Summary

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that a Trump administration would prioritize removing fluoride from public water systems, a position at odds with major health organizations like the CDC, the American Dental Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, all of which endorse water fluoridation as safe and beneficial for dental health.

Despite Kennedy’s controversial stance on health and environmental issues, which includes previously debunked claims linking vaccines to autism, Trump has praised his passion, stating that Kennedy would have significant freedom to influence health policy if Trump were elected.

  • aLaStOr_MoOdY47@lemmy.world
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    13 hours ago

    You know, I just love how no one is addressing why they think this is a bad idea with facts, they just rush to insult him. If this doesn’t prove how toxic of a political climate we’re in right now, I don’t know what will.

    • GiddyGap@lemm.ee
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      12 hours ago

      Just read the article. The fact are right there backed by science and major health orgs.

    • chetradley@lemm.ee
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      13 hours ago

      The facts are presented and linked in the article.

      Major public health groups such as the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention support water fluoridation, citing studies showing that the mineral helps fight cavities. Health groups also emphasize that the practice is safe.

      • aLaStOr_MoOdY47@lemmy.world
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        10 hours ago

        It’s not that simple. There are still concerns such as the idea of involuntary mass medication, and the negative health effects that come with fluoride-laced water, such as fluorosis just to name one. Also, it’s being argued that putting fluoride in the water supply is not a good way of dealing with cavities. What are some core causes of cavities? Bad dental hygiene, too much sugary foods, and whatnot. Why not focus on these core issues instead of using a blanket solution that has a chance of causing health problems to people? Are you a vegetable that you have to have the government take care of your teeth for you because you can’t do it yourself?

        • chetradley@lemm.ee
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          10 hours ago

          Again, if you just read the article it covers these points. It discusses that the CDC does not mandate fluoride and it’s not ubiquitous. It talks about fluorosis, and the health benefits of fluoride.

          I can of course take care of my own teeth, but that’s anecdotal. If the data suggests that fluoride in water is a safe way to reduce the prevalence of dental issues, I’m for it.

          • aLaStOr_MoOdY47@lemmy.world
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            9 hours ago

            If you believe fluoride is good for you, then buy it and consume it privately by yourself. Advocating for everyone else to have it involuntarily because you think it’s good for you is selfish, because not everyone wants it in the water supply. Fluoride is not a magic thing that solves all your problems. It comes with health concerns.

            • Railcar8095@lemm.ee
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              9 hours ago

              Fluoride is not a magic thing that solves all your problems.

              Source? It’s funny how you come here without proof insulting everybody.

                • dependencyinjection@discuss.tchncs.de
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                  8 hours ago

                  Dude I can look up “faked moon landing” and start reading, that doesn’t mean what I’m reading isn’t written by someone like you; who is lacking critical thinking skills.

                  Do you think you can search Google and do a better job than the whole of your government and governments around the world. Even in countries that don’t get along with your own.

  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    The old John Birch society hated fluoride too. So much so, that Barry Goldwater took up the cause when he ran against JFK. Of course, he lost. Now they try to dress it up with junk science and it’s RFK and Trump.

  • AmidFuror@fedia.io
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    1 day ago

    “Immediately” means a tweet or Truth Social post by Trump that is so vague no one under him knows exactly what they’re supposed to do to enact his order.

    And then right back to Day 1 dictatorial stuff like imprisoning political opponents and the press.

  • normalexit@lemmy.world
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    24 hours ago

    How about making sure 100% of US residents have access to clean, safe tap water first? Eliminate lead and forever chemicals. I don’t feel strongly about fluoride, I do feel strongly you should be able to drink water from your kitchen sink without having to worry.

    • Etterra@lemmy.world
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      20 hours ago

      See that would require 100% of Americans to be rich enough for these chucklefucks to care about us.

    • 🔍🦘🛎@lemmy.world
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      14 hours ago

      There actually is a huge push to replace ALL lead service lines in the next few years. Also the EPA has extra funding for treatment of “emerging contaminants” which includes PFAS. Republicans are trying (and succeding) to reduce this funding.

    • Noodle07@lemmy.world
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      18 hours ago

      Wow are you a commie? Tap water should only contain flammable gas from nearby fracking plants! Yeehaw

  • Nougat@fedia.io
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    1 day ago

    Roe v Wade: “This should be decided by the states!”

    Fluoride in water: “This should be decided by the federal government!”

    ???

    • floofloof@lemmy.ca
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      1 day ago

      They’re proposing to ban vaccines too, and they’re not mentioning particular vaccines, just “vaccines”. So no healthcare for trans people or pregnant women, and no vaccines. It’s only a matter of time before someone convinces them antibiotics are the devil’s work.

      • Billiam@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        someone convinces them antibiotics are the devil’s work.

        Antibiotics are proof of evolution, since the various microorganisms create resistances to vaccines.

      • rottingleaf@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        Antibiotics shouldn’t be used as easily as people think, though. Because, ahem, antibiotic resistance is a thing.

        It’s a responsible position to only use antibiotics when you really need it. Not when you have cold. EDIT: just in case, by cold I mean cold, not covid

        • floofloof@lemmy.ca
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          1 day ago

          That’s the kind of responsible and sensible advice the Republicans would never give. It requires too much nuance.

