quote:

Originally posted by Magine Enigam:
https://robertreich.substack.c...ational-person-would

The man no rational person would put in charge of the public’s health
Robert Reich
Jan 28, 2025

Friends,

Tomorrow, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will appear before the Senate Finance Committee for the first of two confirmation hearings as Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

This is a big deal. Kennedy Jr. is a nutcase and conspiracy theorist with racist tendencies.

If confirmed, he’d have sweeping control over 18 agencies critical to the nation’s health, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

In his confirmation hearings, keep your eye on these three big issues:

Vaccines
Kennedy Jr. has assured senators that he doesn’t want to take vaccines away from Americans but just wants to cast more “sunlight” onto the science behind them.

But his history of anti-vaccine advocacy has made those promises difficult to believe.

Over the past five years, Kennedy Jr. has repeated over 100 times false claims linking vaccines to autism — a theory debunked by decades of scientific research.

He has claimed that COVID-19 was “targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people” and that “the people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.”

And that “the Chinese are spending hundreds of millions of dollars developing ethnic bioweapons and we are developing ethnic bioweapons. They’re collecting Russian DNA. They’re collecting Chinese DNA so we can target people by race.”

He was a leading proponent of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, erroneously suggesting the vaccine has killed more people than it has saved.

In his 2021 book, The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health, he alleged, without plausible evidence, that Dr. Fauci performed “genocidal experiments, sabotaged treatments for AIDS, and conspired with Bill Gates to suppress information about COVID-19.” This is libelous nonsense.

RFK Jr.’s misinformation about vaccines continues to endanger public health.

Kennedy Jr.’s nomination comes as childhood vaccination rates are falling. According to KFF, a nonprofit group that researches health policy issues, less than 93 percent of kindergartners had received all of their state-required vaccines in the 2023-2024 school year, compared with 95 percent in the 2019-2020 school year.

The secretary of Health and Human Services also shares with the surgeon general the nation’s highest pulpit for speaking about health care. That means that Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vax bias is likely to deter more parents from getting their children vaccinated.

The good news is we’ve largely eliminated these diseases. The bad news is we’ve eliminated the memory of these diseases. So parents are now more prone to worry about the safety of vaccines.

Kennedy has opposed vaccine mandates — including those for children to attend schools. He could direct the Center for Disease Control to remove requirements that children receive certain vaccines, and leave the decision up to parents or guardians.

He cold also stop shielding manufacturers and providers of COVID vaccines from legal liability — which would spur a tidal wave of litigation over alleged injuries from the shots.

Bird flu
The H5N1 bird flu virus is ripping across America. As of January 16, an estimated 928 herds of dairy cattle in 16 states have been infected, according to the Agriculture Department.

Experts worry that bird flu has the potential to set off another pandemic if it were to mutate to spread easily among people. So far, at least 67 cases have been found in people, mostly farmworkers. One person has died from the virus.

There have been no documented instances of human-to-human transmission of bird flu in the United States, at least so far.

Kennedy Jr. would oversee the CDC, which has managed much of the outbreak and tracked the risk to humans, as well as the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, an agency responsible for managing the nation’s stockpile of flu vaccines, which currently includes two bird flu vaccine candidates.

He’d also have authority over the FDA, which would need to authorize the vaccines before they could be used in people.

Given his anti-vax advocacy, there is no reason to trust his judgment on any of this.

Public health insurance
If confirmed, Kennedy Jr. would also oversee Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act. Taken together, these three programs provide health insurance to more than half the American population.

Many Republicans in Congress want to let expire the subsidies that make Obamacare premiums more affordable. They have also expressed interest in imposing work requirements for Medicaid eligibility. Trump’s nominee to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz, has previously expressed support for privatizing Medicare.

We don’t know Kennedy Jr.’s views on any of this, but I’m wary.

The bigger picture
Kennedy Jr. is not just a nutcase. He’s also a designated hitter in the oligarchy’s efforts to get government out of public health — and force Americans to rely instead on private for-profit corporations for their health insurance, hospitalization, vaccines, and pharmaceuticals.

These corporations continue to merge into giant for-profit monopolies and oligopolies.

Recall that Kennedy Jr.’s candidacy for president was supported by billionaire Timothy Mellon — grandson of Andrew Mellon and an heir to the Mellon banking fortune — who donated $15 million to Kennedy Jr.’s SuperPAC. (Mellon was also a major donor to PACs supporting Trump.)

