Not only was Amazon's effort to back pro-business candidates for the Seattle City Council not effective, but its $1.45 million in contributions seems to have backfired on the company, energizing its opponents and leading to a new City Council that's collectively more to the left of the political spectrum than before.

It's the latest in a series of political and policy missteps and missed opportunities for the company, from HQ2 to JEDI. 

Also this week: Bill Gates and Elizabeth Warren are ready to talk about taxes; a Microsoft study shows the potential benefits of a shorter work week for productivity; a winning Seattle Sounders rap from a GeekWire reader; and Cortana is ready to "play" your email for you, but are you ready for her to do that?

Not only was Amazon's effort to back pro-business candidates for the Seattle City Council not effective, but its $1.45 million in contributions <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2019/amazon-bid-business-friendly-seattle-council-withers-adversary-pulls-ahead-surprise-comeback/">seems to have backfired on the company,</a> energizing its opponents and leading to a new City Council that's collectively more to the left of the political spectrum than before.
It's the latest in a series of political and policy missteps and missed opportunities for the company, from <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2019/amazon-pulls-new-york-hq2-amid-growing-backlash/">HQ2</a> to <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2019/jedi-explaining-10b-military-cloud-contract-microsoft-just-won-amazon/">JEDI</a>.&nbsp;
Also this week: Bill Gates and Elizabeth Warren are<a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2019/bill-gates-willing-talk-elizabeth-warren-offers-explain-wealth-tax/"> ready to talk about taxes</a>; a Microsoft study shows the <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2019/microsoft-experimented-4-day-work-week-japan-saw-big-jump-productivity/">potential benefits of a shorter work week for productivity</a>; a <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2019/geekiestsoundersfan-wins-mls-cup-pitchside-seats-nerdy-8-bit-rap/">winning Seattle Sounders rap from a GeekWire reader</a>; and Cortana is <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2019/microsofts-cortana-can-now-read-emails-loud-run-daily-schedule/">ready to "play" your email for you</a>, but are you ready for her to do that?

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