‘Seattle can’t survive this’: Critics hammer socialist mayor after Starbucks reversal

By Fox News · Fox News

Seattle's Democratic Mayor Katie Wilson’s sudden about-face on Starbucks is fueling fresh fears that progressive politics and anti-business rhetoric are driving jobs, investment and major employers out of deep-blue cities. Wilson, who previously urged residents to boycott the Seattle-based coffee giant, admitted in an interview published Sunday that her comments "caused more harm than good" as criticism mounts over the city’s business climate and the company’s growing investment outside Washington state. The socialist mayor’s reversal comes as the corporation pours $100 million into a major Tennessee expansion and plans thousands of new jobs there, reigniting concerns that companies are increasingly choosing lower-tax , business-friendly southern U.S. states for future growth. BLUE-STATE TAX BURDEN FUELS AMERICANS FLEEING TO REPUBLICAN-LED SOUTHERN STATES Critics quickly seized on the controversy as evidence Seattle’s leftist politics are becoming increasingly hostile to business. "If Starbucks doesn’t leave Seattle, they’re stupid," Tim Young, a media fellow at The Heritage Foundation, wrote on X. Young blasted Wilson to Fox News Digital, arguing the socialist mayor lacks the real-world experience needed to understand the economic consequences of anti-business policies and rhetoric. "Mayor Wilson is what happens when a spoiled child whose parents have been there to correct for all their financial issues for years is put into a place of authority," Young said. "She has no concept of consequences for her actions, especially when dealing with other people’s money." "Seattle, nor any other jurisdiction in the world, can survive someone with literally no relevant life or business experience to run it," he added. SOCIALIST MAYOR-ELECT REVEALS WHY SHE EMBRACED HER PARENTS GIVING HER MONEY AS A 43-YEAR-OLD Others framed Wilson’s walk back as a sign Seattle's progressive leaders are beginning to recognize the economic stakes surrounding major employers like Starbucks. "Sea…