Thursday, May 31, 2018

Teen develops ‘wet lung’ after vaping for just 3 weeks

(CNN)An 18-year old woman working as a hostess in a rural Pennsylvania restaurant decided to try e-cigarettes, perhaps another of the innumerable bistro workers hoping to calm frayed nerves with a smoke -- or in this case, a vape.

This hostess, though, paid an unusual price for her e-cig use, according to a case study published Thursday in the medical journal Pediatrics. As usual for a patient report, the authors did not disclose the young woman's name to protect her privacy.
E-cigarettes heat liquid and turn it into vapor, which a user inhales and then exhales in a large puffy cloud. The liquid is known as e-juice, and it contains flavorings, propylene glycol, glycerin and often nicotine -- though many users are unaware of this final addictive ingredient.
    The hostesshad been vaping for only about three weeks last year when she developed symptoms bad enough to send her to the emergency room of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
    There, doctors recorded her issues: cough, difficulty breathing that was worsening by the minute, and sudden stabbing pains in the chest with every inhalation and exhalation. Not yet feverish, she showed no upper respiratory symptoms such as a runny nose or nasal congestion. In the past, she said, the only lung problems she had were from mild asthma, which rarely required the use of an inhaler.
    When her coughing became more frequent, the ER doctors admitted her to the pediatric intensive-care unit and started her on antibiotics. But her condition rapidly worsened.
    Soon, the young woman experienced what is commonly known as respiratory failure, said Dr. Daniel Weiner, one of the patient's doctors, a co-author of the new report and a medical director at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh at UPMC.
    "She was unable to get enough oxygen into her blood from her lungs and required a mechanical ventilator (respirator) to breathe for her until her lungs recovered," Weiner said.
    Not only did the hostess require a breathing machine, she needed tubes inserted on both sides of her chest to drain fluid from her lungs.
    Her doctors diagnosed hypersensitivity pneumonitis, sometimes called wet lung, an inflammation of the lungs due to an allergic reaction to chemicals or dust.
    Dr. Casey Sommerfeld, the patient's pediatrician and lead author of the study, said chemicals in the e-cigarettes led to lung damage and inflammation, which triggered the woman's body to mount an immune response.
    "This immune response can lead to increased inflammation and 'leaky' blood vessels, which can lead to fluid accumulation in the lungs," said Sommerfeld, now a general pediatrician at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

    'More case reports and side effects'

    The woman was treated with an IV of methylprednisolone, a drug used to treat severe allergic reactions.
    She improved swiftly and was weaned off the mechanical support system five days after being admitted to the hospital.
    "It is difficult to speculate on how frequently this could happen; however, there are a few case reports involving adults that developed respiratory distress following electronic cigarette use," Sommerfeld said. "As electronic cigarette use increases, we will be seeing more case reports and side effects."
    Ilona Jaspers, a professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology and Immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said the case study suggests that e-cigarettes will cause negative health consequences that had not been seen with conventional cigarettes.
    Jaspers, who was not involved in the study, added that even though it describes just one patient, it "highlights the importance of potential adverse health effects associated with e-cigarette use."
    Additionally, the diagnosis of symptoms related to a number of serious lung conditions suggests that the negative health effects of e-cigarettes may "manifest in several different ways," she said.
    Her research has shown that certain e-cigarette flavor chemicals significantly reduce the function of immune cells.

    'Risky behavior'

    Sommerfeld noted that, as vaping products contain nicotine, "vaping can cause side effects including dizziness, headaches, nausea, racing heart, anxiety and difficulty with sleep. Nicotine is known to be addictive, and children can become hooked on electronic cigarettes."
    Jaspers said that, "in addition to nicotine addiction, which by itself will have effects on the adolescent brain, we just do not know yet what the long term health effects of exposure to e-cigarettes may be. We also do not know whether potential health effects caused by using e-cigarettes are more pronounced" in teens.
    The rapid spread of vaping was highlighted by a 2016 report from the US surgeon general that cited a 900% increase in e-cigarette use by high school students from 2011 to 2015. Meanwhile, the 2016 National Youth Tobacco Survey noted that 1.7 million high school students said they had used e-cigarettes in the previous 30 days.
    "I hope we can find a way to quickly reverse this trend," Jaspers said.

