Amazon and Local Politics

For John, BLUF:  New York State, and New York City, are special cases, but, they raise questions about where we are heading.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The only clear winner from Amazon’s New York pullout

From The Wash Post, by Columnist Megan McArdle, 15 February 2019.

Here are The Excepts at InstaPundit:

Though Amazon won’t lose much by redirecting expansion elsewhere (including adding personnel to its offices elsewhere in New York), Big Tech should be worried about the company’s experience.  Once viewed by the left as the Good Big Business, Big Tech has now been reclassified to the ranks of the rapacious monopolists.  Meanwhile, the right is also getting less tech-friendly as it perceives Big Tech taking the other side in the culture wars.  At the moment, tech has no obvious political allies.

Allies are going to be essential, because Amazon’s battles with local activists in Seattle and now New York were but the opening skirmishes in what promises to be a long war.  Activists are looking to curb tech’s economic power, with whatever political tools they have at their disposal, from the special employment taxes tried in Seattle to lobbying for federal antitrust actions.

It will all sort itself out, but maybe not by 2020.

And by then the Green New Deal (GND) will be in full swing.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff