DAVE ROSS

Sorry, Kshama, Bezos will be on the moon before our government becomes Socialist

Jun 13, 2018, 5:55 AM | Updated: 8:53 am

Kshama Sawant Socialist...

Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

In Seattle, the same city council that voted unanimously less than a month ago to tax big companies like Amazon to raise money for homeless programs voted 7-2 on Tuesday to repeal that very same tax before it went into effect.

RELATED: Council repeals head tax one month after passage

Quite a shock in a progressive city whose council is made up of eight Democrats and one Socialist.

“This is a cowardly betrayal of the needs of working people,” Socialist Councilmember Kshama Sawant said.

So why would those seven Democrats flip? Because thousands of voters had signed petitions to put a repeal on the November ballot, and Amazon’s planned repeal campaign would likely draw a lot of non-progressives to the polls in a crucial election year.

Of course, you could look at the explosion of Amazon jobs in Seattle and the complete remake of the Seattle skyline and wonder why the government would need to get involved at all. With the economy booming shouldn’t everybody automatically have a job and a place to live?

And yet the tent encampments continue to spread.

RELATED: Repealing Seattle head tax is all about saving $630M levy

But now, Amazon has won, the tax is gone. So maybe that will fix it.

And if not, Kshama Sawant has a Plan B.

“Would it be better if the state Legislature and the federal government somehow turned Socialist today? Of course.”

Although by then Jeff Bezos will probably be living on the Moon.

Dave's Commentary

Dave Ross on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • listen to dave rossTune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 5am for Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.

Dave Ross

Image: From left, Chris Sullivan, Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien stand together in the KIRO Newsradi...

MyNorthwest Staff

Dave and Colleen’s final ‘SMN:’ KIRO colleagues, politicians say their goodbyes

"Seattle's Morning News" on KIRO Newsradio will soon have a new sound. On Thursday, Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien will host their last show together after a decade of co-hosting.

2 years ago

Classical literature on bookshelves. (Photo by Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)...

Dave Ross

Dave Ross as you’ve never heard him before: ‘I like fat books and I can’t deny’

"This song, inspired by one of my first interviews when I started my talk show, which was Sir Mix-A-Lot," Dave Ross said.

2 years ago

national debt...

Dave Ross

‘Don’t cut a cent:’ Dave Ross on why the national debt never gets under control

The national debt now exceeds $36 trillion, and every president says it has to be under control. And yet, it never is.

2 years ago

voters hormone...

Dave Ross

Ross: Voters weren’t just voting for change, they were voting for a hormone

The more I read the post-election analysis, the more I’m convinced voters weren’t just voting for a change – they were voting for a hormone.

2 years ago

ross o'brien - Seattle's Morning News...

Frank Sumrall

Dave Ross, Colleen O’Brien departing after co-hosting ‘Seattle’s Morning News’ for a decade

Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien, the co-hosts of "Seattle's Morning News" on KIRO Newsradio are both leaving the show.

2 years ago

election day...

Dave Ross

Dave Ross: Election Day and Decision Day are two separate things

Tomorrow is Election Day – that’s what the calendar says. But there are two problems with the term "Election Day."

2 years ago

Sorry, Kshama, Bezos will be on the moon before our government becomes Socialist