In the 2020 presidential election cycle, more than $14bn went to federal candidates, party committees, and Super Pacs – double the $7bn doled out in the 2016 cycle. Total giving in 2024 is bound to be much higher.
That money is not supporting US democracy. If anything, that money is contributing to rising Trumpism and neofascism.
Several months ago I got back into a Taylor Swift kick by listening to Midnights, and it’s pretty much just stuck around. I read some interviews where she’s incredibly personable and eloquent, like stopping mid thought because she saw her cute cat lmao.
There’s one that was done over the pandemic that I’m thinking of in particular, where she talks more about her politics and coming to realize that she can’t stay politely quiet. She used to have large 4th of July parties, but stopped having them sometime after 2016 and I inferred it was because she hated what was going on with Trump.
Anyway, I highly recommend her. Her more recent works are a lot more cutting and introspective, and there’s a definite feminist undertone in how she’ll talk about gender norms and dating and the public impressions she has to give. I’m a fan of it.
I’m old. If it wasn’t recorded past 1998 or so, I generally am not interested.