Rantz: Socialist Tammy Morales quits Seattle City Council because it wasn’t extreme enough

Socialist Seattle City Council member Tammy Morales is throwing in the towel. She’s stepping down effective Jan. 6, barely a year into her latest term. Her reason? The Seattle City Council isn’t radical enough for her taste.

Morales offered the details to the far-left blog Publicola, revealing that she nearly quit back in September. Apparently, the stress of council chambers boiled over to the point where she screamed at her own family after a particularly rough session.

“I think that made me realize that I am anxious going out on the dais now because I never know when I’m going to get attacked for saying something,” Morales dramatically claimed. “It just made me realize that I am not able to represent my constituents because I’m being attacked regularly and being undermined in the work that I’m trying to do.”

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Why is Tammy Morales resigning? Lack of power

District 2 council member Tammy Morales became the last socialist holdout on the Seattle City Council after the controversial Kshama Sawant decided not to seek re-election last year. Without Sawant’s firebrand style to back her up, Morales was left isolated, lacking both allies and influence.

She lamented to Publicola that she no longer has “the power to do very much.” Ironically, that’s exactly why Seattle has started making progress on its most pressing issues.

Sawant’s departure and the defeat of far-left council member Andrew Lewis opened the door for a more moderate council. Both were replaced by pro-business, pro-police Democrats, signaling a shift away from the extreme progressive policies that helped unravel the city. Adding to the shift, council member Sara Nelson became council president, steering the council toward pragmatism and away from the destructive ideologies that defined the city in recent years.

Morales was a key piece of the council’s decision to initially defund police, end homeless encampment sweeps, target businesses with seemingly endless tax proposals and decriminalize drugs.

Tammy Morales plays victim

Always the victim, especially when talking to like-minded outlets like Publicola, Morales claims she’s been “attacked” by council members. Contrary to the claims, however, Morales hasn’t been attacked.

As is evident by the laundry list of slights she complained about to the blog, she has merely faced criticism for her extremist policy positions. She opposed spending for police recruitment, despite the department’s record low staff, voted against a new police contract, and lobbied against CCTV resources to help track violent offenders impacting the communities of color she always claimed to support.

Morales also complained that far-left activist protesters were being removed from council chambers for constantly disrupting council business. Publicola characterized this as a “crackdown on public dissent.”

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A happy ending — for now

The silver lining for Seattle voters is that the now more moderate city council will appoint a replacement for Morales. This appointee can be expected to bring a balanced perspective, steering Seattle back on course after the years of turmoil under Morales’s tenure. However, this reprieve may be short lived.

The appointed council member will face re-election in a year.

District 2, encompassing areas like Beacon Hill and the Rainier Valley, is known for its far-left leanings. It’s plausible that any moderate interim could be replaced by another extremist in the next election. Yet, under City Council President Sara Nelson’s leadership and with a more centrist council, significant progress can be achieved in a year.

Without Tammy Morales, Seattle has a shot

Seattle’s political landscape has been shifting.

The recent election of pro-business, pro-police Democrats replacing far-left council members indicates a desire for pragmatic politicians. The upcoming appointment in District 2 offers an opportunity to continue this momentum, even if it’s temporary.

Seattleites, however, should remain vigilant, ensuring that this period of moderation leads to lasting positive change. If anything, Seattle voters have shown themselves to be fickle, appearing to ask for moderation but still ultimately responsible for putting far-left politicians in positions of power to create the mess those same voters end up complaining about.

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