I hear Jack Nicholson saying, “You can’t handle the truth!”
That was true for certain Seattle factions that were shocked by the telling of facts as they were, and continue to be to this day.
KIRO’s John Curley interviewed Eric Johnson, former KOMO News anchor concerning the explosive documentary. The response from some in city government and local agencies wasn’t what he expected.
“I didn’t really realize that the forces would line up to push me down, to shut me up, to quell whatever this thing is that I had opened up,” he said.
(((Catch the KIRO NewsRadio report at MyNorthwest.com)))
“Seattle Is Dying” is a 2019 hour-long documentary-style special report produced and narrated by longtime KOMO News anchor/reporter Eric Johnson for KOMO-TV.
Johnson examines the intertwined crises of homelessness, open drug use (especially opioids and heroin), mental illness, property crime, and public disorder in Seattle. Through on-the-street footage, interviews with police officers (some speaking anonymously), business owners, residents, addicts, and experts, the report portrays a city “rotting from within” due to visible decay: tent encampments, needles, human waste, theft, and unsafe public spaces that deter families and tourists.
Col. Nathan Jessup said it best
Jason Remington • March 19, 2026
Truth is– You can put a fork into Seattle tourism. The downtown area is dangerous and business is moving away due to crime and taxes. Seattle has a communist mayor and left-wing voters who believe mainstream media talking points/lies. Seattle is toast!
The Narrative Says Collapse, The Numbers Say Otherwise
Andy • March 20, 2026
Seattle has had real challenges, no argument there. But saying you can “put a fork in tourism” just doesn’t line up with reality. The region saw roughly 40 million visitors in 2024, about 95% of pre-pandemic levels, with visitor spending actually exceeding 2019 at around $8.8 billion. Downtown itself has seen visitor activity and hotel demand return to or near pre-pandemic levels in recent periods. That’s not a collapse, it’s a recovery.
I live downtown. It went through a rough stretch, but conditions have improved, and I’ve never felt unsafe walking here at any time of day. The situation is more nuanced than the version you’re presenting.
On taxes, the framing is also off. Washington has one of the most regressive tax systems in the country, where lower-income residents pay a significantly higher share of their income in state and local taxes than the wealthiest. Estimates put that at roughly 13–14% for the lowest-income households versus around 4% for the top 1%. So when people at the very top push back on relatively small increases, it’s fair to question whether the issue is actual burden or just resistance.
Calling the mayor a “communist” doesn’t strengthen the argument either, it just signals bias and makes the rest harder to take seriously.
And the “liberal mainstream media” point doesn’t hold up much better. Most major outlets are owned by corporations and billionaires, not exactly a structure built to push left-wing ideology. At that point, it reads more like a talking point than an analysis.
There are legitimate issues worth discussing, but exaggeration and labels like this tend to obscure more than they clarify.
---Truth is bias---
Jason Remington • March 20, 2026
The truth is bias. I love that logic.
lower-income residents pay a significantly higher share of their income in state and local taxes than the wealthiest — you see this as a positive?
Downtown Seattle is unsafe. You are putting your life at risk by doing business or riding public transportation in downtown Seattle.
Your objections to my post are not supported by facts. Seattle was dying in 2019 and the situation has only worsened. Business is leaving Seattle. Taxes in general in Washington are in many cases higher than California, gas taxes for example.
Nice try at pushing a narrative. Seattle is toast!
Give me a hit of what you are smoking
Jason Remington • March 20, 2026
And the “liberal mainstream media” point doesn’t hold up much better. Most major outlets are owned by corporations and billionaires, not exactly a structure built to push left-wing ideology.
Pay attention to the mainstream media message — the talking points they push.
You can’t be for real. Your comments do not jibe with the truth.