Swift for President

A surprising Pop Star twist in this week's Camino a Ítaca. Taylor Swift now rules the world. I'm only wondering if her message will settle among everyone. Click over to read the originally published article in Spanish in the HOY or read the English translation below. (PDF en castellano abajo)

There are few things that Americans do better than sell themselves. Substance and quality aren’t necessarily what concerns them. In their case, size does matter. From wild west snake oil salesmen to former presidents, they’ll guarantee what they have to offer is bigger and better than anything else.

Their particular carnival last Sunday was no different. In a country known for navel-gazing, they proudly tout their Super Bowl as the world’s largest sporting event. Granted, it is watched by more than 100 million Americans, but it’s an event that barely registers a blip on people’s radars outside of North America.

But this year was different. There was something new in the mix of barely concealed violence and slow-paced boredom that usually make up the game. It was even showing up on the leading pages of El Pais. Something that had nothing to do with the game itself was drawing more interest and attention to the match than ever. The woman whose recent tour grossed more than a billion dollars in ticket sales was added to the mix. America’s sweetheart, Taylor Swift was dating one of the players.

This wouldn’t have been strange had she just been a wallflower hanging off the arm of a popular sports personality. In fact, it would have seemed as stereotypically American as proms and cowboy movies.

But the case is that Taylor Swift isn’t your average shrinking violet, but instead a strongly independent businesswoman with a global army of fanatical followers unmatched by anyone else. And she’s someone who isn’t afraid of expressing her progressive views on LGBTQ+ and women’s rights, racial justice and climate change.

And this had the right in panic.

In the twisted carnival of American politics, where reality and absurdity collide like runaway rollercoasters, one might not expect to find the ethereal presence of a pop sensation. Yet, in this tumultuous era, the enigmatic force known as Taylor Swift has emerged as an unexpected puppeteer, pulling strings in the shadows of Washington like a maestro orchestrating a symphony of chaos.

In the hallucinogenic landscape of contemporary politics, where truth is elusive and conspiracy theories flourish like wildflowers in a fever dream, Swift has become an unwitting symbol of influence. One whose voice can sway hundreds of millions of voters and one that could influence an election.

Terrified speakers on the right prophesized worst-case scenarios of her boyfriend proposing to her during peak viewing time and then her announcing her support for Biden in the upcoming election. It was a potentially progressive silver bullet in the penurious heart of the conservative world of professional sports. It was their worst nightmare.

The reptilian retrogressive right greatly fear the power of those who imagine, those who create. It contrasts dramatically with their instinct to deconstruct. They will sing along to their songs but when it comes time to politics, insist on them staying inside their lane. As if the world of culture was somehow divested from everyday life.

From the Grammys to the Goyas, artists have been speaking out. Now I just hope that Taylor’s Swifties translate and adapt her speech and stem the tide of the ultras amongst the youth here in Spain.