On Sunday night, pop singer Taylor Swift announced her opposition to Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), citing mostly LGBT issues. In these attacks, she misrepresented Blackburn's positions, painting the Republican candidate for Senate as a bigot and a "hater."
"I cannot vote for someone who will not be willing to fight for dignity for ALL Americans, no matter their skin color, gender or who they love," Swift wrote. The singer added that Blackburn's "voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me."
Then Taylor Swift launched into a summary of talking points published by the LGBT activist group GLAAD.
"She voted against equal pay for women. She voted against the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which attempts to protect women from domestic violence, stalking, and date rape. She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples," Swift declared.
Each of these claims misrepresented Blackburn's positions.
Indeed, Blackburn voted against the 2009 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, a bill that would have made it easier for women to file wage discrimination lawsuits against employers. This does not mean she "voted against equal pay," however. The congresswoman has vocally defended the concept of equal pay, she just does not want Washington, D.C., to decide what that means.
"You know, I've always said that I didn't want to be given a job because I was a female, I wanted it because I was the most well-qualified for the job," the congresswoman said in 2013. "And making certain that companies are going to move forward in that vein, that is what women want."
"They don't want the decisions made in Washington. They want to be able to have the power and the control and the ability to make those decisions for themselves," Blackburn declared.
Whatever you think about the gender pay gap, the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is a bad idea, because it would eliminate the limitations period on legal claims. Limitations periods block lawsuits where defensive evidence is likely to be stale or expired and prevent a gaming of the system, the Heritage Foundation's Andrew Grossman explained.
"Perversely, it could actually put women, minorities, and workers who are vocal about their rights at a disadvantage if employers attempt to reduce risk by hiring fewer individuals likely to file suit against them," he noted.
The Wall Street Journal's Kimberley Strassel denounced it as "a trial lawyer pay-out."
Blackburn emphatically wants equal pay for equal work, but she sees through the rhetoric and refuses to support a bad bill.
Taylor Swift declared, "I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender [identity] is WRONG." She ten claimed that Blackburn would "not be willing to fight for dignity" for LGBT Americans.
https://pjmedia.com/trending/three-horrific-lies-taylor-swift-told-about-marsha-blackburn/