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I'm assuming this isn't factoring in the harm they're doing. How much do Bezos's donations to homeless services offset his union-busting? Is there a formula f

by retrac 7y ago

I'm assuming this isn't factoring in the harm they're doing. How much do Bezos's donations to homeless services offset his union-busting? Is there a formula for that?

0x262d 7y ago
Well in Seattle, their homeless charity money is less so far than the money they have spent against the politicians trying to do anything about homelessness besides passively asking for business to "be responsible".
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- 0x262d 7y ago
  Someone downvoted this. If they disagree they should source it. Amazon spent $1.5m on the city council elections in 2019, I believe about $300k in 2018, and $300-400k in 2017 on the mayoral race. The rate at which they spend on such things is rapidly increasing as the Tax Amazon movement has gradually gained steam. Meanwhile they are "estimated" to spend "up to" $2m on Mary's place annually, in the future. Let me know when that happens and when their political spending drops down, but I'm skeptical and so far they have spent more on political spending against anyone who suggests taxing them.
- malandrew 7y ago
  Trying to do something about homelessness and actually doing something about homelessness are two different things. Many of the policies that those trying to do something about homelessness in Seattle are trying to implement are similar to those policies that were enacted in San Francisco that made homelessness worse such as rent control.
  - 0x262d 7y ago
    The left politicians I’m referring to have their hands completely tied by the centrist majority who won’t act on this, and people who profit from high rent turn around, point to the lack of political action they caused, and say it means the politically blocked proposed solutions are “unviable”. Also you’re just incorrect about rent control. SF has it in a tiny fraction of apartments. Of course rents elsewhere are skyrocketing.
    - malandrew 7y ago
      > Also you’re just incorrect about rent control. SF has it in a tiny fraction of apartments. That's flat out wrong. "San Francisco has a roughly thirty-five percent homeownership rate. Then 172,000 units of the city's 376,940 housing units are under rent control. (That's about 75 percent of the city's rental stock.)" source: https://techcrunch.com/2014/04/14/sf-housing/ https://techcrunch.com/2014/04/14/sf-housing/ Please point out a solution from these politicians on the left that won't make things worse.
      - 0x262d 7y ago
        taxamazon.net/about
        malandrew 7y ago
        This is the second taxamazon PAC shill I've seen spamming HN in the past week. Looks like they are trying to astroturf on HN.
        0x262d 7y ago
        I guess you don’t know what astroturf means. or shill.
      - 0x262d 7y ago
        I'm surprised that the number is that high and very skeptical of it, but I don't have time to investigate at this exact moment. Regardless, they all have vacancy decontrol, which is a gaping loophole that nullifies the effectiveness of the regulation.
munk-a 7y ago
That seems like a fair criticism, this site appears to buy fully bought into the American exceptionalism story. While these folks should be taxed into the ground the wealth and experience they can personally contribute - while overwhelming compared to other individuals - is absolutely dwarfed by the ability of our society at large to address the pandemic. They may be a noticeable part (and I really do appreciate Bill Gates getting out on the media circuit to make it clear to folks that this happened once and it can happen again) but they aren't the solution themselves nor even a significant portion of it.

by retrac 7y ago

I'm assuming this isn't factoring in the harm they're doing. How much do Bezos's donations to homeless services offset his union-busting? Is there a formula for that?

0x262d 7y ago

Well in Seattle, their homeless charity money is less so far than the money they have spent against the politicians trying to do anything about homelessness besides passively asking for business to "be responsible".

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
0x262d 7y ago
Someone downvoted this. If they disagree they should source it. Amazon spent $1.5m on the city council elections in 2019, I believe about $300k in 2018, and $300-400k in 2017 on the mayoral race. The rate at which they spend on such things is rapidly increasing as the Tax Amazon movement has gradually gained steam. Meanwhile they are "estimated" to spend "up to" $2m on Mary's place annually, in the future. Let me know when that happens and when their political spending drops down, but I'm skeptical and so far they have spent more on political spending against anyone who suggests taxing them.
malandrew 7y ago
Trying to do something about homelessness and actually doing something about homelessness are two different things. Many of the policies that those trying to do something about homelessness in Seattle are trying to implement are similar to those policies that were enacted in San Francisco that made homelessness worse such as rent control.
- 0x262d 7y ago
  The left politicians I’m referring to have their hands completely tied by the centrist majority who won’t act on this, and people who profit from high rent turn around, point to the lack of political action they caused, and say it means the politically blocked proposed solutions are “unviable”. Also you’re just incorrect about rent control. SF has it in a tiny fraction of apartments. Of course rents elsewhere are skyrocketing.
  - malandrew 7y ago
    > Also you’re just incorrect about rent control. SF has it in a tiny fraction of apartments. That's flat out wrong. "San Francisco has a roughly thirty-five percent homeownership rate. Then 172,000 units of the city's 376,940 housing units are under rent control. (That's about 75 percent of the city's rental stock.)" source: https://techcrunch.com/2014/04/14/sf-housing/ https://techcrunch.com/2014/04/14/sf-housing/ Please point out a solution from these politicians on the left that won't make things worse.
    - 0x262d 7y ago
      taxamazon.net/about
      - malandrew 7y ago
        This is the second taxamazon PAC shill I've seen spamming HN in the past week. Looks like they are trying to astroturf on HN.
        0x262d 7y ago
        I guess you don’t know what astroturf means. or shill.
    - 0x262d 7y ago
      I'm surprised that the number is that high and very skeptical of it, but I don't have time to investigate at this exact moment. Regardless, they all have vacancy decontrol, which is a gaping loophole that nullifies the effectiveness of the regulation.

munk-a 7y ago

That seems like a fair criticism, this site appears to buy fully bought into the American exceptionalism story. While these folks should be taxed into the ground the wealth and experience they can personally contribute - while overwhelming compared to other individuals - is absolutely dwarfed by the ability of our society at large to address the pandemic. They may be a noticeable part (and I really do appreciate Bill Gates getting out on the media circuit to make it clear to folks that this happened once and it can happen again) but they aren't the solution themselves nor even a significant portion of it.