Seattle Democratic City Council Member Rob Saka — the same guy who enthusiastically welcomed socialist Mayor Katie Wilson less than five months ago — is now publicly declaring he is "gravely concerned" as businesses pack their bags and flee the city. This is what we in the business call a leopards-ate-my-face moment, and brother, the leopard is still chewing.
Who could have possibly foreseen that electing an actual socialist would be bad for business? Besides everyone with a functioning brain stem, I mean.
Let's rewind the tape. When Wilson defeated incumbent Mayor Bruce Harrell, Saka rolled out the red carpet. His exact words: "The voters have spoken, calling for change and a renewed focus on affordability, community, and fighting back against a resurgent Trump agenda." Fighting back against the Trump agenda. That was the priority. Not the economy. Not jobs. Not keeping the companies that actually employ people in your city. The Trump agenda.
Well, congratulations. You fought the Trump agenda. And Starbucks just announced a major expansion in Nashville while cutting corporate jobs in Seattle. You know — the city where Starbucks was literally born. When your hometown coffee company would rather set up shop in Tennessee, that's not a policy disagreement. That's a restraining order.
And it's not just Starbucks. Amazon, Microsoft — the companies Wilson is now suddenly praising after previously boycotting them — are watching the same math everyone else is. Blue states like Washington and New York are hemorrhaging businesses to red states, and Seattle just elected a mayor whose economic philosophy can be summarized as "the ones that leave? Like, bye."
Yes, that's a real quote. Mayor Katie Wilson actually said: "I think the claims that millionaires are going to leave our state are super overblown." And then, referring to the ones who do leave: "Like, bye."
Like, bye. That's the economic policy of America's most progressive city. Like, bye.
Now Saka is out here telling anyone who'll listen: "I am gravely concerned. This is real." Oh, it's real? You don't say. It was real when voters elected a socialist. It was real when Wilson told departing businesses to kick rocks. It was real when every conservative commentator in America pointed at Seattle and said, "Watch what happens next."
But sure, Rob. Now it's real. Now that the tax revenue is walking out the door and the "affordability" you championed is turning into empty storefronts and unemployment lines.
This is the same story we've watched play out in San Francisco, Portland, and every other city that decided progressive ideology was more important than economic reality, as reported by The Gateway Pundit. You vote for socialism. You get socialism. Then you act shocked when the people who create jobs and pay taxes decide they'd rather live somewhere that doesn't treat success like a crime.
Saka welcomed the revolution. Now he's watching the businesses pack up. And somewhere in Nashville, a Starbucks barista is steaming milk in a city that still believes in capitalism.