First things first: Per popular request (one person asked me to do this), I will now be using Accuweather for any forecasts on Slog. Expect on-and-off showers and temperatures in the low 50s throughout the day.
Pay Up: Later today, Council President Sara Nelson’s committee will look at legislation to roll back the newly established minimum wage for gig delivery drivers. According to Working Washington’s analysis, the bill would amount to a 24% wage cut. It would also slash mileage reimbursement to half the IRS mileage standard, causing workers to lose money with every mile they drive. On top of that, the bill does nothing to address what’s actually making the service too expensive—the retaliatory fees gig companies slapped on orders. AND the bill does not promote equitable job offers between drivers and bike couriers, which, as I wrote, is what actually contributes to bad outcomes for the minimum wage’s most vocal opponents. Ultimately, the bill amounts to a total repeal because it would stifle the Office of Labor Standards’ ability to enforce the law and eliminate a worker’s right to sue companies for breaking the rules. If this sounds bad to you, call Nelson at (206) 684-8809, or find your district rep’s contact info here.
One of these things is not like the others: The MLK Labor Council posted its “Labor Oscar” nominees for best elected official. I know it’s slim pickings right now with the corporate takeover on the Seattle City Council, but come on! Bruce Harrell? The Mayor who offered what amounted to a pay cut in negotiations with City workers? The Mayor who’s not standing up to Council President Sara Nelson’s nutso quest to lower the minimum wage for gig delivery workers? The Mayor who the big unions spent a shitload of money against to keep out of office in 2021? He’s not your friend, and giving him an award will not change that.
Is this the same Bruce Harrell who offered City workers a 1% raise? https://t.co/CsXDI3ENTt
— Hannah Krieg (@hannahkrieg) April 24, 2024
ICYMI: You know how Seattle conservatives like to pretend their apprehension to density stems from genuine concern of displacement? Well, the Mayor showed his ass! PubliCola reported that the Mayor’s Office removed all new anti-displacement proposals from a draft of the comprehensive plan and instead promoted only existing strategies in his published version. This revelation comes after the Urbanist broke the news earlier this month that Harrell also scaled back density from previous versions of the plan. He doesn’t like density, but he also doesn’t want to combat displacement. Sounds like someone loves homelessness and poverty!
Cover-up: In their latest action to pressure Washington’s congressional delegation to stop spending money on the slaughter of Palestinians, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) hosted a “Seder In The Streets” on Tuesday. During the event, the group painted a mural outside the Federal Building to elevate their message. It didn’t last long. By yesterday afternoon, the City of Seattle scrubbed the words “No Funds For Genocide” and “Let Gaza Live” but kept the rest of the mural whole. That move suggests the City’s problem lies in the message and not necessarily the vandalism (celebratory).
What they say: In an email, Seattle Department of Transportation and the Mayor’s Office wrote, “We support artists and groups that create murals and other art displays, however art on public spaces including buildings, sidewalks, or roads requires consent from the appropriate managing entity, business owner, and property manager.” JVP did not have a permit, and if they want to paint something, the City says they gotta apply. But that doesn’t explain why the City scrubbed the anti-genocide message before removing the whole thing. I asked again, and I’ll update you as always.
Appears that SDOT painted over the words “no funds for genocide” and “Let Gaza Live” on the mural that Jewish advocates painted at @JVPSeattle‘s “Seder in The Streets” yesterday. pic.twitter.com/jc6lxNNHAW
— Hannah Krieg (@hannahkrieg) April 24, 2024
The Bird’s back: The Seattle Storm announced yesterday that basketball icon Sue Bird will join the Storm’s ownership group.
Washington GOP officially comes out against democracy: At their kooky little convention last weekend, the Washington State Republican Party passed a resolution urging Republicans to call the US a “republic” rather than a democracy, adding that, “We … oppose legislation which makes our nation more democratic in nature,” reports Danny Westneat over at the Seattle Times. The GOP has been on this “we’re a republic, not a democracy” schtick since the rise of Trump—surprised it took them this long to get their elitism down in writing.
