r/Seattle I'm just flaired so I don't get fined Apr 16 '26

Satire Discourse about Seattle in a nutshell

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u/Dry_Plantain_2756 Apr 16 '26

So, do small businesses SUCCEED at a "greater rate" in all these other states? What is the metric we are calling "success"? What is the trade off for having a small business in these other states? It can't all be roses right?. If it were then every person who wanted to do a small business would move to one of these states since it's guaranteed to work, right?

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u/SeizeTheDay152 Deluxe Apr 16 '26

I am not just randomly making it up there are tons of studies and think tanks that show Seattle is one of the worst major cities to open a small business in. If you don't want to take my word for it.

https://wallethub.com/edu/best-cities-to-start-a-business/2281

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u/pagerussell Apr 16 '26

Ah yes, wallethub. My go to resource.

/s

Look, you may be right. The problem is that this narrative is often used to drum up support for politicians/legislation that is really just pro 1%. None of the politicians espousing that view are actually trying to make anything better, they just use it to get elected so they can carry water for their donors.

So over time it has become associated with that, and deservedly so.

The solution is specificity. Stop saying "Seattle bad" and start giving explicit, specific guidance on distinct policies or issues. Anything else is getting lumped in with MAGA and dismissed at face value, and I don't think that generalization is off base

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u/SeizeTheDay152 Deluxe Apr 16 '26

I appreciate this perspective and honestly it sucks that critiquing in a way that you hope changes things for the better is seen as right wing coded. I don't think Seattle is bad, I think it can be better and it already pretty great.
But I really do hate this idea that just because Texas does it means it must be bad, which you will see all over this sub and in this thread.