Seeing the growing number of celebrities supporting Democrats will make you ask, “Why are celebrities Democratic?” Names like Tom Hank, Taylor Swift, and many others seem to have fallen in love with liberal political positions.
What are the political positions of the Democratic Party? The party promotes social programs, consumer protection, labor union, racial equity, workplace safety regulation, justice reform, disability rights, and protection of the environment.
Not all celebrities are Democrats, though. Some Republicans. However, the number of stars leaning left rises every election year. What are the reasons for this? Let’s dive in and discuss the possible reasons together.
Why Are Celebrities Democratic?
Here is a quick look at seven reasons the entertainment industry is leaning left. e
1: Republican message has gotten harsh over time:
Rob Long, producer, writer, and co-founder of the conservative site, Ricochet, gave some insights on why celebrities are leaning left. Speaking to Variety’s “PopPolitics,” on SiriusXM, Long claims the Republican message has gotten harsher over the last two or three decades.
He claims the Republican tone has a bit of a harsh temperature, and people in Hollywood don’t like that. And when people don’t like a political party’s messages, they walk away.
The messages from the Republicans are giving many celebrities reasons to lean left. That’s what Rob Long believes. He’s been in the entertainment industry long enough to know what’s happening in the system politics-wise.
Rob Long wants the GOP to embrace Clint Eastwood’s advice at the Republican Convention held in 2012. He believes Eastwood’s advice will help to set the party in the right direction.
In addition, he wants the GOP to think harder about the message they send to Americans and how they connect with the real people.
2: Empathy for people experiencing poverty is encouraging celebrities to lean left
Celebrities live in and around Los Angeles, California. Unfortunately, many poor people live in Los Angeles, and face incredibly high housing costs.
Most of the celebrities in Los Angeles (and other parts of the country) know what being poor feels like. Some of them have been there before fame and wealth. Those born with a silver spoon in their mouth may have been around poor people and had experiences.
Seeing the suffering of the poor in and around Los Angeles and other parts of the country, can influence celebrities to lean left. Why? Democrats favor high minimum wage, maintaining or increasing social security, generous or free medical care programs, reducing global warming, and workplace safety regulations.
Celebrities who were once poor will lean left even though they are now wealthy. On the other hand, those who have seen people experiencing poverty and want a better solution for them will favor Democrats.
Low-income earners and poor people in the United States of America accounted for over two-thirds of the 2020 presidential election voters. They greatly influenced the election outcome, and turned out more in tight battleground states.
A study conducted by Poor People’s Campaign shows that of the 168 million Americans that voted in the 2020 presidential election, 35% or 59 million were poor or low-income earners. And this includes those whose annual income is below $50,000.
Many celebrities empathize with people experiencing poverty, and Democrats have compassion for the poor too. Thus, it’s easier for these stars to favor Democrats, as they seek ways to help the poor.
3: Celebrities are members of unions:
We are all aware of the recent disputes and strikes in the American film industry. Stars such as Ben Stiller, Meryl Streep, and Colin Farrell have supported the strike.
Hollywood has several unions. You must have heard of the Actors Guild, SAG-AFTRA, Writers Guild of America, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
Now, here is the thing. Democrats support labor unions. They believe that when workers are strong, America will be stronger.
They believe that labor unions help build America’s middle class, and organized labor remains crucial in the race to fulfill America’s bargain. In other words, if you work hard and play your part, you should get ahead and stay ahead.
Unions treasure Democrats. It’s not just Hollywood unions but all over the country. Thus, regardless of one’s position, unions are believed to push their members to the left. They may not be effective at convincing all their members to join Democrats, but they make attempts that might have some effect.
Many big-name actors and actresses in Hollywood belong to some of these unions. So, discussionsabout supporting Democratic Party during elections may likely come up during meetings.
4: The influence of education on celebrities:
It is a well-known fact that educated people tend to favor Democrats. But how does that make most of our celebrities democratic?
Over 40% of celebrities are educated. In other words, they have college degrees. So, if educated people tend to lean left, then stars won’t be different.
5: Creativity breeds empathy:
Most celebrities in America are creatives. These include actors, writers, producers, and musicians. And creativity breeds empathy.
The Democratic Party presents itself as the party for the oppressed and minorities in society. Their mentality is to help the unfortunate, which aligns with celebrities and what they want the public to see them as.
So, the reason celebrities are democratic is because the party aligns with their values. Democrats empathize with people experiencing poverty and want a higher minimum wage for low-income earners.
When we speak of celebrities, we aren’t talking about reality TV stars like Kim Kardashian, Stacey Dash, Spencer Hawes, Nick Mangold, James Wood, Genes Simmons, or Kelvin O’Leary. These are celebrities leaning right.
6: Republican leaders don’t listen to celebrities’ advice:
During campaigns, conservative candidates flock around stars. They use celebrities’ influences and endorsements to become popular and win elections. Unfortunately, after the victory, these politicians ignore celebrities whose influence helped to make their journey to power seamless.
Many celebrities aren’t happy about the fact that conservatives don’t listen to them. On the other hand, conservatives feel most stars are leaning left, so there’s no point giving them attention.
Unfortunately, neglecting celebrities and making it seem their words are irrelevant isn’t helping the Republican Party. Instead, it will encourage many more stars to lean left, widening an already widened gap between celebrities who are Democrats and those who are Republicans.
The silent treatment conservative politicians give Democrat celebrities makes Republican celebrities speak less. It is also making celebrities who are Democrats appear loud.
Republicans need to start giving celebrities some attention, even though they are not Republicans. Listen to their complaints, suggestions, advice, and even criticisms.
When most celebrities see that Republicans are listening and trying to improve, they may have a change of mindset.
7: Los Angeles is multicultural:
We’re using Los Angeles as an example because it’s the world’s entertainment capital. LA is home to numerous film studios and parks with many celebrities.
Like New York, Los Angeles, California, is multicultural. LA is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. It features people from 140 different countries, speaking over 86 languages.
Los Angeles boasts immigrant-friendly laws, encouraging people from all walks of life to flock to the city in search of a new life. But then, how does this make our celebrities democratic?
Multiculturalism breeds empathy. When you communicate with other people, learn about their history, what they have been through, and their perspective on life, it changes you and makes you empathic.
For good reasons, Los Angeles is the most star-studded city in the United States of America. So, if most celebrities are democratic, it’s because the city influences them.
Conclusion
Why are celebrities democratic? Several factors are responsible for the high rate at which stars in the United States are leaning left.
The first reason we discussed is the message conservatives are selling to voters. Conservative messages have become harsher over the past few decades. Education is also crucial, as many educated people with degrees will likely lean left.
The poverty rate on the land is another factor. Most celebrities suffered before becoming wealthy. Those who haven’t suffered have been around people who have suffered. Democrats favor low-income and poor in society, which are huge concerns to many celebrities.
