For some time, I’ve contemplated the idea that it simply shouldn’t be possible to be a billionaire. That idea recently gained traction.

Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive Democratic nominee for mayor in New York City, said Sunday that he doesn’t believe billionaires should exist.

It is unsurprising that this is leading at least one rich asshole to try to buy the race:

Bill Ackman, a billionaire hedge fund manager who has backed President Donald Trump in the past, on Thursday pledged to use his money to bankroll a challenger to Mamdani in the general election.

…

“Importantly, there are hundreds of million of dollars of capital available to back a competitor to Mamdani that can be put together overnight (believe me, I am in the text strings and the WhatsApp groups) so that a great alternative candidate won’t spend any time raising funds. So, if the right candidate would raise his or her hand tomorrow, the funds will pour in,” he added.

Oh, sure, that’s definitely how democracy should work.