This week on the GeekWire Podcast: Not only was Amazon’s effort to back pro-business candidates for the Seattle City Council ineffective, but its $1.45 million contribution 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, and it’s one of our topics on this week’s episode.

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?

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