity? You want to have lights in your house? You're gonna need an ID. That's why no black people have electricity or a home,” he jokes.

Pat goes on to list more activities that require an ID check: purchasing tobacco or alcohol, entering venues with age restrictions (i.e. nightclubs, bars, R-rated movies), buying certain medications, starting a new job, applying for public assistance, picking up your mail, joining a gym, and even adopting a pet.

“I mean the list is almost endless,” he says, highlighting the absurdity of Democrats’ opposition to the SAVE America Act, which has strong bipartisan support.

“84% of Americans are in favor of this. 71% of Democrats are in favor of it. How are they winning this battle?” he asks.

To hear more, watch the episode above.

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6,600 Noncitizens Found On New Jersey Voter Rolls As Democrats Fight Against Voter ID

Democrats (and a handful of RINOs) are still holding up the election-integrity legislation that would solve the very problem that Gov. Mikie Sherrill has been forced to confront.

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Democrats Can’t Explain Their Hatred Of Voter ID. Unfortunately, Republicans Won’t Make Them

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