Seattle-area Rep. Adam Smith weaponizes “democracy” against protesters: On a podcast, Rep. Smith, the #2 guy on the House Armed Services Committee, said the pro-Palestine protesters who shut down highways, disrupt public events, and demonstrate at the homes of politicians are participating in “leftwing totalitarianism” the Guardian reports. For Smith, such affronts present direct challenges to “representative democracy” and are evidence only of the protesters’ desires to silence opposition. That’s just a little bit funny, because when the Guardian asked for an example of the kind of protest that “might be appropriate,” Smith cited a silent protest where demonstrators held up bloody hands in a committee hearing and immediately left House chambers after the chair told them to leave. I’ll let Smith’s protesters respond to all of this in their own words:
GUEST RANT: US Rep Adam Smith canceled a town hall after some members of the audience became verbally disruptive over his denial of the genocide in Gaza. In a press release afterward, he compared us to MAGA rioters who stormed the US Capitol. He’s wrong. https://t.co/zCJkrB3kWq
— The Stranger 🗞 (@TheStranger) March 22, 2024
Baby jail: The King County Auditor’s Office released a report that found King County’s juvenile detention center holds fewer kids, but the kids stay in jail THREE TIMES longer on average compared to stats from 2017. Jail is no place for a child, and even jail-truthers will tell you that this detention center is designed for stays less than 30 days long. As of mid-2023, children stayed in jail for an average of 36 days. Since 2017, more than 200 kids stayed for 100 days or more, and almost 30 stayed for at least a year. This facility does not have the educational, enrichment, or mental health resources to accommodate stays of that length, according to the press release.
New York’s highest court overturns Harvey Weinstein’s conviction: The judges who run New York’s Court of Appeals noticed that the lower-court judge in Weinstein’s case allowed “prosecutors to call as witnesses a series of women who said Mr. Weinstein had assaulted them—but whose accusations were not part of the charges against him,” which was unfair, according to the New York Times. While the prosecution attempts a retrial, the state will move Weinstein to a California prison, where he’ll serve out his a 16-year term for a rape conviction in that state.
SCOTUS hears Trump immunity case: This morning the clowns on the Supreme Court are hearing arguments for and against the claim that presidents can do whatever they want to secure power so long as they do it in their official capacity as president. The court’s response to those arguments will determine when Trump’s other trials take place in Washington, according to the Washington Post. Elie Mystal, the Nation’s justice correspondent, predicts the justices will think presidents have some immunity and then send the case back to a lower court to enumerate those, which would delay Trump’s election-interference trial until after the 2024 election. But right now, Justice Amy Coney Barrett is making interesting noises, so we’ll see.
KBJ: We know that the POTUS has the *best* *lawyers* *in the world.*
She deserves some kind of award for saying that with a straight face. 🙂
But she said it to attack Gorsuch’s position that holding the president accountable would make them “fearful”
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) April 25, 2024
1864 vibes: After two failed attempts, the Arizona State House passed legislation overturning the long-dormant 160-year old abortion ban that the Arizona Supreme Court gave the go-ahead to enforce earlier this month. Now the state Senate needs to pass it, the Governor needs to sign it, and boom, the extreme ban becomes a less extreme ban at 15 weeks. Things could get better for Arizona residents in November if an initiative to protect abortion access to the point of fetal viability, about 22 to 24 weeks, makes it on the ballot.
Be free: Military horses covered in blood escaped and ran through London yesterday.
Rest in Peace: Today marks the 22 years since TLC member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes died in a car accident at the age of 30. In her honor, my favorite TLC song. It was a tough choice:
“But that doesn’t explain why the City scrubbed the anti-genocide message before removing the whole thing.”
That’s easy. They removed the offensive part first. Many citizens of Seattle honestly disagree with the assertion Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. (If someone vandalized a public space to accuse you of murder, wouldn’t you want the accusation removed as fast as possible?)