    See the latest news and share your comments with CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter.

    Sommerfeld agreed. Using e-cigarettes "normalizes" smoking, she said, and is linked to an "increased likelihood of using typical cigarettes or tobacco products." For this reason, vaping and electronic cigarette use should be included in discussions of "risky behavior" with teens, she said.
    "As a pediatrician, I am always a child advocate and seeking to speak out on the best interest of children."

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    Weedkiller products more toxic than their active ingredient, tests show

    After more than 40 years of widespread use, new scientific tests show formulated weedkillers have higher rates of toxicity to human cells

    US government researchers have uncovered evidence that some popular weedkilling products, like Monsantos widely-used Roundup, are potentially more toxic to human cells than their active ingredient is by itself.

    These formulated weedkillers are commonly used in agriculture, leaving residues in food and water, as well as public spaces such as golf courses, parks and childrens playgrounds.

    The tests are part of the US National Toxicology Programs (NTP) first-ever examination of herbicide formulations made with the active ingredient glyphosate, but that also include other chemicals. While regulators have previously required extensive testing of glyphosate in isolation, government scientists have not fully examined the toxicity of the more complex products sold to consumers, farmers and others.

    Monsanto introduced its glyphosate-based Roundup brand in 1974. But it is only now, after more than 40 years of widespread use, that the government is investigating the toxicity of glyphosate-based herbicides on human cells.

    The NTP tests were requested by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2015 classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen. The IARC also highlighted concerns about formulations which combine glyphosate with other ingredients to enhance weed killing effectiveness. Monsanto and rivals sell hundreds of these products around the world in a market valued at roughly $9bn.

    Mike DeVito, acting chief of the National Toxicology Program Laboratory, told the Guardian the agencys work is ongoing but its early findings are clear on one key point. We see the formulations are much more toxic. The formulations were killing the cells. The glyphosate really didnt do it, DeVito said.

    A summary of the NTP work stated that glyphosate formulations decreased human cell viability, disrupting cell membranes. Cell viability was significantly altered by the formulations, it stated.

    DeVito said the NTP first-phase results do not mean the formulations are causing cancer or any other disease. While the work does show enhanced toxicity from the formulations, and show they kill human cells, the NTP appears to contradict an IARC finding that glyphosate and/or its formulations induce oxidative stress, one potential pathway toward cancer. The government still must do other testing, including examining any toxic impact on a cells genetic material, to help add to the understanding of risks, according to DeVito.

    The NTP work informs a global debate over whether or not these glyphosate-based weedkilling chemical combinations are endangering people who are exposed. More than 4,000 people are currently suing Monsanto alleging they developed cancer from using Roundup, and several European countries are moving to limit the use of these herbicides.

    This testing is important, because the EPA has only been looking at the active ingredient. But its the formulations that people are exposed to on their lawns and gardens, where they play and in their food, said Jennifer Sass, a scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council.

    One problem government scientists have run into is corporate secrecy about the ingredients mixed with glyphosate in their products. Documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests show uncertainty within the EPA over Roundup formulations and how those formulations have changed over the last three decades.

    That confusion has continued with the NTP testing.

    We dont know what the formulation is. That is confidential business information, DeVito said. NTP scientists sourced some samples from store shelves, picking up products the EPA told them were the top sellers, he said.

    It is not clear how much Monsanto itself knows about the toxicity of the full formulations it sells. But internal company emails dating back 16 years, which emerged in a court case last year, offer a glimpse into the companys view. In one 2003 internal company email, a Monsanto scientist stated: You cannot say that Roundup is not a carcinogen we have not done the necessary testing on the formulation to make that statement. The testing on the formulations are not anywhere near the level of the active ingredient. Another internal email, written in 2010, said: With regards to the carcinogenicity of our formulations we dont have such testing on them directly. And an internal Monsanto email from 2002 stated: Glyphosate is OK but the formulated product does the damage.

