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  ...the other seeks to use law itself to inflict preventable death on those millions.
I don't believe that about Kennedy. Wrong about several important things, absolutely. Malign, no. I condemn what the publisher did to this essay, but I wouldn't choose to publish that sentence either.
They could have kept "egomaniacal disregard for scientific evidence" at least.
I don't see a single thing wrong with that sentence.
He may not think it will inflict death on millions but he seeks to change the law in a way so that would happen.
I don’t think that sentence is necessarily implying that he’s doing it maliciously or that his primary purpose is to kill people, just that his actions will kill, regardless of intent.
Why are so many powerful people tripping over themselves to please this administration?

Some amount of this always happens for an incoming administration, but it usually doesn't abandon all principle.

I get the sense that there is both a fear and lust in the new administration: fear that the emperor is mad and might turn the entire apparatus of the state against anyone that crosses him; lust for power and opportunity to be the emperor's favorite.

It's like "it's the implication" from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but for every rich or powerful person in the country.

Extreme cowardice and sociopathy, combined with seeing the ability to take advantage of the kleptocracy that around 130m Americans decided they wanted.
Plus, a lot of media is owned by the ultra wealthy. There’s a big incentive for them to please politicians to keep on their good side, and to lobby for their other business interests.

There’s no incentive for them to be “brave.” Capitalism doesn’t really care if you’re a coward or sociopath, just if you can make money at low cost.

Independent journalism and independent newspapers should be much more important today of all times when misinformation can spread like a wildfire. This should be a non-partisan issue. But let’s be real, it’s sadly so much easier for a politician to win by lying and stirring up hate than by being a decent person with ok policies. So there’s no political incentive to improve either.

Maybe there weren't any principle (for these people at least) in the first place...
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I appreciate that you admitted to not voting.

How do you feel about having a small slice of the responsibility for (just to pick two examples) HIV patients not getting their life-saving meds, or nearly all science research being ground to a halt?

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I had no idea Patrick Soon-Shiong owned the LA Times. He’s a huge piece of shit. Virtually destroyed a startup I worked at like 15 years ago by investing and trying to take it over, then pulling the rug out under us when we wouldn’t let him have his way.
He’s made that pretty clear to us Angelenos too.