Democrats can’t balance the books, but they can always balance the blame—on Trump, of course.

$1.5 Billion and No Receipts

King County Democrats managed to balloon the Department of Community and Human Services’ budget from $22 million to a jaw-dropping $1.5 billion in just a few years—and somehow forgot the part about fiscal oversight. The latest audit flagged improper payments and even possible fraud, but instead of admitting government incompetence, Councilmember Claudia Balducci blamed… wait for it… Donald Trump.

Balducci now wants “urgent” reforms, audits, and expert panels—conveniently as she tries to claw her way back in the County Executive race where she’s trailing badly. Apparently, it only became a crisis once voters noticed that billions in tax dollars were being shoveled out the door with little accountability. Read more at Center Square.

Spokane’s Crime Spin Cycle

Crime in Spokane just jumped nearly 8% in a single month—robberies, assaults, and property crime all on the rise—yet Police Chief Kevin Hall decided to highlight “positive trends” in his City Council update. Meanwhile, over a hundred jail beds sit empty while criminals roam free.

Officials blame “staffing shortages” and “capacity issues,” but critics say the real problem is political will. Instead of using those empty beds to hold offenders accountable, the city leans on diversion programs, treatment referrals, and a camping ban that—so far—hasn’t led to a single citation. Translation: more repeat offenders on the street, fewer consequences.

Hall insists arrests are up compared to 2023, but down compared to last year. That’s hardly comforting when property crime spiked more than 8% in August and violent crime ticked up nearly 5%. Residents are left asking the obvious: if there are open beds, why aren’t more criminals in them? Read more at Center Square.

Seattle’s Selective Silence

Turns out when a five-time deported criminal alien is busted in Seattle with a small fortune in cash, a firearm he’s not supposed to have, and enough fentanyl and meth to kill hundreds of thousands of people, local news suddenly develops laryngitis. As Seattle Red’s Jason Rantz points out, not a peep from The Seattle Times, KING-5, Q13, or KOMO. Why? Because the suspect’s immigration status makes Democrats uncomfortable—and the media’s job these days is to protect the narrative, not report the news.

This guy wasn’t picked up with a couple pills in his pocket. Police say he had nearly 900 grams of fentanyl, close to two kilos of meth, cocaine, and a stash of cash big enough to make a cartel courier blush. But instead of sounding the alarm about how a repeat offender—deported four times—slipped right back in under Biden’s “border security,” Seattle media pretends it never happened.

It’s not just a failure of enforcement; it’s a failure of journalism. At a time when fentanyl is destroying Washington communities, you’d think someone would ask: How did he get back in? Who’s supplying him? Is there a bigger operation at work? But nope—the questions die in the newsroom, sacrificed on the altar of political correctness. Read more at Seattle Red.

Microsoft to Workers: Back to the Cubicles

After months of teasing the idea, Microsoft is officially yanking the remote-work rug out from under its employees. Starting in 2026, anyone living within 50 miles of a Microsoft office in Puget Sound will be chained to their desk at least three days a week, with only two precious days of remote work allowed.

HR spin says the “data is clear” and employees “thrive” when forced back into traffic jams and open-office chatter. Translation: management wants butts in seats, and your Teams background won’t cut it anymore.

The move mirrors Amazon’s shift back to mandatory office life, which helped boost downtown Seattle foot traffic but also reignited employee backlash. For Microsoft’s 53,000 Redmond-based workers, it means less time in pajama pants and more time perfecting their fake “morning commute smile.” Read more at MyNorthwest.com.

Donate Today

Please consider making a contribution to ensure Shift continues to provide daily updates on the shenanigans of the liberal establishment. If you’d rather mail a check, you can send it to: Shift WA | PO Box 956 | Cle Elum, WA 98922

Forward this to a friend.  It helps us grow our community and serve you better.

You can also follow SHIFTWA on social media by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.

If you feel we missed something that should be covered, email us at [email protected].