Friends, I knew and worked for Robert F. Kennedy. Robert F. Kennedy Junior is no Robert F. Kennedy. Robert F. Kennedy was passionately committed to social justice. He would never have suggested that a deadly virus was targeted at certain races.

In 1962, when Robert F. Kennedy was President John F. Kennedy’s attorney general, JFK signed the Vaccination Assistance Act in order to, in the words of a CDC report, “achieve as quickly as possible the protection of the population, especially of all preschool children … through intensive immunization activity.”

The Senate should reject RFK Jr.’s nomination to be secretary of Health and Human Services.

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Originally posted by LongDistanceOperator:
Is all your information from wacko conspiracy theorists?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_A._McCullough

~Ann

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
The OP would be the last person I would depend on for “separating the wheat from the chaff.” Remember her sources include “Sundance” from “The Conservative Treehouse”. Chaff is their stock and trade.

~Ann

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Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
While I am not watching congressional hearings on these cabinet appointees I have heard enough snippets from various media sources that make me cringe and wonder how these most unprofessional people got elected. This is a fact check for RFK Jr.

RFK Jr. Falsely Attacked for Stating Scientific Fact on Vaccine Responses by Race Senator Alsobrooks calls RFK Jr.'s views "dangerous"—while ignoring well-documented scientific evidence.



Multiple studies

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
The OP would be the last person I would depend on for “separating the wheat from the chaff.” Remember her sources include “Sundance” from “The Conservative Treehouse”. Chaff is their stock and trade.

Prove the articles/studies are wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
The OP would be the last person I would depend on for “separating the wheat from the chaff.” Remember her sources include “Sundance” from “The Conservative Treehouse”. Chaff is their stock and trade.

Prove the articles/studies are wrong.

Did you forget, you posted it. Prove it is correct. Or just continue throwing shit against the wall hoping something sticks.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
. . . good to see Daisy is still around. Good boy. Sit. Hopefully Joshua, Naki, Jeffive or Steve will come along for you to play fetch with.

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
While I am not watching congressional hearings on these cabinet appointees I have heard enough snippets from various media sources that make me cringe and wonder how these most unprofessional people got elected. This is a fact check for RFK Jr.

RFK Jr. Falsely Attacked for Stating Scientific Fact on Vaccine Responses by Race Senator Alsobrooks calls RFK Jr.'s views "dangerous"—while ignoring well-documented scientific evidence.



Multiple studies

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
The big picture RFKjr brings is that America eats poorly is fat and unhealthy — and he is correct. He is unconventional and doesn’t fit into any mold but might just be the person who can affect some change. If you can give Rachel Levine a chance…surely you could muster the open mindedness to give Kennedy a chance.

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Originally posted by jeffeosso:

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Originally posted by MJines:
. . . good to see Daisy is still around. Good boy. Sit. Hopefully Joshua, Naki, Jeffive or Steve will come along for you to play fetch with.

yeah .. there you go, honey --- can't face reality, so you revert to name calling ... and calling a person you KNOW by "misgendering" .. honey, that stuff was tired in 3rd grade -- but yeah, misogyny, as you obviously see the female as lesser

awww.. tissue?

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
The big picture RFKjr brings is that America eats poorly is fat and unhealthy — and he is correct. He is unconventional and doesn’t fit into any mold but might just be the person who can affect some change. If you can give Rachel Levine a chance…surely you could muster the open mindedness to give Kennedy a chance.

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RFK Jr uses selective evidence to cast doubt.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
The OP would be the last person I would depend on for “separating the wheat from the chaff.” Remember her sources include “Sundance” from “The Conservative Treehouse”. Chaff is their stock and trade.

Prove the articles/studies are wrong.

Did you forget, you posted it. Prove it is correct. Or just continue throwing shit against the wall hoping something sticks.

~Ann

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
While I am not watching congressional hearings on these cabinet appointees I have heard enough snippets from various media sources that make me cringe and wonder how these most unprofessional people got elected. This is a fact check for RFK Jr.

RFK Jr. Falsely Attacked for Stating Scientific Fact on Vaccine Responses by Race Senator Alsobrooks calls RFK Jr.'s views "dangerous"—while ignoring well-documented scientific evidence.



