New York City shoppers may get the "opportunity" to sample genuine Soviet-style, government–run grocery stores much sooner than they expected.

Zohran Mamdani, the "democratic socialist" candidate for mayor in New York City, just won the Democratic primary. He did so mostly on a promise to give free stuff to low information voters and economic illiterates.

One of his promises involved reducing grocery store prices.

How grocery store prices affect the Democratic base of welfare recipients who have taxpayers footing the bill for their groceries is unknown at this time, but the promise struck a chord with some voters.

Possibly the bitter wine women — another important segment of the Democratic base — unhappy about the price of arugula.

In a campaign video, Mamdani said as mayor he would take city money and create a network of city owned grocery stores "whose mission is lower prices, not price gouging."

His website goes on to explain "the grocery stores wouldn't pay rent or property taxes, which would allow them to reduce overhead and pass on savings to shoppers."

This makes the stores sound like Section 8 beneficiaries.

Mamdani’s produce purveyors will also buy and sell at wholesale prices, centralize warehousing and distribution, and partner with local neighborhoods on products and sourcing.

What he doesn’t say is that shoppers would also get to enjoy the famous customer service and attention to detail made famous by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). 

John Catsimatidis, the CEO of grocery chain Gristedes, is angry enough regarding the proposal to help Mamdani by potentially opening up some prime real estate.

Catsimatidis told Fox News, "If the city of New York is going socialist, I will definitely close, or sell, or move or franchise the Gristedes locations." Fox also said Catsimatidis will contemplate moving his corporate offices to New Jersey."

As the USSR’s government-owned grocery stores proved, this new — for New York — model will remove a lot of the decision-making overhead afflicting some shoppers.

They won’t have to worry about 40 different varieties of condiments anymore.

In the Soviet Union shoppers could choose from one.

If it was in stock.

And will city owned grocery stores even care about shoplifting?

Or will that be part of an impromptu Mamdani Bone-in Ribeye reparations program?

Besides lack of selection, another feature of Soviet grocery shopping was lines.

Shoppers would queue up hours in advance of the store’s opening hoping to be first inside to take advantage of a hoped-for shelf restocking.

We figure a Gotham grocery store line will look like an ICE riot the minute the store’s doors open.

It comes as no surprise the National Grocers Association is opposed to this pipedream.

It proposes to lower grocery prices by "urg[ing] public officials at all levels of government to direct resources toward enforcing the Robinson-Patman Act, cracking down on price discrimination and monopolistic leverage, and to collaborate with state and federal agencies to break down barriers on swipe fees and regulatory burdens."

What’s more, we agree!

Cracking down on monopolies, oligopolies, cartels, and price collusion will do much to lower grocery prices nationally, and not just in The Big Apple.

And as an added benefit it will save deluded New Yorkers from Mamdani’s statist grocery store fantasy. Not that they deserve to be saved.

Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Ronald Reagan, is a Newsmax TV analyst. A syndicated columnist and author, he chairs The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Mr. Reagan is an in-demand speaker with Premiere Speaker's Bureau. Read Michael Reagan's Reports — More Here.

Michael R. Shannon is a commentator, researcher for the League of American Voters, and an award-winning political and advertising consultant with nationwide and international experience. He is author of "Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now With Added Humor!)" Read Michael Shannon's Reports — More Here.