Seattle elects socialist candidate to city council

[CaseyJones]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/seattle-elects-socialist-city-council


Seattle voters have elected a socialist to city council for the first time in modern history.

Kshama Sawant's lead continued to grow on Friday, prompting 16-year incumbent Richard Conlin to concede.

Even in this liberal city, Sawant's win has surprised many here. Conlin was backed by the city's political establishment. On election night, she trailed by four percentage points. She wasn't a veteran politician, having only run in one previous campaign.

But in the days following election night, Sawant's share of the votes outgrew Conlin's.

"I don't think socialism makes most people in Seattle afraid," Conlin said Friday.

...

Sawant, a 41-year-old college economics professor, first drew attention as part of local Occupy Wall Street protests that included taking over a downtown park and a junior college campus in late 2011. She then ran for legislative office in 2012, challenging the powerful speaker of the state House, a Democrat. She was easily defeated.

This year, though, she pushed a platform that resonated with the city. She backed efforts to raise the minimum wage to $15; called for rent control in the city where rental prices keep climbing; and supports a tax on millionaires to help fund a public transit system and other services.

"I will reach out to the people who supported Richard Conlin, working with everyone in Seattle to fight for a minimum wage of $15 (an) hour, affordable housing, and the needs of ordinary people," Sawant said in a statement.

[Origanalist]

Traffic leaving Seattle in the morning is going to get worse than it already is.

[James Madison]

Washington is the Illinois of the Northwest -- a nice state ruined by an urban cesspool run by authoritarians.

[James Madison]

college economics professor

Now it makes sense.

[green73]

We're not spreading ideas enough. Ron had a good showing here. Has Rand fucking killed the effort?

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

Yeah, rent control candidate. Fantastic idea.

I saw--first hand--the failure of rent control when I lived in New York. Yeah, you'll pay less than true market value, but the shape of your apartment will also be much less. The paint on your walls will be a million years old. Your carpet will be as thin as paper. And good luck trying to get the super to fix your lock. You'll be doing it yourself.

Another game is the "broker" scam. You'll pay a fee to one real estate company to "find" you an apartment from another real estate company. They simply work together listing one another's apartments.

Can't say I really blame the property owners though.

Bottom line: The collectivist approach is for pansies and New York is a bunch of pricks.

[Origanalist]

Washington is the Illinois of the Northwest -- a nice state ruined by an urban cesspool run by authoritarians.

That's a fairly accurate description. But I would venture that Illinois and Washington aren't alone.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

Traffic leaving Seattle in the morning is going to get worse than it already is.

Agreed. Any rent control (if implemented or if they already have it--don't know) creates an artificial living situation that affects so many aspects of life.

Keep drinking it in you commie dumbasses.

[James Madison]

We're not spreading ideas enough. Ron had a good showing here. Has Rand fucking killed the effort?

Ron had a good showing because of the Caucus format. He also does well in eastern Washington, but would get annihilated against a (D) in Seattle proper.

[Origanalist]

Ron had a good showing because of the Caucus format. He also does well in eastern Washington, but would get annihilated against a (D) in Seattle proper.

True also, Seattle has more Obama-Biden stickers than Carter has pills.

[Keith and stuff]

Washington is the Illinois of the Northwest -- a nice state ruined by an urban cesspool run by authoritarians.

Yeah, I like Western WA. Honestly, I actually enjoy visiting Seattle but would never live there. There are a lot of pro-business CEOs and cool folks in Washington but the taxes are high and freedom in worse than most states and getting worse. Still, I do recommend people visit it. But yeah, if someone has to live on the West Coast, I recommend AK first and OR second, especially if you cannot handle the extreme cold or rain that AK is blessed with...

BTW, this kinda reminds me of Burlington, VT. The former mayor was a Socialist. One of the current US Senators is an open socialist, though he is a member of the Democratic Party. Of course, I also enjoy visiting Burlington and recommend it ;)

[aGameOfThrones]

This year, though, she pushed a platform that resonated with the city. She backed efforts to raise the minimum wage to $15; called for rent control in the city where rental prices keep climbing; and supports a tax on millionaires to help fund a public transit system and other services.

