Among the travesties being committed by a lawless and determinedly stupid administration, its assault on science–and particularly medical science– is among the acts most likely to affect all Americans negatively. Ironically, the administration’s anti-science, anti-expertise tantrum has already proved to hit devoted MAGA Neanderthals the hardest.
While there have always been medical skeptics, this expanded retreat from sound medical advice began in earnest during the pandemic, when the “give me liberty” MAGA cult refused to wear masks, continued to sponsor and attend public gatherings, and–especially– refused to get vaccinated. They died of Covid in disproportionate numbers.
In the wake of the 2020 election, there was some speculation that–at least in some deep Red congressional districts–a fall-off in Republican votes was due to that disproportionate death rate. (I’ve been unable to find confirmatory data for that speculation, but the fact that unvaccinated folks were much more likely to suffer and die has been repeatedly documented.)
The designation of MAGA folks as a cult has become widespread, and the evidence for that continues to mount. During the pandemic, followers of their massively ignorant cult leader obediently ingested bleach and Ivermectin, a medication intended for horses; today, RNK, Jr.–he of the brain worm and an assortment of bizarre conspiracy theories–is busily substituting those theories for medical science. His cuts at HHS are already imperilling public health, and are likely to make it more difficult for sane Americans to receive the vaccines that protect us from a wide variety of diseases.
The dramatic politicization of health care is likely to affect us all, but–again, ironically–it is much more likely to affect the cult’s true believers. I recently came across an article describing how the choice of a doctor has become partisan. Research published in the British Journal of Political Science finds that Americans’ trust in their personal physicians—an area that the study notes “was once a rare nonpartisan sanctuary”—has become increasingly divided along political lines, with potentially serious implications for public health.
Here–in a nutshell–is what the study found.
Trust reversal: While Republicans were slightly more trusting of their doctors a decade ago, Democrats are now 12 percentage points more likely to express “a great deal” of trust in their physicians.
Political preferences matter: Both Republicans and Democrats strongly prefer doctors who share their political affiliation, sometimes placing as much importance on political alignment as on shared race or gender.
Health implications: With Trump voters over 50 being 11 percentage points less likely to closely follow their doctor’s advice, this partisan divide could affect health outcomes and potentially widen existing mortality gaps between Republican and Democratic counties.
It hasn’t always been this way.
In 2013, Republicans actually reported slightly higher trust in their personal doctors than Democrats. By 2022, the tables had turned dramatically, with Democrats approximately 12 percentage points more likely than Republicans to report “a great deal” of trust in their physicians.
The study noted that the General Social Survey–a research instrument that tracks American attitudes– found diminished “confidence in the scientific community, education, the press, and many other institutions had already polarized along partisan lines by 2010. Medicine, however, remained stubbornly nonpartisan until 2021.”
The COVID-19 pandemic thrust public health officials into the spotlight, where they quickly became lightning rods for partisan conflict. The study found strong evidence that as medical authorities like Dr. Anthony Fauci became political targets, the distrust spilled over into Americans’ relationships with their own personal doctors….
Between 2001 and 2019, researchers observed a growing gap in death rates between Republican and Democratic counties, with people in Democratic counties living longer. If partisan divides continue to influence healthcare decisions, this gap may widen further, creating a feedback loop where political identity affects health outcomes, which then reinforce political divisions.
As the linked article concludes, if this polarization continues or increases, and Americans increasingly make critical life choices based on political identity, those choices could mean the difference between early diagnosis and late-stage disease. That makes the stakes of this particular aspect of our deepening political divisions literally matters of life and death.
If the results of the stupidity were confined to those applauding it, that would be one thing. (Admittedly, still a bad thing, but–hey, I’m not a nice human–somewhat fitting.) But we’re all likely to inhabit a far less protective world. Cuts to the FDA alone will mean slower approval of new medications, fewer food safety inspections, and lapses in new medical products. Other cuts have decimated research into diseases like HIV, Parkinsons and Alzheimers.
The cult’s dominance threatens us all.
The GOP used to be a party that embraced science and helped man step on the moon. They used to favor a clean environment, modest business regulations, education, and racial equality as well. That party is gone, replaced by people who read Atlas Shrugged and never realize the “heros: where just as big an a-hole as the :bed guys” nor did they realize the hypocrisy of Ayn Rands final days.
Today’s news is the touting of Trump’s decision to take a backstep from over-tariffing the entire global economic condition. He is not a hero, he did not call for a backstep to save anything but his own ass. Republicans were beginning to speak out loud and clear about the economic disaster he created; their voices are now silenced. The sciences, especially medical, continued to stagnate through Trump’s tariff war as the measles epidemic continued and continues to spread and increase in numbers. Were the unbelievable tariff rates deliberately increased as a distraction from the DOGE destruction of government departments as problems increased and staff numbers dwindled?
