"If a new vaping product or soft drink hits the market and 1 in 20 consumers report suicidal thoughts, public outrage would be swift. Investigations would follow, regulations would tighten, and headlines would be flooded with concern for public health. But when political stress yields similar numbers, the reaction is far more muted; politics doesn't seem to register in the same way," says Smith.
Last week, two fonts became the unlikely stars of a political messaging firestorm, after the Trump administration replaced Calibri as its official diplomatic font in favor of Times New Roman, claiming that an initial shift to Calibri in 2023 was part of former President Biden's "DEIA" agenda. The implication was clear: Calibri was framed as a liberal, Democratic font; while Times New Roman took its place as the Trump administration's more conservative choice.