          • rottingleaf@lemmy.world
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            24 hours ago

            I don’t think I’ve heard anything responsible and sensible from politicians with chances to succeed in a two party system.

      • InverseParallax@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        I mean…

        At this point let’s just tell them we forbid them from drinking arsenic because, even though it massively increases testosterone production, all liberal science says most humans aren’t strong enough to handle it.

        Fucking let moron nature take its course.

        • randompasta@lemmy.today
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          1 day ago

          Except they’ll take a lot of us with them. We need herd immunity, clean air and water, safe roads. They’re going to fuck us all with their idiocy.

            • ℍ𝕂-𝟞𝟝@sopuli.xyz
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              1 day ago

              You can actually, evolution is driven by selective reproduction, not selective survival. Yes, reproduction is usually tied to survival, but natural selection would still work even if everyone always lived to 80.

              It would not select for traits useful for survival though, it would most likely select for traits that get you laid.

              • rottingleaf@lemmy.world
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                1 day ago

                You have seen Idiocracy, yes? About selective reproduction.

                I’ve seen the kind of people that reproduce well. Most of them are both immoral and not very smart.

                My cousins’ parents are a good exception, though. They are exactly the kind of people that should have children, and their daughters too. My parents, on the contrary, were the kind of people about whom I’d never say that. It’s a pure miracle I’ve turned out at least kinda similar to a human.

                On the contrary, the best people I know personally of my generation either have problems they haven’t yet solved or are gay.

                OK, then thinking about myself, I actually think I’d not be that bad of a parent, in case one of those strange creatures likes me enough, but it would be really hard.

              • InverseParallax@lemmy.world
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                1 day ago

                This requires us to prevent people from reproducing, we have to pick and choose who can breed.

                Gonna put that in the “probably not a great idea” category.

  • Jumpingspiderman@lemmy.world
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    13 hours ago

    In the universe of bad and crazy things that brain worm addled RFK jr. would do, this is one of the least bad and crazy.

  • 800XL@lemmy.world
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    7 hours ago

    What fucking year is this? And while he’s at it, that horses’s ass can get tinfoil hats into circulation to protect against <dumb old ass boomer conspiracy theory bullshit>

    God damn it, will all these fossils with their lead poisoned brains just die already?

  • leftzero@lemmynsfw.com
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    1 day ago

    Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper:

    I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, communist subversion, and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.

    (…)

    [through his cigar] Mandrake,

    Group Captain Lionel Mandrake:

    Yes, Jack?

    Ripper:

    Have you ever seen a commie drink a glass of water?

    Mandrake:

    Well, no I… I can’t say I have, Jack.

    Ripper:

    Vodka. That’s what they drink, isn’t it? Never water?

    Mandrake:

    Well I… I believe that’s what they drink, Jack. Yes.

    Ripper:

    On no account will a commie ever drink water, and not without good reason.

    Mandrake:

    Oh, ah, yes. I don’t quite… see what you’re getting at, Jack.

    Ripper:

    Water. That’s what I’m getting at. Water. Mandrake, water is the source of all life. Seven tenths of this earth’s surface is water. Why, you realize that… seventy percent of you is water.

    Mandrake:

    Uhhh God…

    Ripper:

    And as human beings, you and I need fresh, pure water to replenish our precious bodily fluids.

    Mandrake:

    Yes. [chuckles nervously]

    Ripper:

    You beginning to understand?

    Mandrake:

    Yes. [chuckles, begins laughing/crying quietly]

    Ripper:

    Mandrake. Mandrake, have you never wondered why I drink only distilled water, or rain water, and only pure grain alcohol?

    Mandrake:

    Well it did occur to me, Jack, yes.

    Ripper:

    Have you ever heard of a thing called fluoridation? Fluoridation of water?

    Mandrake:

    Ah, yes, I have heard of that, Jack. Yes.

    Ripper:

    Well do you now what it is?

    Mandrake:

    No. No, I don’t know what it is. No.

    Ripper:

    Do you realize that fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous communist plot we have ever had to face?

    (…)

    Mandrake, do you realize that in addition to fluoridated water, why, there are studies underway to fluoridate salt, flour, fruit juices, soup, sugar, milk, ice cream? Ice cream, Mandrake. Children’s ice cream?

    Mandrake:

    Good Lord.

    Ripper:

    You know when fluoridation first began?

    Mandrake:

    No. No, I don’t, Jack. No.

    Ripper:

    Nineteen hundred and forty six. Nineteen fortysix, Mandrake. How does that coincide with your postwar commie conspiracy, huh? It’s incredibly obvious, isn’t it? A foreign substance is introduced into our precious bodily fluids without the knowledge of the individual, and certainly without any choice. That’s the way your hard core commie works.

    Mandrake:

    Jack… Jack, listen, tell me, ah… when did you first become, well, develop this theory.

    Ripper:

    Well, I ah, I I first became aware of it, Mandrake, during the physical act of love.

    Mandrake:

    [sighs fearfully]

    Ripper:

    Yes a profound sense of fatigue, a feeling of emptiness followed. Luckily I was able to interpret these feelings correctly: loss of essence.

    Mandrake:

    Yes…

    Ripper:

    I can assure you it has not recurred, Mandrake. Women… women sense my power, and they seek the life essence. I do not avoid women, Mandrake, but I do deny them my essence.