In the world of crypto, where decentralization and free markets reign supreme, political discussions often hit close to home. Recently, prominent crypto journalist Laura Shin, host of the Unchained podcast and author of The Cryptopians, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her strong views on a local New York City election. She's backing Andrew Cuomo—yes, the former governor with his share of controversies—over Zohran Mamdani, a candidate pushing for policies she sees as too top-down and socialist-leaning.

Shin's post dives deep into her personal history. Her ancestors fled what would become North Korea in the mid-1940s, right after Kim Il Sung rose to power. They left behind a life of privilege—a big house, a grand piano—because one prescient family member saw the dangers of communism early on. This risky move paid off big time, as Shin points out with a striking graph comparing the economic trajectories of North and South Korea. It's a classic tale of capitalism and democracy unlocking human potential versus the stifling effects of centralized control.

She doesn't mince words: "I don’t think top down governance works great. I think capitalism and democracy work together in a way to unleash human creativity that fosters a lot of growth." Shin acknowledges Mamdani's good intentions in spotting problems like housing issues, but she balks at his solutions, which remind her of failed experiments elsewhere. Having witnessed San Francisco's decline from a vibrant hub in the 1990s to what she calls a "dystopia" in the 2010s, she's worried NYC could slide in a similar direction.

Enter Draeieg, an X user from Venezuela, who replied with a local saying that translates roughly to "no one learns from other people's socialism." It's a grim reminder of how warnings go unheeded. Draeieg recounts how Soviets warned Cubans, Cubans warned Venezuelans, and Venezuelans tried to caution Mexico and Colombia—all to no avail. In a bold take, Draeieg even hopes Mamdani wins without opposition, forcing Americans to learn the hard way about these policies' downsides, but in a "controlled manner" to prevent widespread suffering.

Shin pushed back, noting she doesn't want her beloved NYC ruined. Draeieg doubled down, sharing heart-wrenching personal stories: his country in ruins, family scattered as refugees, lining up for food as a kid, and watching people die from shortages. He argues that sacrificing one city to teach a lesson could spare an entire nation decades of pain—echoing Shin's "lesser evil" choice in voting for Cuomo.

This exchange isn't just political chatter; it resonates in crypto circles where many see government overreach as a threat to innovation. Think about it—meme tokens thrive on community-driven hype and free markets, not heavy-handed regulations. Policies that echo socialist ideals could stifle the very creativity that powers blockchain projects.

Shin wraps her original post by urging voters to consider if they want NYC leaning toward Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, or even the troubled Bay Area, versus steering clear. She references Buenos Aires post-Milei reforms, where ending similar housing policies actually lowered rents—check out reports on that here for more details.

As the election dust settles, this thread highlights why crypto folks like Shin are vocal about politics: the stakes for freedom and innovation are high. Let's hope future ballots bring better options, but in the meantime, threads like this keep the conversation alive and remind us to learn from history before it's too late.