Well, isn’t it just lovely that The Seattle Times is effectively providing free campaign boosts to the No side of Washington’s carbon tax repeal? Their latest feature highlights Bill Nye, the “science guy” known for endorsing Democrats coast to coast, now stepping into the fray to tell Washington voters they should keep paying higher taxes—because, naturally, that’s what’s best for them. We wonder how much it’s worth to the campaign for the Times to parade out a New York and California-based TV personality like Nye, who conveniently only ever backs Democrats, to lecture Washington voters on why they should keep funneling their tax dollars to the very same Democrat-aligned interests.

And really, is this what passes as “news” these days? Couldn’t the Times find a few minutes to investigate how much of the state’s resources are being used to prop up the No side in this campaign? That might actually qualify as reporting—unlike rehashing celebrity endorsements as though they have any meaningful impact on Washington state’s fiscal future. You can read the story here.

According to reports, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has quietly thrown his support behind anti-police activist and State House candidate Shaun Scott, exposing Harrell’s supposed commitment to public safety as nothing more than political theater. Despite Harrell’s campaign promises to support law enforcement, he’s allegedly aligning with Scott, a candidate who has openly advocated for defunding and abolishing the police. As KTTH’s Jason Rantz argues, Harrell’s refusal to confirm or deny the endorsement, even when pressed by media outlets, is a strategic silence aimed at appeasing Seattle’s radical left. Meanwhile, the police department continues to suffer from severe staffing shortages under Harrell’s watch, worsening the city’s crime crisis. According to Rantz, Harrell is focused more on his political future than Seattle’s safety, banking on Scott’s extremist base to bolster his own re-election chances. It’s not about public safety; it’s about Harrell staying in power. Read more at KTTH.

Seattle’s new minimum wage hike, set to reach $20.76 an hour in 2025, is being hailed as a win for workers by Mayor Bruce Harrell, but the reality is far less rosy. While Harrell boasts that it’s good for the economy, what he’s not saying is how it could crush small businesses already struggling with inflation and pandemic recovery. The removal of the tip credit, which allowed businesses to pay less if employees earned tips or had medical benefits, adds more pressure on local restaurants and small businesses, many of which are barely hanging on.

Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth briefly floated an extension to the tip credit, but predictably, that idea was killed off, leaving small business owners on their own to deal with rising costs. This massive wage increase may sound great in theory, but what happens when businesses can’t afford it? Layoffs, reduced hours, and higher prices for consumers are the inevitable consequences. How many small shops can survive paying the highest minimum wage in the country? We’ll soon find out, but don’t expect it to be pretty. Read more at Center Square.

Bob Ferguson will do and say anything to win…

Wonder where the kids learned it from…

Have you subscribed to the new Shift WA podcast yet? We’ve already released three full episodes, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive:

Subscribe now and don’t miss out on these critical discussions!

Please consider making a contribution to ensure Shift continues to provide daily updates on the shenanigans of the liberal establishment. If you’d rather mail a check, you can send it to: Shift WA | PO Box 956 | Cle Elum, WA 98922

Forward this to a friend.  It helps us grow our community and serve you better.

You can also follow SHIFTWA on social media by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.

If you feel we missed something that should be covered, email us at [email protected].