@1 “Let Gaza Live” is offensive? Wow.
denial
of de Genocide
don’t Make it go Away
and
sending
a repressive
& Genocidal regime
FIFTEEN BILLION DOLLAR$
no-Strings-Attached, by God!
don’t make the Genocidal
Massacre go Away
Either. it just
makes it
Worse.
like the Crackdown
on Student Protests
is NOT gonna remove
the Causes of the Protests
it’s just gonna
make them
STRONGER.
Personally I’d like to see the whole concept of “gig delivery drivers” go away. Yes, some do serve people who are unable to shop for themselves, but the vast majority of their clientele are entitled and lazy. If you can pay UberEats $25 for a latte from Starbucks, you might be an asshole.
Getting behind an Instacart driver at a grocery store is a nightmare. Slow and bad for the environment. A different bag for everything. I’d like to see stores and restaurants go back to employing their own delivery people, like a young George Bailey in Bedford Falls. This is fucking Pottersville.
@3
dehumanizers
dehumanize
themselves.
@5
If you think your opinion about how other people spend their money matters, you might be an asshole too.
Hmmm … I wonder if The Stranger regrets having endorsed Adam Smith in the last election.
I think what Smith means is that the protesters are hoping to use pressure tactics to get an unpopular position enshrined into law over the objections of a majority of voters.
Hannah not understanding that the United States is not, in fact, a true Democracy but is an ACTUAL Democratic Republic isn’t surprising, but sure is disappointing.
I thought liberals and “progressives” believed that watermelons were a racist symbol. When did that change?
“In their latest action to pressure Washington’s congressional delegation to stop spending money on the slaughter of Palestinians,…….”
I’ve been looking through past issues of SLOG…..just where do I find the issue with the SLOG’s cry to end the Muslim world’s spending of oil money on the elimination of Israel & the slaughter of Jews? I’m sorry, complain about Bibi’s policies all you want, but all these protests against Israel are truly antisemitic. Again I say, where is the Palestinian who dropped a dime to Israel when he saw Hamas digging tunnels & stockpiling weapons. While Hamas is hiding among civilians, the civilians among which Hamas is hiding are NOT INNOCENT unless they are deaf, dumb & blind.
“The GOP…..—surprised it took them this long to get their elitism down in writing.”
Their elite, anti democracy, we’ve been bought by the oligarchs domestic & foreign, has been in writing since Trump’s first campaign in the National GOP platform. “When a man tells you who he is, believe him…..”
Weinstein Rides again!!!! (So to speak) (Yeah, I know. That’s gross.)
@5, I know what you mean, but remember the response of dwarfs to dwarf bowling years ago: If we take advantage of a chance to earn a living, it’s our business & no one else’s.
Twenty-two years‽
😯
Thanks, Hannah. That’s always been one of my top 3 favorite TLC songs, and I’m typically a metalhead. I’d forgotten how overwhelmingly BIZARRE that video is, though! It’s like there were four final concepts and $whomever decided to do all four concurrently. Will never forget Left-Eye, she was utterly unique and uniquely talented.
Other shit :
I have lived in PNW all but 4 of my 54 years and I swear Seattle has had THE MOST CONSISTENTLY DYSFUNCTIONAL CITY GOVERNMENT outside of maybe NOLA and Detroit. I don’t understand why, have City Hall’s carbon monoxide levels ever been evaluated? Do elected/appointed city leaders all get hypoxia once they work there? I grew up in Tacoma so, yeah, but still not as upside-down Demogorgon as Seattle digs itself into and has for my personal little half-century.
International: STOP KILLING PEOPLE.
National: I look forward to prison terms, mugshots, and whining about being treated like the criminals they are; I do NOT look forward to seeing Giuliani in orange. With the dripping hair dye that’s going to be painful eye exposure.
And finally, STOP KILLING PEOPLE! Kindness is punk. 🫶🏳️🌈🎶🎸
Only in this country is slaughtering and starving people (half of whom are children) controversial. Only in this country is apartheid, owning human beings as property, and deeming every human not born with a penis and white skin not human totally and completely acceptable by the majority.
Humanity literally could have been anything, given the anomaly we are in the universe, and this is what we have chosen to be, the lowest, basest, most evil entity on earth.
