Let's figure this city out together.
The Seattle Muddle is a newsletter for Seattleites in the mushy middle of city politics.
What this is
When I was growing up, Seattle had a ton of local publications — two dailies, the Times and the P-I; two alt-weeklies, the Stranger and the Seattle Weekly; and a smattering of smaller outlets. But the number of local news publications has shrunk as part of a broader economic crisis in the media industry. The remaining outlets — from digital publications to TV and radio — can sometimes seem trapped in ideological silos, with conservative talk radio hosts decrying the death of Seattle at the hands of leftists and progressive online journalists denouncing anything short of revolutionary socialism.
Seattleites on either extreme of the ideological spectrum may be satisfied with this, but what about everyone else? Most peopel I run into love Seattle and reject all the “Seattle is dying” narratives propagated by the right. But while they may consider themselves progressives, they don’t support everything that the local left espouses. They feel legitimately concerned about homelessness, public safety, and the rising cost of living, but are skeptical that all these problems can be solved by taxes on the very rich and more spending on social safety net programs. They don’t want to abolish capitalism or the police. They get frustrated by the glacial pace of local governance — the infamous “Seattle process” — and want competence and transparency from local elected officials. They want workers and businesses to thrive.
The Seattle Muddle is for that reader — and for anyone else curious about how this city actually works, or doesn't.
What subscribers get
Every Wednesday, I'll be publishing a reported feature or opinion essay which is free for everyone.
On Mondays and Fridays I'll run news roundups spotlighting important news, suggesting events to attend, and recommending spots to eat or drink. These posts will be free initially but I'll soon put up a paywall so that only supporters can read or comment on these posts. Subscriptions are $8/month and $75/year.