"I will reach out to the people who supported Richard Conlin, working with everyone in Seattle to fight for a minimum wage of $15 (an) hour, affordable housing, and the needs of ordinary people," Sawant said in a statement.



http://cdn.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Wow.gif

Should have said $1000 min wage

[Origanalist]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/seattle-elects-socialist-city-council

Raising the minimum wage in the little town of Sea Tac is one thing. It's not good but raising it in the city of Seattle is going to create a lot of problems and businesses are going to be leaving the city as a result.

[AlexAmore]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au9biMnPwoY

[pcosmar]

called for rent control in the city where rental prices keep climbing;

http://blog.rentaluniversity.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Rent1.jpg

[gwax23]

Yeah, rent control candidate. Fantastic idea.

I saw--first hand--the failure of rent control when I lived in New York. Yeah, you'll pay less than true market value, but the shape of your apartment will also be much less. The paint on your walls will be a million years old. Your carpet will be as thin as paper. And good luck trying to get the super to fix your lock. You'll be doing it yourself.

Another game is the "broker" scam. You'll pay a fee to one real estate company to "find" you an apartment from another real estate company. They simply work together listing one another's apartments.

Can't say I really blame the property owners though.

Bottom line: The collectivist approach is for pansies and New York is a bunch of pricks.

Thats if you can find an apartment...the supply is so low, and the people that get rent control apartments never give them up. Any non rent control apartments their prices skyrocket as a result of the short supply and high demand.

[green73]

Another reason to hate the Seahawks. All that noise at their games? The Lenin roar.

[Keith and stuff]

Raising the minimum wage in the little town of Sea Tac is one thing. It's not good but raising it in the city of Seattle is going to create a lot of problems and businesses are going to be leaving the city as a result.

If it is raised to $15, they should leave Seattle. But yeah, the cost of living is really high there. I have several family members there and they paid 3-5 times for their places as to what they would cost near where I live. And gas, food and pretty much everything else is expensive in Seattle. Not to mention the taxes are high and the traffic was horrible. If I lived in Seattle (like Boston or NYC or DC) I'd primarily use government transportation because the stress of traffic would be too much for me.

[XNavyNuke]

Raising the minimum wage in the little town of Sea Tac is one thing. It's not good but raising it in the city of Seattle is going to create a lot of problems and businesses are going to be leaving the city as a result.

As if minimum wages is her only proposal that will impact the city.

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/the-case-for-kshama-sawant/Content?oid=17825832



. Sawant was advocating for a $15-an-hour minimum wage a year ago, back before it was cool, before it was widely embraced by mainstream Democrats like US representative Adam Smith. As for the rest of her platform, at the risk of offending her, it is reasonable to say that on transit expansion, on building more affordable housing, on taxing the rich, on blocking coal trains, on expanding paid sick leave, on increasing civilian oversight of the police, and on many other issues, most of Sawant's policy positions fit comfortably within the mainstream of Seattle's progressive values.


. On the campaign trail, she has advocated for universal preschool, city-sanctioned homeless encampments, principal reduction for foreclosure victims, and higher "in lieu of" fees to incentivize affordable housing in South Lake Union. Sawant supports a joint resolution condemning Russia's anti-LGBTQ policies (Socialist Alternative's Russian sister party, CWI, has been at the forefront of opposing its nation's antigay laws), and she opposes tougher panhandling ordinances. .

Elections have consequences, baby.
XNN

[Origanalist]

As if minimum wages is her only proposal that will impact the city.

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/the-case-for-kshama-sawant/Content?oid=17825832






Elections have consequences, baby.
XNN

She's a perfect fit.

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

Why only elect one? Elect the whole city council full of these dimwits. Maybe then Seattle will sink lower than Detroit. At least I'll have something to laugh at, at how fucking stupid people in general are. Rent control, 15$ minimum wage, higher taxes, and a bunch of other superfluous spending. As with all other socialists I'm sure she'll throw in some good jabs and punches to the civil liberties of the folks living there. Some more smoking bans per chance, or perhaps banning some food types, or perhaps even more medical socialism (re: outlawing fun activities because 'dangerous'). Yeah SEATTLE!

[XNavyNuke]

She's a perfect fit.

The rewards of taking the election. Dr Sawant makes her rounds on MSNBC.

MSNBC: Socialist No Longer A Dirty Word (http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/socialist-no-longer-such-a-dirty-word-64334403866)

XNN

[XNavyNuke]

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/socialist-on-the-ballot/Content?oid=16235424


. But if she wins, Sawant would make a salary of more than $120,000. Would it be ironic, I asked her, for a populist champion of the working class to make a six-figure salary, just like the corporate overlords she taunts?

"No, not at all," she said. "If I was to be elected, I will take home only the average worker's salary." Sawant said she would donate most of her paycheck to her Socialist Alternative party. In fact, she estimates she'd keep $40,000 or less.

I just love how Socialist do math. I'm not ACCEPTING a $120k salary if I DONATE $105k to the XNN Retirement Foundation and only TAKE HOME $15k. I'm actually down at the poverty line with all of downtrodden friends.

XNN

[JK/SEA]

Another reason to hate the Seahawks. All that noise at their games? The Lenin roar.

.....aaand jelously raises its ugly head....are the Packers gonna make the playoffs this decade?...lol

Seahawks 10-1 after today.

ok...i digress.....carry on.

[Origanalist]

The rewards of taking the election. Dr Sawant makes her rounds on MSNBC.

MSNBC: Socialist No Longer A Dirty Word (http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/socialist-no-longer-such-a-dirty-word-64334403866)

XNN

Ugh. I could not listen to the whole interview. As soon as she started talking and blinking three hundred times a minute I had to stop it.

[NIU Students for Liberty]

At least she's honest about being a socialist unlike Democrats and Republicans.

[Snew]

lol at people still thinking rent control works. Worked out great in New York, didn't it? :rolleyes:

[surf]

the worst part of this (from my local perspective) is that Obafemi Martins endorsed her

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HlqXOctV6k&feature=player_embedded


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXOZU1ivg_4

we might be socialists out here (keep in mind we did send 4 RP votes to R convention in 2008), but it is the most beautiful place in the country and this state voted to "legalize" pot and gay marriage - so there is a bit of a freedom mindset in this neck of the woodshttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/BYF_3RJCYAAIDcM.jpg:large

[seapilot]

At least she's honest about being a socialist unlike Democrats and Republicans.

Honest that she wants to destroy individual choice and freedom. Socialism is in itself the biggest lie ever perpetuated on people.

[Czolgosz]

Aside from the eye blinking, this nitwit is extremely small minded. Gaw damn I really dislike most other Humans, stupid and small minded, they are.

A plague would benefit freedom, immensely.

[Keith and stuff]

At least she's honest about being a socialist unlike Democrats and Republicans.

But her interview was still full of lies. So she is nothing but (now with her high salary) a lying, statist elitist.

[Contumacious]

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/seattle-elects-socialist-city-council

ANYONE who promises more freebies, more free lunches, to steal from one group and give to another will win elections.

Reason Elizabeth Warren will win by a landslide. She is a shoo-in.

Taxpayers and producers hope to PEACEFULLY win an election is a pipe dream.

.

[PaleoPaul]

ANYONE who promises more freebies, more free lunches, to steal from one group and give to another will win elections.

Reason Elizabeth Warren will win by a landslide. She is a shoo-in.

Taxpayers and producers hope to PEACEFULLY win an election is a pipe dream.

.
Oh Lord Jesus, if Elizabeth Warren wins, our country is forever gone, even moreso than if Hillary wins.

If Hillary wins, our country is far gone.

If Lieawatha wins, our country is forever gone.

[NewRightLibertarian]

Oh Lord Jesus, if Elizabeth Warren wins, our country is forever gone, even moreso than if Hillary wins.

If Hillary wins, our country is far gone.

If Lieawatha wins, our country is forever gone.

I'd love to see everything to go shit with Warren at the helm. A feminist ultra-socialist getting the blame for the collapse would be awesome IMO. We might be able to throw both of those ideologies in the dustbin of history in the aftermath.

