Activists and community members who opposed Amazon's plan to move into Queens rally in Long Island City, N.Y., in celebration of the company's decision to pull out of the deal. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
On Valentine's Day, An End to Amazon's Two-Bit Romance With New York
A fond farewell to this 'No low-rent rendezvous'
The Amazon corporation walked out in a huff. On Valentine's Day, the retailer announced that its romance with New York is off.
Faced with stiffer-than-anticipated resistance, the company announced February 14th that it is pulling out of its previously reported plan to build a gleaming corporate headquarters in Long Island City.
The timing seemed perfect for what has felt from the start like a very old-school seduction routine.
Having led this city and others around in an embarrassing flirt-to-the-finish, Amazon, the wealthy suitor, chose to bed down in Long Island City. Now they've stormed out. Apparently, Amazon didn't like the fact that the city of Lady Liberty wanted to set a few terms before sex.
"Having led this city and others around in an embarrassing flirt-to-the-finish, Amazon, the wealthy suitor, chose to bed down in Long Island City. Now they've stormed out."
Like a macho man in the pre-feminist era, Amazon wanted things their way or no way. That's how monopolies roll. Don't ask questions, don't consider options, and whatever you do, don't conduct a background check. New York's tryst with the the company was struck in private before local residents groups, unions, and state and city legislators got their say.
Stuart Appelbaum of the retail union, who participated in what turned out to be the final meeting between Amazon and lawmakers, said the company had refused to compromise even on a demand that it not actively work against the unionization of its New York workers, and rumor has it they didn't like activists talking about exploitation in their warehouses and their workplaces out of state.
In the #MeToo era, intimacy requires informed consent. So, too, development. City residents didn't fancy an arranged marriage. The Amazon deal required answers to some basic questions: who will get what for what kind of compensation, and how do city taxpayers know they won't be left high and dry when the fun is over, the profits are gone, and it's time to clean up the mess?
Cities these days are getting smarter about their options. As viewers of my show saw when I visited with residents this January, Long Island City is not short of potential. What would development look like if the place and its people were courted with as much care and attention as a visiting corporate suitor? An investment of $3 billion--the estimated value of the subsidies offered to Amazon--could go a long way invested locally.
Amazon may be jilted, but it's not going anywhere. It can't afford to. Even the company itself is saying it will still grow in New York. Lady Liberty's a hot date. She's found her voice, and she's getting to know her worth. Good for her.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
The Amazon corporation walked out in a huff. On Valentine's Day, the retailer announced that its romance with New York is off.
Faced with stiffer-than-anticipated resistance, the company announced February 14th that it is pulling out of its previously reported plan to build a gleaming corporate headquarters in Long Island City.
The timing seemed perfect for what has felt from the start like a very old-school seduction routine.
Having led this city and others around in an embarrassing flirt-to-the-finish, Amazon, the wealthy suitor, chose to bed down in Long Island City. Now they've stormed out. Apparently, Amazon didn't like the fact that the city of Lady Liberty wanted to set a few terms before sex.
"Having led this city and others around in an embarrassing flirt-to-the-finish, Amazon, the wealthy suitor, chose to bed down in Long Island City. Now they've stormed out."
Like a macho man in the pre-feminist era, Amazon wanted things their way or no way. That's how monopolies roll. Don't ask questions, don't consider options, and whatever you do, don't conduct a background check. New York's tryst with the the company was struck in private before local residents groups, unions, and state and city legislators got their say.
Stuart Appelbaum of the retail union, who participated in what turned out to be the final meeting between Amazon and lawmakers, said the company had refused to compromise even on a demand that it not actively work against the unionization of its New York workers, and rumor has it they didn't like activists talking about exploitation in their warehouses and their workplaces out of state.
In the #MeToo era, intimacy requires informed consent. So, too, development. City residents didn't fancy an arranged marriage. The Amazon deal required answers to some basic questions: who will get what for what kind of compensation, and how do city taxpayers know they won't be left high and dry when the fun is over, the profits are gone, and it's time to clean up the mess?
Cities these days are getting smarter about their options. As viewers of my show saw when I visited with residents this January, Long Island City is not short of potential. What would development look like if the place and its people were courted with as much care and attention as a visiting corporate suitor? An investment of $3 billion--the estimated value of the subsidies offered to Amazon--could go a long way invested locally.
Amazon may be jilted, but it's not going anywhere. It can't afford to. Even the company itself is saying it will still grow in New York. Lady Liberty's a hot date. She's found her voice, and she's getting to know her worth. Good for her.
The Amazon corporation walked out in a huff. On Valentine's Day, the retailer announced that its romance with New York is off.
Faced with stiffer-than-anticipated resistance, the company announced February 14th that it is pulling out of its previously reported plan to build a gleaming corporate headquarters in Long Island City.
The timing seemed perfect for what has felt from the start like a very old-school seduction routine.
Having led this city and others around in an embarrassing flirt-to-the-finish, Amazon, the wealthy suitor, chose to bed down in Long Island City. Now they've stormed out. Apparently, Amazon didn't like the fact that the city of Lady Liberty wanted to set a few terms before sex.
"Having led this city and others around in an embarrassing flirt-to-the-finish, Amazon, the wealthy suitor, chose to bed down in Long Island City. Now they've stormed out."
Like a macho man in the pre-feminist era, Amazon wanted things their way or no way. That's how monopolies roll. Don't ask questions, don't consider options, and whatever you do, don't conduct a background check. New York's tryst with the the company was struck in private before local residents groups, unions, and state and city legislators got their say.
Stuart Appelbaum of the retail union, who participated in what turned out to be the final meeting between Amazon and lawmakers, said the company had refused to compromise even on a demand that it not actively work against the unionization of its New York workers, and rumor has it they didn't like activists talking about exploitation in their warehouses and their workplaces out of state.
In the #MeToo era, intimacy requires informed consent. So, too, development. City residents didn't fancy an arranged marriage. The Amazon deal required answers to some basic questions: who will get what for what kind of compensation, and how do city taxpayers know they won't be left high and dry when the fun is over, the profits are gone, and it's time to clean up the mess?
Cities these days are getting smarter about their options. As viewers of my show saw when I visited with residents this January, Long Island City is not short of potential. What would development look like if the place and its people were courted with as much care and attention as a visiting corporate suitor? An investment of $3 billion--the estimated value of the subsidies offered to Amazon--could go a long way invested locally.
Amazon may be jilted, but it's not going anywhere. It can't afford to. Even the company itself is saying it will still grow in New York. Lady Liberty's a hot date. She's found her voice, and she's getting to know her worth. Good for her.