Daily Kos: The Brief

Taylor Swift triggers the right and Alito won’t do what’s right

Justice Samuel Alito: A refusal of recusal

As plaintiffs seek to fundamentally alter U.S. tax law, Justice Samuel Alito stands as the justice most sympathetic to their case—even more so than the far-right stalwart Clarence Thomas. Could it be that Alito is buddies with one of the lawyers representing the plaintiffs, granting the lawyer an exclusive interview in the Wall Street Journal? No, definitely not. A personal relationship like that would mean Alito would have to recuse himself. So why hasn’t he?

Taylor Swift: Person of the year … or person to fear?

Pop powerhouse Taylor Swift was named Time magazine’s “person of the year” on Wednesday, which has triggered the right-wing outrage complex. Internet-famous conspiracy theorists seem to be aligning behind the idea that the “girlboss psyop has been fully activated,” to quote one. What exactly does that mean? We’re still trying to sort it out, but it’s clear her success is quite threatening to the “dads, Brads, and Chads” who are fuming every time she appears on their TVs.

It’s not the first time Taylor’s got the right fuming. Earlier this year, she helped tens of thousands of young people register to vote. Plus, there’s her relationship with Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end who also helped promote the COVID-19 vaccine. Both are sins in the eyes of the rabid right-wing machine.

Whether they like it or not, Taylor Swift remains a financial and political force, and she isn’t going anywhere.

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