When ultra-wealthy megastars command political discourse, the voices of ordinary voters drown.
The intersection of wealth and political power in the United States has never been more evident, as wealth and fame seem to buy influence far more effectively than ideas or policies ever could.
When the wealthiest person in the world teams up with a presidential candidate, pledging to improve the efficiency of the US government, alarm bells ring. Similarly, a pop icon praising a Democrat to her millions of fans makes waves. Taylor Swift and Elon Musk are uniquely positioned, both as billionaires and persuasive political forces.
The day after Taylor Swift publicly ed presidential candidate Kamala Harris in an Instagram post signed “Childless Cat Lady,” Elon Musk threw his weight, once again, behind Donald Trump. Musk’s fortune alone affords him an outlandishly outsized platform, allowing his perspective to dominate conversation on social media, particularly X.
His reach extends far beyond the business realm and into the political sphere, where his endorsements, opinions, and erratic statements sway public attention. Musk’s voice amplifies and discredits candidates in a way few others can match. Whether it’s pushing back against regulations or cozying up to political figures who promise less oversight, Musk’s political involvement reeks of self-preservation, not civic duty.
Pop superstar Taylor Swift’s global fanbase and carefully curated public image brings a massive audience into the American political fold. Her endorsement doesn’t just reach her 248 million Instagram followers—it prompts action from her fans. For many, her voice is more relatable than any politician’s, and her advocacy has the potential to drive real change at the polls. But is Swift’s endorsement really that much more earnest than Musk’s?
This isn’t about whether Swift or Musk are right or wrong—it’s about the sheer power they wield over the political process. This growing trend where billionaires and big names hold sway over elections signals a deeper issue in American democracy: the voices of everyday voters are drowned out by the megaphones of the wealthy, further entrenching uneven footing in political discourse.
It’s time to ask yourself whether you’re comfortable with a system where the rich and famous have more political leverage than the rest of us. Democracy isn’t supposed to be bought and sold. But as long as we allow ultra-wealthy megastars to dominate elections, we’re heading down a path where only the elite have a voice that initiates tangible change.
And that’s not a democracy at all—it’s oligarchy wrapped in pre-packaged celebrity clout with a pretty bow on top.
Cordelia is a fourth-year Political Studies student and one of The Journal’s QTBIPOC Advisory Board .
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