The Taylor Swift effect. After watching Democrats win big in Virginia and elsewhere on 11/7/2023, Taylor Swift will come out in the 2024 presidential election just like she did for Virginia, and she will mobilize her fans.
But let’s step back a bit.
When I first learned about Republicans wanting to ban abortion and how those bans would put women’s and girls’ lives in danger, I thought, why don’t the people with the other power speak up in a big way? The other power I’m referring to is star power.
I’m sure the people we consider stars or celebrities have women and girls in their families. Those women and girls would also be adversely affected by abortion bans. Why aren’t all celebrities creating their own Taylor Swift effect? It’s not about abortion bans only, either. It’s about stopping what the Republicans are doing to Americans and saving democracy.
The Right-Wingers Don’t Like It
Right-wing preachers and media personalities do not like what Taylor Swift is doing.
Taylor Swift’s ad in Virginia is credited with making a massive difference in the November 7th, 2023 election. Virginia Republicans lost control of the lower house of the legislature. Democrats held the Senate and elected their first transgender senator in the South.
Part of Taylor’s ad:
“Go! Look what you made us do. The only thing stopping them from banning abortion is you, vote Democrat.”
Imagine if Oprah did something similar using her star power.
Taylor Swift’s message to young women isn’t stopping in Virginia. She’s credited with thousands of new voter registrations of young Democratic voters.
If they vote in 2024, they will make it hard for the Republicans to hold any statewide offices. Offices that can’t gerrymander before the election.
Republicans are now suggesting that voting isn’t that good of an idea.
Here’s Rick Santorum, former Pennsylvania senator:
“Thank goodness that most of the states in this country don’t allow you to put everything on the ballot because pure democracies are not the way to run a country.”
Everything the Republicans are trying to pass is overwhelmingly unpopular with voters.
Pay attention. When you see them, sign the petitions to get the issues most Americans care about on the ballot.
Understand how state issues can change your life.
Register to vote. Then, show up and vote.
And when you find out who the next Taylor Swifts will be, the stars and celebrities who are publicly kind, decent, fierce, inclusive, and credible in their political beliefs for all, let us know.