this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2025
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[–] Treczoks 11 points 1 hour ago

The key point for the political survival of the Republican party is a stupid voter base. That's why they wreck schools, favor homeschooling by people who might not be suitable for teaching, but have the correct faith, love university fees that leave non-millionaire kids with livelong debts.

Keeping the lead levels high is fully in line with this, as it keeps the population average IQ several points below it's potential.

[–] CharlesDarwin 10 points 1 hour ago

These people are working for foreign agents. Explains so much.

[–] LePoisson 121 points 5 hours ago (5 children)

It's insane to me that this is even a discussion. What kind of evil people would prefer to actively poison their constituents?

It's such a no brainer to remove toxic chemicals from our water supply. Who cares if it's expensive, so is an aircraft carrier, this needs to be done to save lives. We can afford it.

[–] CharlesDarwin 8 points 1 hour ago

They are working for our enemies.

[–] SoftestSapphic 70 points 4 hours ago

Lead poisoning makes people unreasonable and violent.

That's their main demographic.

They're not blind to the fact that lead poisoning helped to get them where they are today.

[–] zib 20 points 3 hours ago

It’s such a no brainer

That right there is precisely the point. Lead damages brain function. Their constituents not having functional brains is exactly what keeps them in power.

[–] AA5B 10 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

It’s back to only thinking about yourself. Most people aren’t currently diagnosed with lead poisoning, so it doesn’t concern them. Why spend all that money.

See also education budgets and international aid

[–] Yawweee877h444 34 points 4 hours ago

Agreed. They are so hell bent on cutting costs and enriching themselves by pinching every penny imaginable that they don't care about any of the consequences or long term effects.

Also, they may even like the side effect of how lead exposure causes cognitive issues and decreases intelligence. Dumber populace is easier to control and manipulate.

These people are psychopaths to their core.

[–] AbidanYre 83 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Lead poisoning is the only way anyone is going to vote for them.

[–] tehWrapper 24 points 4 hours ago (2 children)

Still think you get to vote again?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 hour ago

Even North Korea holds elections.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 hours ago

We'll at least pretend.

[–] ieatpwns 31 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

It’s like they studied the fall of Rome and said yes let’s do that

[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Fun fact: Romans were well aware of lead poisoning and preferred terracotta pipes. When they did use lead they allowed mineral buildup inside the pipes, which shielded the water from the lead itself.

This limestone encrustation (sinter, from the German), which had to be periodically chipped away, suggests that deposits of calcium carbonate in pipes and aqueducts protected against corrosion and insulated against the introduction of lead into the water they conveyed. Too, with no taps to shut off, water flowed continuously and so would not have been in prolonged contact with the metal. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/encyclopaedia_romana/wine/leadpoisoning.html

[–] FlyingSquid 9 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

They still used lead-based makeup and ate on lead plates.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Lead plates are fine as long as you don't eat anything that is both liquid and acidic. Pewter plates (when it was still made with lead) were used until very recently.

[–] FlyingSquid 7 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Liquid and acidic like garum? The fermented fish sauce the Romans put on pretty much everything?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 hours ago

Still not much in the grand scheme of things. Smelting lead to extract silver would have been a far greater contributor, especially since it makes the lead airborne as leaded fuel did recently.

[–] FlyingSquid 19 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Smart move! Lead makes the water sweeter! It will encourage people to hydrate!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

I personally prefer my lead sugar in my wine but to each their own.

[–] andrewta 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Lead in wine? Interesting.

Hadn’t tried that combo.

I’ve tried lead in paint chips that had a rubbery taste, might have been the paint… Lead on potato chips definitely has a solid taste, even better than sea salt.

[–] [email protected] 49 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

"Fuck progress! Anything that even sounds like progressive must go! More lead! More drilling! Mandatory sulfur dioxide exhaust! Make America Acid Rain Again!"

-Fucking greedy lunatics

[–] Stovetop 18 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Seriously, though, there are so many people who sincerely believe things like "Back in my day we put lead in our gasoline and paint, and I'm still alive so why do we need regulation?"

Anecdotes and belief are stronger than any fact you can show them. And the moment "the enemy" wants to do something about a problem, it's no longer a problem. It becomes the opposite of a problem, it's the solution, because the us-vs-them mentality is just too prevalent.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 hours ago

If my assessment is correct, Americans are going to have the best time. Lead is going to make the idiocracy real. I hope this helps. Bring back the idiocracy.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

When they say they want to go back to the 50s, they mean it

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 hours ago

If someone you know ever struggles to fully understand pettiness, point then to these maga/republican freaks. They're so triggered by the existence of people trying to improve things, they'll literally allow more toxic chemicals in things just to own the libs. Literally everyone will suffer because of this: themselves, their voters, their children, everyone.

[–] Ledivin 11 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

"If you can't beat 'em, make 'em join you"

  • Boomers
[–] CharlesDarwin 1 points 1 hour ago

Which is weird, because it was probably their generation that pushed through the end of leaded gasoline.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 hours ago

Make lead mandatory!