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People
Taylor Swift calls out Donald Trump’s “calculated” moves ahead of 2020 election
By Lauren Geall
5 years ago
Taking to Twitter over the weekend, Taylor Swift criticised Donald Trump’s “calculated dismantling” of the US Postal Service ahead of November’s Presidential election, and appealed to her fans to vote early.
Taylor Swift hasn’t always been one to speak out about politics.
Her Netflix documentary Miss Americana gave us a glimpse into how she came to find her political voice; after finding fame under the guise of “America’s sweetheart,” Swift explains how the messaging she received during those early years of her career – that being polite and “good” was the only way she was going to find success – led her to silence her views and hold back from political conversations.
Since then, however, Swift has reclaimed her voice – and has repeatedly used it to raise awareness of the issues that matter to her, including how the current administration has treated the LGBTQ+ community.
And now, in the lead up to the US Presidential election in November, Swift has taken to Twitter to speak out against the actions of one Donald Trump.
Commenting on Trump’s recent decision to stall a coronavirus relief package for the US Postal Service despite the fact it is struggling with a “funding crisis,” Swift called out the current president for his “calculated dismantling” of the service which could pose a threat to mail-in voting in the upcoming election.
“Trump’s calculated dismantling of USPS proves one thing clearly: he is WELL AWARE that we do not want him as our president,” Swift wrote. “He’s chosen to blatantly cheat and put millions of American’s lives at risk in an effort to hold onto power.”
Swift continued: “Donald Trump’s ineffective leadership gravely worsened the crisis that we are in and he is now taking advantage of it to subvert and destroy our right to vote and vote safely. Request a ballot early. Vote early.”
Swift’s words come after politicians and the general public alike have expressed their concerns about Trump’s actions, which have added to the disruptions and delays that have plagued the postal service over the last couple of months. He has also made false claims that mail voting leads to an increase in voter fraud.
Currently, there are fears that ballots cast over mail may not arrive in time for people to submit their votes and that Trump wants to “de-legitimize mail-in voting,” as per congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Last year, Swift told The Guardian that she wanted to “do everything” she could to use her platform to make positive change in the 2020 election – and her latest comments prove her commitment to this pledge.
“The thing I can’t get over right now is gaslighting the American public into being like ‘If you hate the president, you hate America’,” she said. “We’re a democracy – at least, we’re supposed to be – where you’re allowed to disagree, dissent, debate.”
“I mean, obviously, I’m pro-choice, and I just can’t believe [the current assault on reproductive rights] is happening,” she explains. “I can’t believe we’re here. It’s really shocking and awful. And I just wanna do everything I can for 2020. I wanna figure out exactly how I can help, what are the most effective ways to help.”
Image: Getty
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