If you still subject yourself to Twitter-induced brain damage like me, you no doubt encountered the drama drummed up Wednesday by ascendant political star Zohran Mamdani, the newish democratic-socialist mayor of New York City:
New York: it's hot out there, and the power grid is working overtime to keep us cool.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) July 1, 2026
Set your AC to 78 degrees, turn off lights/electronics you're not using, and unplug what you can.
Our City is doing its part too: maintaining the 78 degrees rule in our buildings,…
To reactionary right-wing freaks, the notion of a modicum of self-sacrifice for the greater good amounts to socialism wreaking havoc on the very fabric of America. (As far as inconveniences go, enduring a 78-degree room sounds better than, I don't know, medical debt crushing 41% of Americans.)
"Welcome to socialism," tweeted ex-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who of course once posted a similar thermostat ask of her constituents. "Turns out socialism actually isn’t free," observed former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, confusingly, considering you save money at higher temp settings. "78 degrees??? Welcome to communism people! Hope you enjoy!" barked Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, perhaps the dumbest man alive.
That's a loooooooong Open Thread throat clearing to ask: What do you set your AC temp to during heat waves, like the one we're currently going through?
Inside my apparently far-left household, I like to keep things at 77 to reduce electricity use and wear/tear on HVAC equipment. (My wife isn't thrilled by this reasoning; she has full veto power.)
"You're insane for setting your AC to 77," a reporter friend tells me, accusingly and rudely. "I put mine on 70 and my wife keeps turning it up."
"I don't drive and haven't added humans to the Earth, I've earned my 75," Racket's Keith Harris says.
"I have a small house, I do 72," Racket's Em Cassel says. "I want to get home from a run and feel like I'm entering the arctic."
"My apartment is full communist with no AC," adds Racket comrade Jessica Armbruster.
Now it's your turn to answer this oddly compelling and revealing Q. Also, does your number correspond, in any way whatsoever, with your beliefs on how wealth should be distributed in a well-functioning political system? Do tell!
Or, as always, feel free to ignore this prompt and talk about whatever you want. This is your Open Thread after all. And an early happy Fourth of July to you all! We'll see ya next Monday.