    Monsanto did not respond to a request for comment. But in a 43-page report, the company says the safety of its herbicides is supported by one of the most extensive worldwide human health and environmental databases ever compiled for a pesticide product.

    Carey Gillam is a journalist and author, and a public interest researcher for US Right to Know, a non-profit food industry research group.

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    UK’s most polluted towns and cities revealed

    19 Bullet Journaling Techniques That Will Make Your Whole Life Run Smoothly

    Ten children rescued from ‘horrible living conditions’ in California, parents arrested, cops announce

    Wednesday, May 30, 2018

    Illustrator Shows How Disney Princesses Would Look Like If They Pursued Careers In 2018, And The Result Is Awesome

    Meghan Markle, Black Royalty in a Castle of White Privilege

    Caitlyn Jenner Is Finally Condemning Trump. What Took Her So Long?

    Seattle passes new tax on large companies despite Amazons howls of protest

    Seattle’s city council voted unanimously to approve a new tax on the largest employers in the city, despite strong opposition by Amazon and other affected companies. The tax, on companies with more than $20 million in receipts, will amount to about $275 per employee and is intended for use in improving conditions for the city’s homeless.

    The original proposal was nearly twice that, but was amended as a compromise measure after local businesses protested. Amazon was the most visible of them, making the dramatic public threat of suspending construction of one of its many skyscrapers in the city and repurposing another.

    While the idea that a company would simply abandon a multi-million-dollar investment halfway isn’t really credible, changes to its scheduling, budget and usage plan would certainly affect local contractors — which is why many of the latter showed up to oppose the tax on Amazon’s behalf. A heated confrontation occurred between opponents and proponents gathered in front of Amazon’s Spheres earlier this month.

    The idea of laborers lobbying in favor of Amazon, which is frequently decried as an extremely labor-unfriendly company, seems odd, but in this case at least the train of thought is clear. It should also be mentioned that Amazon has worked to ease the plight of Seattle homeless with a planned shelter at the base of one of its buildings and other contributions.

    Zillow and Expedia also voiced concerns, alongside many other local businesses, in an open letter. “We oppose this approach, because of the message it sends to every business: if you are investing in growth, if you create too many jobs in Seattle, you will be punished,” the letter reads in part.

    Although opposition seems to have succeeded in reducing the tax burden, it did little to convince the council that the tax itself was unsound, as today’s vote indicates.

    “This progressive revenue stream balances the needs of our small business community, while ensuring we have the funding we need to provide critical housing and health services,” said Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda in a statement accompanying the vote. GeekWire was at the meeting and has some other interesting quotes from both sides.

    The modified tax should generate some $50 million, much of which will be dedicated to “deeply affordable” housing in the city to be made available to people below the poverty line, with some going to emergency shelters and other social services. Around $11 million of that will come from Amazon. This would significantly increase (in fact, nearly double based on some estimates) existing spending along these lines.

    The tax would last for five years, after which it would have to be reauthorized.

    Amazon, for its part, seems to have abandoned its immediate threats for new, more vague ones. In a statement from VP Drew Herdener provided to TechCrunch, it said:

    We are disappointed by today’s City Council decision to introduce a tax on jobs. While we have resumed construction planning for Block 18, we remain very apprehensive about the future created by the council’s hostile approach and rhetoric toward larger businesses, which forces us to question our growth here.

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    The Dying Scientist and His Rogue Vaccine Trial

    Tuesday, May 29, 2018

    Barack and Michelle Obama sign production deal with Netflix

    Another (very) big deal for Netflix: Former U.S. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama have reached an agreement to produce films and series for the streaming service.

    The New York Times first reported in March that the Obamas were in “advanced negotiations” with Netflix. The goal, supposedly, was less about criticizing the Trump administration or promoting any specific political message and more about highlighting inspirational stories.

    Netflix’s official announcement makes it sound like that continues to be what the Obamas have in mind, with Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos describing them as “uniquely positioned to discover and highlight stories of people who make a difference in their communities and strive to change the world for the better.”

