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The DSA Makes Friends With Cuba

March 18, 2026

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Good morning,

Today, we’re looking at the Democratic Socialists of America’s outreach to Cuba, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s tax proposals, and the American Psychological Association’s flip-flopping on gender-affirming care.

Write to us at editors@city-journal.org with questions or comments.

A pedicab drives past a traffic light that is out due to a power cut in Havana

In 2019, the Democratic Socialists of America joined the National Network on Cuba, a coalition dedicated to opposing U.S. military action and pushing for a shift in U.S.–Cuban relations. In 2022, it sent a delegation to the island, then sent another in October of last year. Members met with Cuba’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos F. de Cossío, who urged them to “educate people” about the blockade’s impact.

The DSA has since been working to raise money for future delegations. Earlier this year, Claire Blechman, the DSA’s Cuba Solidarity Working Group co-chair, said that funds would be used to purchase medical supplies that would then be sent to the island. “It is very not legal to send money directly to Cuba,” she said. “So, this is what we have to do. We have to send money to DSA, and then we have to buy stuff and then send stuff to Cuba.”

As Stu Smith notes, “the DSA is building a platform that could influence U.S. discourse and policy toward Cuba for years to come.” He argues that policymakers should pay attention to these efforts, which tread a fine legal line.

To help close New York City’s budget deficit, Mayor Zohran Mamdani wants to increase the city’s income tax by two points for those earning more than $1 million, and he wants to hike taxes on corporations.

Of course, he needs approval to do so—not just from the state legislature but also from the city council. So far, it’s not clear that he has the council’s support.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin, in particular, has already rejected Mamdani’s property tax increase proposal. And she has argued that the city should prioritize spending restraint over tax hikes.

“Elected by her fellow members, Menin controls the council’s agenda and the composition of its committees,” Christian Browne explains. “A speaker is rarely at odds with a substantial number of 51 members. Almost all legislation that comes to the floor enjoys overwhelming support, and it would be extraordinary, if not unprecedented, for the speaker to end up on the losing side of a vote.”

Read more on what could come of Mamdani’s proposed tax hikes.

Last year, the American Psychological Association (APA) wrote a letter to the Federal Trade Commission walking back its support for pediatric medical interventions, suggesting that it supports only psychological interventions for minors with gender dysphoria.

But when the group was questioned by a trans activist earlier this year, it referred to its policy statement from 2024, which recommends that trans youth “receive the necessary support and full healthcare attention, inclusive of psychological and medical care, in a compassionate and affirming manner.”

“Presumably, this fence-straddling behavior reflects the uncomfortable position in which the APA finds itself,” Joseph Figliolia writes. “It is caught between the desire to placate its own activist members and the need to address the FTC’s and the public’s legitimate consumer-protection concerns.”