Was the notice to seniors and disabled that received the news their Social Security checks would no longer be received MISTAKENLY sent (as claimed) or another deliberate distraction of the decimation of America’s government body?
We are trapped in the inner regions of Hell and many of us will die. The statistics of those who died of Covid in disproportionate numbers will never be found because there were never tracked; neither were the numbers of deaths of women AND babies of those forced to maintain life-threatening pregnancies to term. When the numbers of deaths of the elderly due to lack of medical care begin to reach epidemic levels, there will be no one counting them as losses worth notice.
Ah, yes, thinning the herd! When memes are trusted more than science, the inevitable consequences will be fatal. However, allegiance to the Dear Leader and never questioning his judgment are paramount. If we’re lucky, Trump will order MAGATs to drink cyanide instead of bleach next time. Where can I pick some up on the cheap? 😉
I saw where one MAGAT posted a legitimate-looking research study that concluded that the flu vaccine would most likely give you the flu. His fellow MAGATs all chimed in to confirm that is why they don’t get the vaccine. I would bet that no one read the study or the conclusion. It’s why they prefer short memes!
Since we have a kakistocracy in place at all levels of our government, we can expect to live in one long dumpster fire with repeated stupidity and ignorance.
One example is Trump’s tariff yo-yo he just pulled after Scott Bessent spent the past several days covering for the outlandish tariffs that rocked global markets, only to see Trump recapitulate. Now, he’ll have to go out and sell to MAGATs that Trump won the battle. LOL
For a local example, our Indiana governor sold everybody on property tax relief during his campaign, and it looks like we’ll get about a $200 credit in 2026. That doesn’t provide any relief for most Hoosiers, who have witnessed massive increases due to ballooning assessed values. What’s worse, it’s not tax relief because local municipalities were given the thumbs up to raise income taxes to pay for government services. All they did was shift property to income taxes while MAGATs celebrated a victory lap for Braun. You can’t make this shit up!!
“Yay, the government is charging us more in taxes! We owned the Libs!! LOL
Trump’s con is to divert attention to his latest manufactured crises for the country to maintain his get-wealthier-quick scheme (to show his long-dead father who is the most ruthless). If any day passes that his name and face are not front-page news, then MTV considers it a wasted one.
As a science educator in both Texas and Colorado Springs, the Vatican of the religious right wing, I saw the beginnings of this assault on science led, mostly, by churches indoctrinating the children. Now, they’re grown up MAGAts. Being called the spawn of Satan more than once confirmed to me, at least, that the radical, backward-thinking dogma of irresponsible churches is partly to blame.
After all, isn’t Christian nationalism part of the MAGA cult – if not its beating heart?
Yes, while the dramatic politicization of health care in recent years can be traced to right wing attacks on science, there has also been an ongoing attack on health care by a collection of greedy factions, namely the insurance industry and for-profit hospitals and group practices attached to those hospitals. Rural communities where the population’s income cannot support a hospital, much less a battery of medical specialists, of course have poorer health outcomes. It isn’t political ideology… it’s the economics of greed. And that greed has just about shredded what there once was of the ethics surrounding the medical profession. And that shredding is taking place in cities too.
2025 nazi experiments/ideals that follow todays leaders who see those who are not productive for profit,judged by billionaires who define their existance superior justifying who lives and who dies. privatize healthcare and get a united health thompson style rejection. why pander to liberals who saddle the working class with mere trivial answers/needs,just AI the facts from anyone who is granted access and wants to believe in their magot mindset,and walla, your answer in real time by techs oligarghs who devise this scheme and were rewarded by present government for their honest values. wall street gathers the social services from those they stole living wages from for 45 years and produced said oilgarchs and doles out this reward as they see fit to those who will judge those people who dont produce a satifactory profit. warehouse slave labor for profit,until they die..real time modern nazi thinking.coming to your hometown. just get on the train. did i miss anything?
The Republicans have successfully politicized every issue possible: healthcare, education, renewable energy, recycling plastic bags – all to their advantage. Many voters accept their lies as facts regardless of the evidence. You have to give them credit for always controlling the narrative – the Republicans and their propaganda machinery. The Democrats are still playing checkers.
seems the left wing of news is not getting feed back on issues, its continually no comment..
As I’ve probably stated here before, reality exists independently of our perception of it. Even when every human on earth looked up at the sky and saw the sun going around the earth, that was not true. The Earth has always gone around the Sun. Deliberately distorting reality is really an attack on our fellow humans because misperceptions of reality are often fatal. The world’s current most prolific liar is threatening every single one of us every time he speaks.