    The Obamas have formed a company called Higher Ground Productions to create this content.

    The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Netflix has deep pockets and has shown a willingness to write very large checks. It says the Obamas might produce “scripted series, unscripted series, docu-series, documentaries and features” — so basically any kind of audiovisual content.

    In a statement, Mr. Obama said:

    One of the simple joys of our time in public service was getting to meet so many fascinating people from all walks of life, and to help them share their experiences with a wider audience. That’s why Michelle and I are so excited to partner with Netflix – we hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples, and help them share their stories with the entire world.

    Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming is scheduled for publication in November, while Barack Obama is expected to release a new memoir under the same deal. He’s kept a relatively low profile since leaving office, but he did make a recent appearance as the first guest on David Letterman’s Netflix interview show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.

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    Celebs Take Sides In The Laurel Vs. Yanny Debate!

    The debate rages on!

    As we reported, the Internet is divided over an audio clip that either says "Yanny" or "Laurel."

    Related: Kanye West Ditches His Phone — But Not His Twitter!

    On Tuesday, your favorite celebs weighed in, and the results are still mixed!

    While Chrissy Teigen and Ellen DeGeneres are #TeamLaurel, Mindy Kaling is #TeamYanny. To make things complicated, Emmy Rossum hears both!

    See all the reactions (below):

    Laurel

    Yanny

    Both!

    [Image via Brian To/Jeff Spicer/Future Image/WENN.]

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    If Trump Is Laundering Russian Money, Heres How It Works

    Sam Harris and the Myth of Perfectly Rational Thought

    Senate Candidate Who Praises Hitler Ejected From California GOP Convention

    Sunday, May 27, 2018

    Sam Harris and the Myth of Perfectly Rational Thought

    One Simple Chart Shows Why An Energy Revolution Is Coming – And Who Is Likely To Come Out On Top

    Donald Trump turned a rumor into a full-blown government conspiracy in just 5 days

    The Side Hustle Is Real: 19 Real Ways People Make Money Outside of Their Jobs

    For many people in today's economy, having one job isn't enough.

    It's the sad state of the world today, but some people have come up with pretty creative ways to make money outside of work.

    Advertisement

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    Lawyer Who Ranted Against Spanish-Speakers Is Evicted, Named In Disciplinary Complaint

    Saturday, May 26, 2018

    Meet the progressive women who won big in last nights primaries.

    The president may not have been on the ballot for these primary elections, but Trumpism certainly lost.

    Progressive women — many of whom represent marginalized groups targeted by the president — won races across the South on May 22, securing slots in November's midterms. The victories further cement what many political analysts consider a growing concern for the president and his party: women running in record numbers on platforms that rebuke Trump's policies and rhetoric.

    And they're winning many of their races, too.  

    Here are four progressive women who won big last night to keep an eye on through November.

    1. Stacey Abrams, Georgia

    Photo by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images.

    Abrams, a former house minority leader of Georgia's General Assembly, became the first black woman to secure a major party nomination for governor in the Peach State. With a win in November, she'd be the country's first black female governor.

    Georgia's increasingly purple politics means her campaign — which looked to energize both rural communities of color and younger progressives in Atlanta — has a real shot at success.

    2. Lupe Valdez, Texas

    Photo by Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images.

    Valdez, a Democrat and former Dallas County Sheriff, uprooted the status quo with her runoff win in the Lone Star State, becoming the first Latina and openly lesbian nominee for governor in Texas.

    Her platform is focused on, among many things, standing up for immigrant rights, curbing income inequality, and closing the gender wage gap.

    3. Amy McGrath, Kentucky

    Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for MAKERS.

    McGrath, a former Marine fighter pilot and political newbie, won the Democratic primary in Kentucky's 6th District by prioritizing K-12 education, making health care affordable, and convincing rural voters she'd stand up to special interests in Washington, D.C.

    4. Gina Ortiz Jones, Texas

    37-year-old Jones may be making all kinds of Texas history come November. If she wins against opponent Republican Will Hurd, she stands to become the first Iraq War veteran, first lesbian, and first Filipina-American to represent Texas in Congress.