[Anti Federalist]

Oh Lord Jesus, if Elizabeth Warren wins, our country is forever gone, even moreso than if Hillary wins.

If Hillary wins, our country is far gone.

If Lieawatha wins, our country is forever gone.

The country is dead, has been for a while.

Cadaveric spasm is all that's left.

[Anti Federalist]

I'd love to see everything to go shit with Warren at the helm. A feminist ultra-socialist getting the blame for the collapse would be awesome IMO. We might be able to throw both of those ideologies in the dustbin of history in the aftermath.

So we thought at the end of the USSR.

Yet here it is, a zombie version of Soviet communism, right here in the good ol' USSA, complete with gulags and KGB.

Never underestimate human greed and apathy when it comes to stealing another fellow's stuff and bossing him around.

[juleswin]

Thats if you can find an apartment...the supply is so low, and the people that get rent control apartments never give them up. Any non rent control apartments their prices skyrocket as a result of the short supply and high demand.

This is more like the kind of problem I expect to see with with rent control laws cos a fraction of the money one saves living in rent control per year can be used changing the carpets, paining the walls and buying really nice looking doors and locks etc etc.

[Tywysog Cymru]

Washington State would be a nice state to live in, if their politicians were different.

[FSU63]

Noice! Another person to add to my hitlist.

[Anti Federalist]

Outside Amazon Spheres, iron workers shout down Kshama Sawant over proposed head tax

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/seattle-councilmember-iron-workers-face-off-over-proposed-amazon-tax/

Originally published May 3, 2018 at 2:13 pm Updated May 5, 2018 at 1:01 pm

By Vianna Davila
Seattle Times staff reporter

The debate over Seattle’s proposed business tax to pay for affordable housing and homeless services took a confrontational turn Thursday when dozens of iron workers crashed a rally by Councilmember Kshama Sawant at the Amazon Spheres.

It was a surreal scene, occurring one day after Amazon announced it was pausing construction planning on a new downtown tower until the City Council votes on the $75 million-a-year tax, a move that Sawant, a supporter of the business head tax, described as “extortionary” tactics.

Sawant is known for her ability to turn out her vocal supporters at council meetings, but on Thursday, the iron workers drowned out Sawant. Every time she tried to speak, the iron workers, who easily outnumbered Sawant’s supporters, shouted again and again, “No head tax, no head tax!”

The workers hail from the Iron Workers Local 86, which represents about 2,600 members. Many of them present Thursday said they have worked on a number of Amazon projects.

“To reduce the jobs only increases the possibility of additional homelessness,” said Chris McClain, business manager for Iron Workers Local 86.

At one point, a Local 86 member, Logan Swan, actually spoke with Sawant in favor of the head tax. The other iron workers at the rally turned their backs on Swan as he spoke.

Even after the workers left, the scene remained tense. At one point, another man showed up and yelled at Sawant to “tell us how you’re going to spend the money.” The man, Roland Bredlau, works for a landscaping company and heard the protest from his apartment building a few blocks away.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said she is concerned about Amazon’s opposition, and Councilmember Sally Bagshaw signaled she might be open to delaying the planned May 14 vote on the tax.

In a meeting with the Seattle Times’ editorial board Thursday, Durkan said she is weighing what she hears from different constituencies.

“For example, certain segments of labor are very strongly against the head tax. The building trades, for example,” Durkan said. “When Amazon pauses their construction of a building, it’s lots of jobs. It’s lots of sales tax that they pay on every piece of everything they buy, and our general-fund revenues are very heavily dependent on construction right now.”

In seeking a compromise, a cooler conversation is needed, the mayor said.

The tax is currently expected to raise $75 million a year from about 600 businesses citywide. Of that, $50 million would go to affordable housing construction, $20 million to homeless services and $5 million to administrative costs.

[dude58677]

ANYONE who promises more freebies, more free lunches, to steal from one group and give to another will win elections.

Reason Elizabeth Warren will win by a landslide. She is a shoo-in.

Taxpayers and producers hope to PEACEFULLY win an election is a pipe dream.

.

Pochahanas?