How JFK gave us Trump

Edition: US - Today's top story: When image trumps ideology: How JFK created the template for the modern presidency [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 26 May 2017 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note For generations, Americans tended to prefer sober-minded politicians for the country’s highest office. That all changed with JFK. Ever since his short-lived presidency, Americans have been drawn to charismatic candidates with celebrity appeal, nominees who were camera-friendly and quick on their feet. With Kennedy’s centennial approaching, historian Steven Watts explains why JFK can be thought of as the [nation’s first modern president]( – with many of his successors mimicking his style. JFK’s immediate successor, Lyndon Johnson, banked his presidency on building a Great Society and creating social programs to help the poor and aged. Policy expert Simon Haeder of West Virginia University writes how the current president’s budget and a Republican health care law could would [hollow out America’s safety net](, which has evolved since the New Deal and the Great Society. Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer for many Americans. Consider observing it by picking up a new bottle of sunscreen. UC Riverside chemist Kerry Hanson explains how the sun’s rays affect our skin – and how the chemicals in the sunscreen you should be slathering on [protect you from skin damage and cancers](. Can a video game change your mind, or even influence your actions in real life after you’re done playing it? Lindsay Grace, head of the Game Lab at the American University School of Communications, answers the question and [introduces a new game]( telling truth from fiction. Nick Lehr Editor, Arts and Culture Top story President John F. Kennedy watches as planes conduct anti-sub operations during maneuvers off the North Carolina coast in April 1962. Associated Press [When image trumps ideology: How JFK created the template for the modern presidency]( Steven Watts, University of Missouri-Columbia Reagan, Clinton, Obama and Trump would all pull from the Kennedy playbook, from mastering the media to exuding masculine vitality. Health + Medicine - [Beyond the CBO score: How Trump Budget and the AHCA are dismantling America's safety net]( Simon Haeder, West Virginia University The CBO analysis of the new health care bill not only shows that tens of millions would lose insurance. It is a major shift in this country's attitudes and policies toward helping the poor. - [Why a monthly period is especially hard for millions of women and girls around the world]( Marni Sommer, Columbia University Medical Center For millions of girls and women, menstruation is a burden. Here's why helping displaced and poor women and girls with their periods is a way to show true respect for them. Science + Technology - [How do the chemicals in sunscreen protect our skin from damage?]( Kerry Hanson, University of California, Riverside Energy from the sun's rays can cause skin damage and cancers. Sunscreens can absorb or reflect the dangerous UV light. Here's how it works. - [Designing games that change perceptions, opinions and even players' real-life actions]( Lindsay Grace, American University School of Communication Readers read, viewers watch and players do. That level of engagement gives games real power to influence people both within and outside the play itself. Ethics + Religion - [Trump says the IRS regulates churches too much. Here's why he's wrong]( Philip Hackney, Louisiana State University President Trump claims that churches suffer from the over-regulation of their political speech. In reality, oversight is lax for religious groups and secular tax-exempt nonprofits alike. Politics + Society - [Iraq and Afghanistan: The US$6 trillion bill for America's longest war is unpaid]( Linda J. Bilmes, Harvard University In past wars, taxes were increased to cover some of the extra spending. That's not the case for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the costs are adding up fast. - [“In addition to nearly 7,000 troops killed, the 16-year conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan will cost an estimated trillion.”]( Linda J. Bilmes Harvard University [Read more]( [Linda J. Bilmes] - [JFK at 100: Why we still cherish his memory]( Michael Hogan, University of Illinois at Springfield John Fitzgerald Kennedy consistently ranks as one of America's most popular leaders. A presidential historian argues that didn't just happen – it was the result of an effort to create an image. Arts + Culture - [The song that had one British politician wishing for the Sex Pistols' 'sudden death']( Karen Fournier, University of Michigan Banned from the BBC, denied its rightful place on the charts, 'God Save the Queen' – released 40 years ago this month – remains one of the most controversial protest songs of all time. Economy + Business - [Brazil plunges once more into political crisis, jeopardizing economic recovery]( Terry L. McCoy, University of Florida Brazil's president, who came to power after his ex-boss was impeached, now finds himself embroiled in corruption charges, which threaten to derail the economic recovery he has championed. From our International Editions - [Political chaos in Libya makes it a haven for radical terrorist groups]( Natasha Ezrow, University of Essex Of all the places for a jihadist militant group to operate, it would be hard to find a more conducive country than Libya. - [Sgt Pepper's at 50 – the greatest thing you ever heard or just another album?]( Liam Viney, The University of Queensland; Adam Behr, Newcastle University; Catherine Strong, RMIT University; Christine Feldman-Barrett, Griffith University; James Arvanitakis, Western Sydney University; Stuart Medley, Edith Cowan University Dubbed the greatest album ever by Rolling Stone, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is turning 50. We asked six experts how it had stood the test of time and found opinions diverged widely. - [Star Wars turns 40 and it still inspires our real life space junkies]( Jonathan Roberts, Queensland University of Technology Star Wars was a swashbuckling space fantasy that inspired some of the technology we see today, four decades after the film's release. - [Democracy is taking root in Africa. But that doesn't mean it works all the time]( Nic Cheeseman, University of Birmingham As we celebrate Africa Day and reflect on how far the continent has come since the Organisation of African Unity was founded in 1963, it's a good time to assess whether democracy is working. [We produce knowledge-based, ethical journalism. Please donate and help us thrive. Tax deductible.]( [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 625 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 USA