    Women are running, women are winning, and herstory is being made each step of the way.

    "We are writing the next chapter of Georgia's history," Abrams said in her victory speech. "Where no one is unseen, no one is unheard, and no one is uninspired."

    Are you registered to vote? Make sure at USA.gov.

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    Idaho Inches Closer To Electing The Nation’s First Native American Governor

    Hillary Clinton to get Harvard medal for ‘transformative impact on society’

    ‘FBI plant’ in Trump campaign was Cambridge professor, reports say

    Meghan Markle’s feminist wedding quietly displayed a ton of black girl magic.

    Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's glorious wedding was one for the history books.

    Photo by Brian Lawless-WPA Pool/Getty Images.

    In a display of fairy tale magic, the duke and duchess of Sussex said their vows in front of millions of viewers around the world. It. Was. Beautiful.  

    Photo by Yui Mok-WPA Pool/Getty Images.

    Photo by Danny Lawson-WPA Pool/Getty Images.

    Photo by Dominic Lipinski-WPA Pool/Getty Images

    Roughly 18 million people in the U.K. tuned into the event, and it's safe to say Americans were pretty enamored with the stunning affair as well.  

    The road up to the wedding was no easy feat. Fighting unethical press, sexism, and racism, Harry and Markle held strong together. Thankfully, they made it to their happy ending.

    Aside from the dashing uniforms, stunning gowns, and oh-so-adorable kiddos, the wedding was an incredible display of revolutionary love. Here are five ways the new couple made their love as radical as can be:    

    1. They are one of the first publicly recognized interracial couples in the British monarchy.

    Harry and Markle are not the first interracial couple in British monarchy history. Due to the monarchy's fickleness with showing blackness in paintings (such as black features, hair textures, etc.), it's unclear who actually holds that title. But, it's likely to go back to Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz of the 18th century, a mixed-race woman who married King George III. With about seven generations between Charlotte and Markle, the visibility is long overdue.

    Photo by Jonathan Brady-WPA Pool/Getty Images.

    2. Markle was "accompanied" down the aisle not "given away."

    A self-proclaimed feminist, Markle made it clear from her earliest days with Harry that she would not be one to follow tradition if it didn't align with her values. This became evident through details like the style of the wedding to the choice of the cake maker and in other traditions, like Markle's walk down the aisle.  

    In most Western weddings, a bride's father walks her down the aisle to "give her away" to her husband, steeped in a tradition of treating women like property that can be transferred. Markle, whose father was unable to attend the wedding, chose to walk the first part of the aisle alone and then was joined by Prince Charles for the remainder. Most important was the language used around this aspect of the ceremony: Markle was "accompanied" down the aisle.

    Photo by Jonathan Brady-WPA Pool/Getty Images.

    Given the U.K.'s staunch traditionalism, Markle's prominent decision was an important display of autonomy and a woman's ability to make her own choices even in a committed marriage. It also serves as a beautiful reminder that traditions can be honored and altered to reflect a progressive marriage that allows both individuals to own their choices.

    3. The sermon was a legendary display of black ministry and love.  

    Bishop Michael Curry, the first black presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church, brought down the house with a powerful sermon called "The Power of Love," citing love's redemptive and powerful capabilities. Speaking of Gilead, slavery, and the importance of mutual respect in loving relationships, Curry's sermon was one of the most moving portions of the ceremony. Discussing the complexity of humanity and love's role in moving it forward, Curry proclaimed, "Love is the only way. There's power in love. Don't underestimate it. Don't even over-sentimentalize it. There's power, power in love."

    Photo by Owen Humphreys-WPA Pool/Getty Images.

    Markle, who was key in the decision to break from tradition and involve an  American bishop in the ceremony, was visibly moved by the speech. Given Britain's horrific role in slavery and colonization, Curry's sermon was a reminder that redemption is possible only when we allow love to lead and guide us in our lives.

