Pennsylvania Legislature Ignores Controversy and Breaks Out in Song for ‘Taylor Swift’s Era’

“The haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.” That lyric by Taylor Swift echoed the hallowed halls of government when legislators in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives erupted in fury over what they see as the state’s frivolous decision to recognize 2023 as “Taylor Swift’s Era.”The speaker of the House, Joanna McClinton, quoted Ms. Swift’s hit song, “Shake it Off” amid debate over a proposal to honor the Pennsylvania native on Wednesday, her birthday. While a couple of lawmakers argued that the pop sensation should not be a point of discussion in the general assembly, House Resolution 282 passed with 103 yes votes and 100 nays in what could have been the most lyrical session of the Pennsylvanian Congress. Even elected officials cannot deny Ms. Swift’s stardom. While their invocation of her break-up songs might make a mockery of America’s legislative branch, what’s most salient is that the singer-songwriter has transcended the realm of pop culture. Now, she gleams from Harvard’s course offerings, Bloomberg’s billionaire list, and the front page of TIME magazine as their “Person of the Year.” To bring Ms. Swift into the world of politics renders Pennsylvania’s state governance “a joke,” argued state representative, Stephanie Borowicz. “This is the Democratic party though, idolizing Hollywood,” she said during the House debate, “giving Taylor Swift an ‘era’ while our veterans get a day. Taking down our Founding Fathers’ statues while elevating a Hollywood singer.”“Taylor Swift fangirling,” added another “hater,” representative Wendy Fink, “doesn’t belong in the general assembly.” She pointed to the assembly’s failures of governance, like its delay in determining the state budget. “I was elected by my constituents to serve them and pass meaningful legislation to better the lives of them in Pennsylvania,” she said, “and considering a resolution by a celebrity does not fall under that purview.”If the House’s debate this week were a genre of film, it would be not a “love story,” but a comedy, bursting with cringe-inducing puns. “I will be swift in my remarks!” proclaimed representative Paul Schemel, sporting wire glasses, a bowtie, and a broad smile. The audience erupted in laughter. “This,” Ms. McClinton admonished him, “is not open mic night.” Yet representative Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz captured the sentiment in the room when she later exclaimed, “I really love that we can have fun while we work!”The eight members of Virginia’s Congress who introduced House Resolution 282 appear to be as big of “fangirls” as the 53 percent of Americans who praise her music. When the proposal passed on Wednesday, Representative Danielle Friel Otten shared a poster from the Eras tour that was altered to include profile photos of those lawmakers encircling a sketch of Ms. Swift. “It’s official,” Ms. Otten said, “Pennsylvania is in its Taylor Swift Era!”Speech turned into song when representative Russ Diamond belted before the assembly Ms. Swift’s hit tracks, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “Shake it Off.” Mr. Diamond said that during his “business era,” he produced compact discs for Ms. Swift as she began her career in the music industry. Yet Mr. Diamond was quick to criticize the star for leaving her home state for Nashville at age 13. “She writes a lot of break up songs,” he said, “and let’s not forget that she broke up with Pennsylvania by moving out.” According to a recent survey, more than half of 18- to 44-year-olds have considered moving out of the state — representing one of the highest rates of out-migration of any U.S. state. “Perhaps it’s appropriate that we honor her,” said Mr. Schemel, the fan sporting the bowtie, “because she is emblematic of the young demographic that seems to be leaving our state to find opportunities elsewhere.” He suggested that Ms. Swift serves as a lesson for lawmakers. “When we make policy in this room, that policy affects families, and it affects people like Taylor Swift who used to live here,” he said, “people that we want to continue to live here in the future.”Representative Jessica Benham, taking the podium, viewed the resolution as an opportunity to “celebrate and recognize the contributions to our economy by Taylor Swift.” Indeed, the U.S. gross domestic product grew an estimated $4.3 billion as a result of Ms. Swift’s first 53 concerts, Bloomberg Economics reports. She revives local economies and brings tens of thousands to their feet in each city she visits. “This resolution is a love story,” said Ms. Benham, “so baby, let’s just say yes.”

Pennsylvania Legislature Ignores Controversy and Breaks Out in Song for ‘Taylor Swift’s Era’

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