Seattle has become a hub of liberal, socialist ideas, but it seems some of the city’s most vocal leaders may not be walking the walk.
Two local Washington politicians grabbed headlines this week when news broke that Kshama Sawant and Tammy Morales, two members of Seattle’s city council, are collectively worth a reported $3.5 million.
NEW: Seattle Socialists Kshama Sawant and Tammy Morales on the City Council have taken advantage of our capitalist system, getting wealthy off the low-income voters they claim to fight for. They’re collectively worth over $3.5 million. https://t.co/soonN5Xmx5
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) April 27, 2021
The two socialists, Sawant and Morales, reportedly listed their net worth on financial documents at $550,000 and $3 million, respectively.
Seattle has come under national scrutiny after local leaders refused to shut down the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ), which was later renamed Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP). During the weeks of occupation, liberal protesters camped in Seattle’s streets and committed regular vandalism, attacks on police, and even a fatal shooting.
Despite the protest’s checkered reputation, leaders of the Seattle’ progressive political movement have remained strong.
“This story is more than just an opportunity to criticize some politicians for hypocrisy. It demonstrates a timeless principle of public choice economics,” said Brad Polumbo, a policy expert at the Foundation for Economic Education. “The short version of public choice theory? It’s a fundamental mistake to assume that while individuals in the private sector are motivated by self-interest and profit, individuals in the public sector are motivated by altruism and the public interest. In reality, the same rules apply—even for ‘socialists.'”