    4. The couple's actions and mannerisms spoke volumes about their affection for one another.  

    Of course, no one knows the ins and outs of Markle and Harry's relationship except them, but if the wedding was any indication, these two remind us that love can be so, so real. Endless research points to how body language often offers insights into a couple's relationship. From simple gestures such as Harry rubbing Markle's thumb during the ceremony to his loving words once she reached the alter, the two shared interactions that looked like they were pulled straight out of a fairy tale.  

    In times when love is often mocked or deemed impossible, their public display of affection were subtle reminders that there is magic and love and vulnerability, and it still totally exists.

    5. Markle's black roots radiated through the church.  

    In spite of a media that seemed to both question and criticize Markle's blackness, she incorporated her culture in some of the most beautiful ways. In addition to Curry's sermon, the Kingdom Choir, led by Karen Gibson, sang a stunning rendition of "Stand By Me" for the ceremony. Sheku Kanneh-Mason, a cellist handpicked by the royal couple moved the crowd with his renditions of Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria," Gabriel Fauré's "Après un rêve," and Maria Theresia von Paradis' "Sicilienne."  

    Markle's effortless incorporation of her culture showed the world how proud she is of her roots, and it's a sign that her blackness will be centered in her public role in the U.K.

    From endless fairy tale photographs to smiling faces around the room, Harry and Markle's wedding ceremony provided some much needed joy in a complicated world. Hopefully, it's just the beginning.

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    Wednesday, May 23, 2018

    NRA Convention Bans Guns To Protect Mike Pence. Parkland Survivors’ Jaws Drop.

    Senate Votes to Save Net Neutrality, but Hurdles Remain

    Michael Cohen Hit With New Taxi Taxes, Owes New York $282,000

    Michael Cohen, already under pressure from a federal criminal investigation into his business and financial dealings, has been hit this month with more than $185,000 in new state warrants for unpaid taxes on his taxicab companies.

    Added to his previous tab, that brings the total to $282,000 owed to New York state by 16 taxi medallion-holding companies owned by Cohen or members of his family, including Mad Dog Cab Corp., Smoochie Cab Corp., Golden Child Cab Corp. and N.Y. Futon Taxi Corp. A lawyer for Cohen declined to comment.

    Michael Cohen’s Other Woe: Mounting Unpaid Taxes on NYC Cabs

    Cohen, a former Trump Organization Inc. executive, has been President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer and has claimed to be a loyal “fixer” for his longtime boss. He claims he drew on a home-equity loan to pay $130,000 to Stormy Daniels, a porn actress who said she had sex with Trump in 2006, to buy her silence in the run-up to the 2016 election.

    Before he started working for Trump, Cohen built his wealth in the taxi business in New York and Chicago.

    Cohen claims the taxes are owed not by him but by Evgeny “Gene” Friedman, known in New York as “The Taxi King.” Friedman, who operated more than 800 cabs in the city, including Cohen’s, goes on trial in June on charges he pocketed more than $5 million in 50-cent fare surcharges that were supposed to benefit New York mass transit. Friedman’s lawyer says he’s innocent.

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    Infuriated Jared Kushner Lost His Cool When Russians Didnt Deliver Hillary Dirt

    Joking about John McCain’s death is our terrible new normal

    (CNN)On Thursday morning, a White House aide named Kelly Sadler joked about Arizona Sen. John McCain's opposition to CIA nominee Gina Haspel by noting that "he's dying anyway."

