Taylor Swift is Not the Problem

Considering how many serious issues are at play right now, it's embarrassing that this even needs to be said. But the current state of the GOP and conservatism is such that it must be addressed.

Flickr, Eva Rinaldi.

There is little that is genuinely surprising when it comes to the intersection of politics and culture. They have always been blended and consumed, but not quite to this extreme. All things outrageous have only increased in recent years. In some ways, that social starting point began when Barack Obama came onto the national scene. It was ramped up to an unbelievable degree once Donald Trump offered himself up as a candidate in 2015. From that moment on, the fervor for and against left and right exploded. It has remained. Now, the absurdity of one side is only met by a similar hysteria from the competing side. It's exhausting. 

It's in this vein that the following statement must be made: Taylor Swift is not the problem. Considering how many serious issues are at play right now, it's embarrassing that this even needs to be said. But the current state of the Republican Party and conservatism is such that it must be addressed in some fashion. 

I am neither a Swiftie (a self-identification for Taylor Swift super fans) nor a fan of the NFL. Both exist in my world, and are loved by people I know, but neither interests me enough to care beyond some sort of casual neutrality. Perhaps that's why the reactions to Taylor Swift, her boyfriend Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, and how they can and or might impact the 2024 presidential election are impressive in their depth of stupidity. The claims about their entire relationship being a psyop have both originated and been circulated by well-known names on the right.

Recent presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, loves conspiracy theories. Here's his take on Swift/Kelce: "I wonder who’s going to win the Super Bowl...And I wonder if there’s a major presidential endorsement coming from an artificially culturally propped-up couple this fall." FOX News personality Sean Hannity recently cautioned Taylor Swift against endorsing Joe Biden for president, saying, "...does Taylor know who she is getting involved with here?" Yes, Sean. I'm sure she does, considering she supported Biden in 2020.

The Blaze just published a piece entitled Sure, the left has Taylor Swift, but we have Catturd. In it, the author praises the Twitter/X user 'Catturd' for existing as an organically-grown conservative influencer who has a large platform. In reality, Catturd is a loudmouth MAGA devotee who shouldn't be looked up to as a role model of any kind. And even before the Kelce/Swift coupledom became major news, The Federalist published a piece by Mark Hemingway entitled Taylor Swift’s Popularity Is A Sign Of Societal Decline. Hemingway isn't a fan of Swift's music and believes her stardom is proof of a self-obsessed culture.

To be sure, we are a society that has a problem with loving ourselves too much. That has certainly been exacerbated by social media, but it didn't begin with social media. And the music of decades past, including the artists who sang and performed it, wasn't much better in terms of content. Pop music has always been about love, life, loss, personal reflection, and even self-obsession. Nothing is new. 

The online right feels very much threatened by Taylor Swift and her ability to inspire devotion. Swift is a megastar of epic proportions not often seen and, in some ways, never seen before. But pointing to Taylor Swift as some sort of major political or cultural complication is absurd. 

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There is no proof to support the claim that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were manufactured to sway the public to support Joe Biden. This hardly needs to be said. These assertions are accepted in the minds of people who believe almost anything as long as it fuels the anger for political enemies. It's nothing but hysterical noise. But some of Trump's biggest supporters gladly accept it as a real possibility. To them, any opposition to Trump is unfair, and there must be something nefarious behind it.

Taylor Swift is popular for obvious reasons: she is a talented artist who writes or co-writes all of her songs, plays the guitar, and sings. She is well-known for being loyal to her fans. She creates catchy pop music that speaks directly to a broad age range of females. Unlike other musicians, her lyrics aren't sexually explicit (ever heard of Cardi B's WAP?), nor do they make reference to or glamorize drug use. She doesn't appear on the red carpet in barely there outfits, like Miley Cyrus wore to the 2024 Grammys. In all respects, she seems like a decent, down-to-earth person. Her major sin at present? Dating another well-known person, being on camera at NFL games, and being a Democrat. Surely, Republicans can find better enemies. 

Even if Taylor Swift came out with a 2024 endorsement of Biden, which may happen, it wouldn't move the needle to any noticeable degree. Her fans want to hear her music and love following her life. Her politics? They may agree, but it would not be enough to drive the youth or female vote in a way that would shift the election in Biden's favor. The younger generation is notoriously terrible at showing up to vote, no matter the candidate or endorsements. And single women overwhelmingly vote for Democratic candidates, while the majority of married women vote for Republican candidates. Would Taylor Swift's popularity change that? No. Furthermore, she already supported Biden in 2020. Any sort of vocal support in his favor this year is expected. 

The reaction to Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce seems to be confirmation that Republicans feel they're losing the culture war. In many ways, they would be right. The mainstream media, Hollywood, and music are all dominated by left-leaning individuals. Since that's the case, it does no good to react in such a way that would only turn people away. The complaints about Taylor Swift are only products of desperation. They don't hit the mark and address a true problem. Instead, they create something GOP voters can point to and direct their anger. It feels like fighting against the culture even though it's not. 

I don't care what Taylor Swift or Travis Kelce think about politics. They're entitled to their own opinions. I am allowed to listen to whatever music I want. I can watch whatever sporting events I want. Or, I can choose to turn both off. The same goes for everyone else. Whether President Biden or former President Trump (the presumptive nominee) wins in November isn't up to any pop star or professional athlete. Given how poor Biden is handling both domestic and foreign issues, and how questionable his mental state is, a second Trump loss would be truly pathetic. If Trump loses to Biden again, it would be his fault. Blame would also be placed at the feet of the GOP for supporting him once again. The Republican Party is rather good at self-destruction. Taylor Swift need not apply. 

Kimberly Ross is a widely published freelance opinion writer whose bylines include the Washington Examiner, The Bulwark, The Federalist, and Real Clear Politics. @SouthernKeeks