Is this Socialistic New York City or Freedom-Loving Louisiana?
Louisiana lawmakers from both parties just passed a bill that would allow government-funded grocery stores–just like the ones Democratic Socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is promoting.
House Bill 1194 passed the Louisiana House by an 83-11 vote and now awaits action from Gov. Jeff Landry. Young Americans for Liberty activists are pushing back against such a major expansion of government involvement to convince Gov. Landry to veto the bill before it’s too late.
The bill would allow the government to fund grocery stores in designated “food deserts” under the guise of economic development. A separate bill, HB 1222, expands the state's role in researching and funding grocery access initiatives. The potential extremity of HB1222 would require a taxpayer subsidized grocery store within a half mile of every 500 residents in urban areas and government grocery stores within 10 miles of every 500 residents tract in urban areas. This could mean thousands of government grocery stores within the state of Louisiana further draining taxpayers pockets.
Hazlitt Coalition member Rep. Danny McCormick is sounding the alarm on the bills.
“Anything funded by the government is a failure,” he said.
McCormick argues that private businesses, not government subsidies, are the best way to increase access to groceries in struggling communities.
“If we start funding grocery stores, then we have to fund every grocery store to put them on the same playing field, or they're going to go out of business because the government-funded grocery stores will be able to sell cheaper than the non-funded grocery stores.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has championed government-backed grocery stores as part of his Democratic Socialist agenda.
McCormick argues that Louisiana lawmakers are embracing a similar mindset by pursuing programs dependent on taxpayer funding and federal subsidies.
“They are addicted to federal money,” he said. “The whole business model in South Louisiana is getting federal money. So that's their mindset. Kind of like farmers can't farm anymore without getting the federal money. That's become part of their livelihood. And without it, they go broke. So it's kind of the same thing–it's their business model.”
Kansas City, Missouri, is a warning sign for what can happen when the government enters the grocery business. City leaders spent roughly $18 million supporting a government-backed grocery store intended to serve an underserved neighborhood. The store ultimately closed in 2024 after years of financial struggles, with the operator later suing the city and alleging the property had been poorly maintained.
The Kansas City experiment demonstrates that taxpayer-funded grocery stores often fail to solve the underlying problems they are designed to address–and cost taxpayers millions in the process.
McCormick said he was surprised to see many Republicans voting in favor of the proposal. HB 1194 passed the House 83-11, with support from a large majority of lawmakers.
He’s been a very vocal critic of the bill and spoke against it in the House, so he knows the legislators are aware of what they voted for. He believes many voted for it to virtue signal.
“They think charity is when you reach into somebody else's pocket and you use the force of law in the form of a gun to take money from somebody else and give it to people that are in need,” McCormick said. “They think that's charity. And I think charity is when you reach in your own billfold and get your own money out that you work for and give it to people in need. They consider that virtue. ‘Look how great I am. I'm robbing the taxpayer and giving it to the needy. That makes me a good person.’”
He argues the answer is pulling back government regulations and allowing free markets to fix the problem.
“The better solution would be free market capitalism,” McCormick said. “It's just that simple. If there's a demand, somebody will open up a grocery store there. Maybe we should try cutting taxes and lowering regulations, and encouraging people to go in business instead of punishing people that go in business. Freedom and liberty is always the answer, even to this situation.”
McCormick praised grassroots activists for drawing attention to the bills and putting pressure on lawmakers to squash the proposal. Even though this bill ultimately passed, he said activists have killed several other bills in the process.
The fight over HB 1194 is about more than grocery stores. It’s a test of whether Louisiana Republicans will return to embracing free-market principles or move toward government-backed economic programs that conservatives have historically opposed.
Call Gov. Jeff Landry's office at (225) 342-0991 and tell him to veto HB 1194 the moment it hits his desk and reject Mamdani-style socialism in Louisiana.