    There's no disputing the fact that McCain has terminal brain cancer and that he is very unlikely to be around at this time next year. It's also indisputable that McCain is a genuine American hero -- who fought and suffered for his country in the theater of war and had decided the better part of the last four decades of his life to public service as a House member, a senator and a two-time presidential candidate.
    That even some part of his final days -- or weeks or months -- is consumed by this sort of garbage is maddening. And depressing. And made even more so by the fact that this is, in fact, the new normal.
      How did we get here? Where anyone who disagrees with us on anything is evil, other and an object for ridicule? Where the phrase "reasonable people can disagree" has lost all meaning? Where someone can feel comfortable making a death joke about a man battling brain cancer?
      Lots of people would like to lay the blame -- all of it -- at the feet of Trump. The reality is more complex. Our own self-sorting tendencies -- we rarely live around anyone anymore who doesn't see the world generally as we do -- played a role. The expansion of ideological media where you can only watch, read and listen to people who validate you and your views played a role. The rise of outside political groups who made a business out of purifying the two parties of any so-called moderates played a role. The partisan redistricting processes around the country, which jammed us into congressional seats prioritized by political party played a role.
      That said, there is no question that Trump -- the campaign he ran in 2016 and the way he has acted in the White House since winning -- has been the prime catalyst for this degradation in our ability to simply treat people with whom we disagree with respect.
      There was already lots of gasoline on the ground. Trump lit the match and dropped it.
      Trump's campaign was based on a simple idea: Politicians are too political. They're afraid of their own shadows. They won't say it like it is because they live in fear of the political correctness police coming to knock on their door.
      He cast himself as the antidote to all of that -- someone who would say what everyone was thinking. He was a status quo shaker, the worst nightmare for the staid and ineffective political establishment.
      That idea, in and of itself, is powerful.
      The problem was -- and is -- that Trump conflated insults and bullying with shaking things up. So, questioning McCain's war credentials -- "He's not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured." -- as Trump did in July 2015, at the start of his presidential campaign, was somehow treated by Trump and those who supported him as speaking truth to power.

      Donald Trump questions if McCain is a war hero

      Ditto his attacks on Carly Fiorina's looks. His attempts to raise the heritage of Judge Gonzalo Curiel. His suggestion that Khizr Khan, the father of a solider fighting in Iraq, had been put up to his speech at the Democratic National Convention by partisans out to get him. His suggestion, as President, that "both sides" were to blame for the white nationalist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. His repeated bullying of his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, and his comments about the alleged plastic surgery of "Morning Joe" anchor Mika Brzezinski.
      On and on the list goes. And it all adds up to one thing: Trump weaponized nastiness and bullying. He turned it into a political art form. He gave cover for all of those people with uninformed views -- on race, ethnicity and everything else -- to emerge from the shadows and speak out.
      And, if you didn't laugh or "get the joke," -- even though Trump was often not joking in these circumstances -- you were part of the problem. Just another defender of a status quo that rewarded elites and left out the little guy. Just another person who didn't get it.

      Trump's I'm-joking-but-not-really strategy

      The issue with all of this is that it bastardized a very legitimate issue -- the growing income (and everything else) gap between the rich and the poor -- for Trump's own political purposes. He drove the divide for political reasons and, in his language, made it totally OK to say whatever you wanted about people you disagreed with because they had been out to get you for years. This was just payback. And man did they deserve it.
      Nuance went out the window. Speaking hard truths that the country needed to hear -- as McCain has done throughout his career -- became indistinguishable from calling Sen. Ted Cruz's wife ugly or suggesting that we need to ban Muslims from entering the country. Political incorrectness became a crutch to justify racist and xenophobic views.
      And, in the middle of it all was Trump. When he wasn't engaging in these behaviors, he was refusing to condemn them -- an example of his abdication of the idea of the President as moral leader. Who am I to say who is right and who is wrong in the Charlottesville violence, Trump asked. Who am I to judge who is telling the truth -- Roy Moore or the multiple women who said he had pursued relationships with them when they were teenagers?
      That view has trickled down. When CNN's Chris Cuomo asked State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert on Friday to comment on the "joke" about McCain's death, Nauert responded: "I'm not familiar with what you're familiar with." Really? Nauert hadn't heard about the story? I find that very, very hard to believe.
      That collective shrug from the President of the United States and his allies coupled with the extant factors of our internal divisions and the sort of campaign he ran in 2016 created the toxic stew from which comments like the one Thursday by Sadler grow.
      No one is standing up and saying "We can't treat people like this." And sadly, that vacuum in moral leadership means that the better angels of our nature are being drown out by our demons.

      Original Article : HERE ; This post was curated & posted using : RealSpecific

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