@5, Another perspective on paying $15 to have a $5 burger delivered: I’ve had food delivered a few times. I was in France, at a suburban motel, in a neighborhood with which I was totally unfamiliar, where there were no restaurants within a mile or more, and a round trip taxi would have cost several times more than the food delivery, and my French really sucks. Plus I had a small fridge & microwave, so I was able to eat that food for 3 meals over 3 days. And the food itself was horrendously expensive.
Interestingly, in South America Uruguay has run Uber Eats out of business. They have a service called PedidosYa. (And unfortunately, you need a local phone number to complete your order. Roaming or WiFi calling on a US number will not work.)
But, yeah, I feel you. I hate paying that kind of money for something I’m not sure I really need.
@16, And you wouldn’t leave if someone offered you a gazillion dollars.
@2, @3, @10: Or the city removed the words first because attempts to read them were the aspect of the graffiti most likely to cause traffic problems.
Hannah, I beat you to it on the ugliness of Washington State RepubliKKKans and Danny Westneat’s article [in the Seattle Times, “The State GOP: We Don’t Want to be Any More Democratic”, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, Northwest, Pages A-8 & A-10]. See Nathalie Graham’s SLOG comment section for Monday, April 22, 2024.
I wish there was something I could do regarding the City of Seattle’s gutting of gig work pay and mileage compensation. I live outside Seattle city limits and King County, so I doubt I’d have much say so to the City Council on their heinous decision. I am concerned, however, about this dystopian type of bullshit passing statewide if Seattle sets an economically disturbing new trend and other cities and counties follow suit.
Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson and District Council members must have their heads up their asses!
Meanwhile, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell represents the filthy stinking rich, of the filthy stinking rich, by the filthy stinking rich–and ONLY the filthy stinking rich protected by the SPD robocop crime syndicate. Why else are $2 million + a pop luxury high rise condos sprouting up in an urban mushroom cloud, sitting empty, while the current homelessness problem nationwide is only getting worse?
@7 In America, how people spend their money is the only true test of character.
@18 Where would I go? I am stuck here just like everyone else who isn’t able to leave. If I were in any way able to leave, I would have left a long time ago. And as why is that always the answer? Why not make this country what it claims to be instead of living in country where everyone is dehumanized for a profit?
@25 Both your statement and DOUG’s can be true at the same time.
Republic not Democracy is an idiotic distinction. “Republic” means there’s no monarch. “Democracy” means people get to vote. Here’s a simple matrix:
United Kingdom is a Democracy but not a Republic
China is a Republic but not a Democracy
Saudi Arabia is neither
United States is both.
You’re welcome.
@25 Once again you are SLOG’s shittiest lawyer. You are free to spend your money any way you like, but hiring a hitman is still illegal. In other words, how you spend your money may be an expression of your values, but those values are not inherently protected just because you expressed them.
@16 & @22 xina +2 for the WIN!!
@28: Caution? Ah. I see the new technology has already eaten into what’s left of your brain. Big KKKorporate now has you programmed to say what they want you to say. What will you do when they’ve got you packing, shipping, and processing orders on an assembly line 24/7 without pay or breaks? Number 12 looks just like you!
Eat your paste before it hardens, raindrop dear.
@31 You’re dumb.
@23 Dr. Pangloss strikes again!
On a more positive note: Hooray for Sue Bird being on the Seattle Storm ownership team!
@33: Are you feeling the crunch of inflation? Are you struggling with economic, health, and housing issues?
Are you any of the following:
1.) cis female, regardless of age, heritage, or skin color
2.) Asian
3.) American Indian Nation or Indigenous Nation tribal member
4.) African-American
5.) Latinx
6.) Pacific Islander
7.) Low income working poor
8.) Homeless, or at increased risk of getting there
9.) Aged 65 or over on a fixed budget
10.) Concerned about losing your healthcare
11.) Refugee from a foreign country seeking asylum
Do any of the above apply to you?
If you said yes, blame the RepubliKKKans, and remember this on election day.
It’s Income Inequality, Stupid.