It never occurred to me to even wonder where my physicians were on the political spectrum.
Living in a cult means not having to even try to think, and in this case the cult leader is simply a bona-fide lunatic, who, himself, can not think.
Todd;
trump didnt capitulate. hes playing a game. he seen how the world reacted, now hes sitting back allowing the market goons clamor for him,while trumps getting his pockets filled. his family will be the next politcal party.
Deaths that might never be reported as linked to the current insanity are those that occur among research participants. If you’re enrolled in a double blinded study protocols must be followed exactly for the study to have good data. Each patient is closely monitored for any adverse reaction.
Imagine what happens when the funding is cut and a critical study is suddenly shut down and staff are fired. There are a lot of ifs involved. The patient who has responded well might be at risk when the medication is no longer available. The patient who has begun to have negative effects won’t know if it was the study meds that caused the problems. He might have an unknown allergy or a different disease that is fatal. I could go on, but you get my drift.
In addition to the lives of the followers of Orange Jesus, we recently have discovered that the administration is routinely breaking the law by using the Signal App for government business. We have no idea how many times they have used it and destroyed the conversations. It’s a clear violation of the Presidential Records Act. Every single word written in government service must be recorded and preserved. The documents are the property of the people in the form of the National Archives. The Archivist should be jumping up and down to bring attention to this.
Per Peggy H., I agree with everything you’ve said. The total lack of attention by those in the Congress who are tasked with protecting the nation’s security has done nothing to hold these criminals to account. The media has moved on to the next egregious outrage, per dump’s script, following the laser beam to entertain and outrage the cat’s paw of our attention span or lack thereof.
I remind our illustrious senator Young of his responsibilities in the committee on which he sits on a daily basis. The response? Another photo op with business and partisan groups of his supporters or FB posts about building ships to counter China’s buildup. No town halls, just blather and deflection. He is either a coward or complicit. His late decision to push back on tariffs was carefully orchestrated. He is playing his part to perfection, following the master’s moves to full authoritarianism.
“The total lack of attention by those in the Congress who are tasked with protecting the nation’s security has done nothing to hold these criminals to account.”
JD; those in Congress today began this administration by releasing hundreds of criminals on the public after they had been convicted and sentenced for attacking this nation’s security. They are currently busily ignoring the criminals and unqualified in the current administration safely in place; their concentration is primarily keeping Trump and Musk safe from the few federal courts who ARE trying to keep us secure from our own government.
Back to the issue of “Who Will Die?” Being one among many seniors who are ready to leave here, not the United States, but this world as it is now encircled by Trump’s many tentacled control, leaving us nowhere safe to go. We did not struggle and work to stay here to live out our “golden age” in this rusty, dangerous life with things to fear on all sides. My best friend Ruth, since 1953 at Tech High School, and I are now referring to one another as “Thelma and Louise”; I’m Louise.
Kennedy should be a runner-up for the Darwin Award. If he dies from a disease, he should win.
I’m a 65 year old nurse recently retired from large hospital network in Indiana and I was part of our COVID vaccine team when it came out so we were so excited to get people vaccinated as quickly as possible. I will always remember the many ignorant Hoosiers who refused to get the COVID vaccine because of some BS they heard on Fux News or some other right wing political propaganda (even though EVERYONE at Fux News and all republicans in Congress were required to be vaccinated!) Sadly many of these poorly educated MAGAts died because of the intentional misinformation fed to them
Many well stated comments about how Mad King Donald is destroying health, education, and America’s future as he tries to turn us into a banana republic (He always reminds me of the mad revolutionary in the film, “Bananas”).
Of course what do we expect from a man who idolized the 1880s. Life expectancy of 40 years and only 60 % of children reach adulthood. Musk has the answer to that – keep impregnating women.
I don’t believe any explanation for Trump’s planning or goals. He is an ignorant child/bully that only wants attention, adulation — and revenge.
As for the tariffs, although he seems to have fallen in love with the notion, I still envision a child with a laser pointer feeling powerful as he gets the cat to chase it — until someone convinces him that having the cat jump from a 100-story building will kill it — and end his fun.
Sheila – one critique – “MAGA Neanderthals”? Why are you so mean to the Neanderthals?
Jeff Swett – you remind me of quote I copied down years ago (sorry if I have shared this before)
“There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.”
In spite of the defunding of medical research, I still have a job. What worries me is all of the young epidemiologists and Ph.D. students in related fields who work in medical research. We are shutting down the pipeline and it could take 20-30 years to recover. Meanwhile, our highly educated professionals have to leave the country or find non science jobs.