The Aporia · Socialist mayoral candidate ignites online mockery for touting basic city service

Los Angeles Councilmember Nithya Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is facing online mockery for celebrating a newly painted neighborhood crosswalk that took nine months to complete. Critics, including Richard Grenell and former mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, are ridiculing her for touting what they consider basic city services as major accomplishments. The project was first raised by the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council late last year, but Raman's office did not provide specifics on the cost, timeline, or safety improvements made beyond the painted markings. Grenell and others have compared the project to "street infrastructure" that is laughably minor.

Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-08-28, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

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Los Angeles Councilmember Nithya Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is facing online criticism for celebrating the completion of a neighborhood crosswalk project. The project, which was first proposed by the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council in late 2022, involved painting yellow stripes over a cracked street. Raman posted about the project on X, thanking her field team for their work and sharing before-and-after images. However, critics such as Richard Grenell, a former Presidential Envoy, and Spencer Pratt, a former L.A. mayoral candidate, have mocked Raman's celebration of what they see as a basic city service that took 9 months to complete. The project was criticized for not actually fixing the street, but rather just painting over the cracks.

Written for “Socialist Mayoral Candidate” on 2026-10-16, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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“The articles report on different incidents of Democratic Socialists being criticized for unrelated reasons”

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Alec Schemmel

25 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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A Los Angeles councilwoman’s celebration of a newly painted neighborhood crosswalk has drawn online mockery after critics seized on the months-long timeline and glossy "street infrastructure" rollout for what they said amounted to a basic city service. asserted

they → paint → service

Los Angeles Councilmember Nithya Raman, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, is facing online mockery after celebrating the completion of a neighborhood crosswalk project, which was first raised by the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council late last year, in a post on X. The post featured before-and-after images and thanked her field team for "continuing to problem-solve, push for solutions, and make our streets safer." asserted

streets → face → solutions

Your standards are so incredibly low," responded Richard Grenell, Presidential Envoy for Special Missions amid Donald Trump's second term. asserted

Grenell → respond → term

"They didn’t even fix the street, they painted over cracks. asserted

they → fix → cracks

And it took them a year….. asserted

it → take → year

Nithya Raman's big accomplishment is taking 9 months to paint 7 yellow stripes over a cracked street?" quipped former L.A. mayoral candidate and reality television star Spencer Pratt. asserted

Pratt → take → street

"How dumb do you have to be to post this? asserted

you → have → this

" "This is beyond parody," responded conservative commentator Ben Shapiro. asserted

Shapiro → respond → parody

Make her mayor!" asserted

her → make → ?

"They're calling it the most ambitious infrastructure project since the Golden Gate Bridge," added the Manhattan Institute's Chris Rufo. asserted

Rufo → call → Bridge

Fox News Digital reached out to Raman’s office and Pratt for comment but did not receive a response before publication. asserted

Digital → reach → publication

Raman’s announcement labeled the work "Improving Our Neighborhood Street Infrastructure" and included before-and-after photos showing yellow crosswalk markings across the cracked roadway. asserted

announcement → label → roadway

She said the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council had brought the issue to her office in late 2025. asserted

Council → say → 2025

The post did not specify the project’s cost, when physical work began, which city department performed it or whether the work involved safety improvements beyond the painted markings. asserted

work → specify → markings

Socialist mayoral candidate ignites online mockery for touting basic city service

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