The persistent refusal of the liberal establishment to acknowledge the devastating consequences of their soft-on-crime policies has reached a new level of absurdity, perfectly exemplified by Washington Representative Pramila Jayapal’s recent comments.
Following the announcement that Kroger would be closing several supermarkets in her own state—a direct result of rampant, unchecked shoplifting and criminal activity—Jayapal did not express concern for the communities losing access to groceries or the employees losing their jobs. Instead, she engaged in a breathtaking display of ideological blindness, blaming the closures on “corporate greed.” This response is not just misguided; it is a deliberate and dangerous obfuscation of reality that is actively harming American cities and towns.
The liberal media and its allies, like Jayapal, operate from a playbook that prioritizes narrative over truth. They cannot admit that the decriminalization of theft and the systematic dismantling of law enforcement, policies often championed by the progressive left, have direct and severe consequences. As the original article correctly notes, “grocery stores operate on an extremely slim profit margin, so even a small amount of theft can have a devastating effect on a company’s bottom line.”
For a corporation like Kroger, which has a fiduciary “obligation to its shareholders,” keeping stores open in areas where they are financial liabilities due to theft is simply not feasible. To frame a basic business decision for self-preservation as “greed” is a disingenuous attempt to shift blame from the failed policies of progressive district attorneys and lawmakers who have created an environment where crime flourishes without repercussion.
ICYMI: Kroger is closing a handful of Fred Meyer Stores in the Seattle-area.
This is yet another example of corporations putting their shareholders and profits ahead of their workers and customers.https://t.co/lieUJ8mXU4 pic.twitter.com/LeMqJIMTxh
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) August 20, 2025
This is where the stark contrast in leadership becomes undeniable. While the left offers excuses and scapegoats successful businesses, President Donald Trump’s administration consistently championed law, order, and the safety of American communities. His unwavering support for law enforcement and his clear-eyed understanding that “crime ruins communities” stands in direct opposition to the chaotic decline enabled by liberal governance. President Trump recognizes that a nation cannot thrive when businesses are forced to flee and citizens are forced to live in fear.
Democrats treat theft like a joke and Seattle has a minimum wage of over $20 per hour. Now, you’re acting like they’re wronging you by closing up stores your policies made unprofitable? Why don’t you liberals ever blame yourselves for the consequences of your policies?
— John Hawkins (@johnhawkinsrwn) August 21, 2025
Lol I live in Seattle, the problem with Kroger is that they cut their staff to the bone and went to almost all self-checkout. Then since it’s really easy to steal from self-checkout, they compensated by banning any bags or baskets that might be useful to buying stuff
— Rrr Gggggggg (@RrrGgggggg5344) August 22, 2025
It’s never the problems caused by Democrats who are ruining the city though, is it? You are so completely out-of-touch with REALITY. Why do you hate Americans so much?
— Kimberly Morin (@Conservativeind) August 20, 2025
The Kroger closures are not an isolated incident but a symptom of a broader disease of lawlessness that progressive policies have incubated. The liberal media’s refusal to report honestly on this crisis, instead choosing to parrot talking points that blame the victims of crime—in this case, a business providing jobs and essential services—is a profound betrayal of their duty to the public.
The American people see the empty shelves and shuttered stores. They live with the consequences of these failed experiments daily. They do not need convoluted theories about corporate greed; they need the safety and security that comes from a justice system that holds criminals accountable, a principle that President Trump fiercely advocates for.