In the latest chapter of political theater, New York City’s socialist Mayor Zoran Mamani is turning heads with a far-fetched plan to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit for the UN General Assembly. While this might make for great drama, the reality is, Mamani’s ambitions are nothing more than a mirage. The United States, in a stunning lack of enthusiasm for such histrionics, is not part of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and federal law shrewdly restricts any state or local governments from honoring ICC requests. Still, the mayor seems keen to play the tough guy role, entertaining his base with visions of international diplomacy that belongs more in a Hollywood thriller than in real life.

Netanyahu fired back, suggesting the mayor should perhaps focus more on managing the chaos that his policies have allegedly wrought on New York City. It’s a compelling idea, given the prolific pot holes, soaring crime rates, and public services that seem to operate on an outdated dial-up. It appears that Mamani may be using this public relations stunt to shift the spotlight away from these homegrown issues by instead picking on Israel, the Middle East’s shining beacon of democracy.

Joining this theatrical episode is Austin Petersen, former Libertarian presidential candidate, who amusingly points out the legal conundrums Mamani would need to surpass to turn his Broadway dream into reality. Petersen shrewdly notes that everything from head of state immunity to America’s avoidance of the Rome Statute stands in the way. Apparently, running the foreign policy of the United States is a tad different than trying to run New York City, a fact Mayor Mamani may not have realized in his office of dreams. Well, who could blame him for trying his hand at Diplomacy 101?

Adding flavor—or rather, a dash of madness—to this tale, anti-Israel streamer Hassan has been spotted rallying college Democrats with far-left bombast, all while modeling an ensemble inspired by Mao Zedong. Hassan declares with fervor that friendship with ICE and Israel is tantamount to betraying democratic values. Drama students at local colleges might take notes on how to deliver a revolutionary speech with such zest. Despite his calls for revolution, he resides comfortably in a multi-million-dollar mansion, evidently far from the struggles of the average proletarian. If the French Revolution taught us anything, it’s that the revolutionaries sure love to barricade themselves behind the finest walls.

While Mayor Mamani plays in the international sandbox and Hassan delivers impassioned speeches straight from the revolutionary handbook, Republicans reportedly see opportunity. They are gearing up for what they humorously label a “hate election,” cleverly positioning themselves against Democrats by promoting the chaos of the progressive insurgencies as proof of ineffective governance. Though some see this as a rather unappealing strategy of “we may not be great, but at least we’re not them,” it’s a narrative that has gained traction in certain conservative circles.

All these shenanigans paint a fascinating picture of the current political landscape, where reality TV blends seamlessly with politics, and where ambition, however misguided, can often cloud the mundane management of the cities and states entrusted to these public figures. While Mayor Mamani dreams big, perhaps the key to effective leadership lies not in arresting visiting dignitaries but in attending to the gnawing potholes and problematic city services right at his doorstep.