Multiple studies

His postions on vaccines are not supported by fact. He knows this as he has 180, reversed when faced w his prior vaccine comments.

This part is correct;
The big picture RFKjr brings is that America eats poorly is fat and unhealthy — and he is correct.

The problem is I see RFK jr selling out to those special interest and senators.


This one thing does not outweigh the danger of other positions. Now, he is going over, and has hoped he would have spent his time trying to break big ag and Parma. I do not see it happening.

~Ann

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:

quote:

Originally posted by Aspen Hill Adventures:
While I am not watching congressional hearings on these cabinet appointees I have heard enough snippets from various media sources that make me cringe and wonder how these most unprofessional people got elected. This is a fact check for RFK Jr.

RFK Jr. Falsely Attacked for Stating Scientific Fact on Vaccine Responses by Race Senator Alsobrooks calls RFK Jr.'s views "dangerous"—while ignoring well-documented scientific evidence.



Multiple studies

His postions on vaccines are not supported by fact. He knows this as he has 180, reversed when faced w his prior vaccine comments.

This part is correct;
The big picture RFKjr brings is that America eats poorly is fat and unhealthy — and he is correct.

The problem is I see RFK jr selling out to those special interest and senators.


This one thing does not outweigh the danger of other positions. Now, he is going over, and has hoped he would have spent his time trying to break big ag and Parma. I do not see it happening.

He says all of his children are vaccinated. Is that an anti-vaxxer then?

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Originally posted by MJines:
The problem RFK Jr has with the Committee now (same for Tulsi) is that they are essentially asking the Committee members to ignore everything that they have said for years and believe that they have had some Damascus road conversion. Nevermind what I have said for years publicly, my beliefs now are dramatically different. The MAGAts will buy that crap. Most intelligent people not so much.

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McDonnell votes to confirm, Pothole Pete but votes no on Pete Hegseth? Does that make sense to you?

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Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:

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McDonnell votes to confirm, Pothole Pete but votes no on Pete Hegseth? Does that make sense to you?

It does to me, but I can see why it doesn't click for you or any other Trump voter. Character matters to me.

What did Pothole Pete ever do to compare to the history of abuse by Hegseth?

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Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:

quote:

McDonnell votes to confirm, Pothole Pete but votes no on Pete Hegseth? Does that make sense to you?

It does to me, but I can see why it doesn't click for you or any other Trump voter. Character matters to me.

What did Pothole Pete ever do to compare to the history of abuse by Hegseth?

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Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:

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Dr Butler. They don't want him to succeed, period. They are cheering for America to fail.

Your damn right I want him to fail. I oppose Trumpism and will do it vocally. I have no reason to slink away in shame--he didn't get MY vote.


I want Trump to fail at all he's promised to do.

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:
Steve, Buttigieg had not taken that leave when he was being debated for approval by the Senate.

I get that RFK Jr is saying different things than he used to advance his positions. I have issues with him on that. Does he truly believe his statements? It appears not, given his commentary.

I too have issues with him. He’s obviously a hypocritical mouthpiece.

I get the point that we eat badly and don’t exercise enough.

My point to those supporting him on that is:

Pretty much everyone agrees it’s a problem.

But if you are anti vaccination mandates, how can you be for mandates on food and exercise?

Michelle Obama was for trying to convince people to eat right and exercise more… and got quite a bit of flack about her husband’s and her hypocrisy on that.

So it’s bad when it was Michelle Obama but good when it’s RFK Jr and Trump?

Do you want to make some food mandates that will raise prices 20% or more (this is essentially what banning high fructose corn syrup would result in- there would be a lot of downstream unintended consequences.

Are you for giving more money in food stamps to allow the poor to make different choices (even though I’m sure they just will buy more bad crap with the extra money rather than buy the same amount of better choices…)

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The anonymous accusations on Hegseth are just that, anonymous.

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Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:

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The anonymous accusations on Hegseth are just that, anonymous.

If the allegations are anonymous, that's because Hegseth buys their silence. The affidavit of his sister-in-law is not anonymous.

Why pick on Pete because he's gay? I don't hear you demanding to know if there is a more qualified gay person than Hegseth. Why do gay hires so concern you?

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But when a person is appointed or nominated BECAUSE they're black or gay or a woman, then I have issues.