Donald Trumps nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has experts urging the senate to reject the nomination. In fact, today over 75 Nobel prize winning laureates in medicine, chemistry, physics and economics signed a letter outlining the danger Kennedy would be as the head of the DHHS.
The letter warned that “Placing Mr. Kennedy in charge of DHHS would put the public’s health in jeopardy and undermine America’s global leadership in the health sciences.” As Kennedy has previously opposed important public health tools, such as vaccines and the fluoridation of drinking water, critics have good reason to be wary of his potential appointment. Kennedy has also inaccurately linked vaccines to autism, denied the connection of H.I.V. to AIDS, and erroneously proposed a link between certain races to the contraction of Coronavirus (specifically stating that Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people would be immune to it). His rejection of proven science poses a great threat to our nation as the department is so important.
The Department of Health and Human Services contains critical agencies like the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health. Vowing to threaten and fire long standing professionals in these agencies, Kennedy worries Nobel laureates of the future success and global standing of the DHHS.
If confirmed, Kennedy would head a department responsible for 13 agencies, a nearly $2 trillion budget, and federal health programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act. This is by far the biggest job he would have ever had, with nothing coming even remotely close. Jeff Hutt, spokesperson for the Make America Healthy Again political action committee and Kennedy’s former national field director, said, “He’s an inspirational leader who’s able to communicate. But he’s not a manager.” Kennedy’s last professional effort, his campaign, ended before any votes were cast, leaving him $4.5 million in debt. “I have no idea how he’s going to run a full department, if that’s how he ran the campaign,” said one observer.
Experts agree through example that Kennedy has proven he is not qualified to lead the DHHS. His approval process in the senate will offer more insight into the quality of the senate's vetting process rather than the candidate himself.
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5031298-nobel-laureates-oppose-rfk-jr/
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/28/rfk-hhs-management-doubts-00191852
13 comments:
RFK Jr. is the absolute antithesis of a healthcare professional.
First of all, his claims about vaccines, food, etc. are representative of a lack of knowledge and respect of basic science. His views are by no means unique to him though. There are many Americans who are dangerously misinformed, or deeply reluctant to trust mainstream scientific health claims. Then again, perhaps that is part of RFK Jr.’s appeal, and the reason Trump has chosen him.
Then there is his personal health - he claimed to have had suffered from a brain parasite and high mercury levels. Perhaps these are not indications of a person who is qualified to tell Americans how to stay healthy.
RFK Jr. is not the only absurd pick Trump has made for his cabinet though. From selecting a Director of National Intelligence that seems to have an affinity towards foreign dictators, to creating a Department of Government Efficiency that may just turn out to be powerless and unproductive, Trump’s actions seem almost intentionally ironic and destructive.
Since Trump released many of his cabinet picks, I have repeatedly seen an influx of cartoons and memes that point out how the picks for every department are at an exact detriment to the function of the respective agency. I think RFK’s nomination is one of the most ironic — an HHS Secretary who encourages raw milk consumption seems like a hypothetical I would’ve seen on Tiktok six months ago. For this reason, I admit that my shock was starting to force me to accept such an absurd nomination. Not only is it a great relief to hear that experts are speaking up, but it gives me a much more optimistic view of America’s future — with how much experts are being ignored nowadays I was starting to forget that they were out there. Although, now, we (in the Bay Area especially) need them more than ever.
One of Kennedy’s views that worries me in particular is his drive to halt infectious disease research for eight years. Considering that America’s first case of monkeypox was discovered a few weeks ago in San Mateo County, RFK’s nomination is especially a threat to our community if he enacts his plans, and a pause on such research may possibly send America into another pandemic (something that will not only set us back health-wise, but also socially and economically). I think one of the scariest things seen lately is the rate at which many politicians are denying science. Therefore, experts speaking up and potentially saving our communities from devastation under RFK is some of the best news I could ask for.
Kennedy also has stated that he intends to ban over 100 food preservatives that would are also banned in many European countries. This would cause shelf life of foods to decrease by a lot, causing prices to increase and also contributing to hunger and starvation for those who are already struggling to buy food right now. Many of his policies are targeted to appeasing people like Donald Trump and the extremely wealthy, with no regard for the average American who is just trying to get by. Hopefully RFK does not entirely halt medical research in these next 4 years.
I am very much unsurprised reading this article. This is a typical Donald Trump cabinet pick. A big name, who is loyal, and completely unqualified for the job. His conspiracy theories are something else, one I expect of a Trump nominee. He said that the use of antidepressants, and not increased access to machine guns, is a reason for increased mass shootings. In addition, he claimed that toxic chemicals in water cause gender dysphoria in children. These are just a couple of his absurd theories he attempts to spread. Kennedy blatantly ignores science and evidence based research which makes him a harmful candidate, especially for public health. It truly scares me that he will be the country's leader in this department, someone who spreads ridiculous conspiracies rather than listening to science.
The possibility of Kennedy being in charge of the DHHS is a very dangerous one. While this is not a surprising nomination based on some of Trump's other picks, the spread of false information regarding public healthcare can be detrimental to the country, especially if it comes from an authority figure who should be highly educated and knowledgeable of the facts presented - which Kennedy clearly is not. With the COVID-19 pandemic we saw just how easily manipulated the public can be when it comes to issues related to healthcare. A clearly misinformed and uneducated person should not be in charge of the DHHS, holding a position where the power to manipulate uninformed citizens is so accessible.
The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr, to lead the department of health and human services has sparked a significant controversy, and it is honestly very easy to see why. Kennedy has a known history in promoting misinformation on critical health issues, such as vaccines and the line between HIV and AIDS. This being known, the concerns to his nomination are very valid since so many people believe he is not capable of effectively overseeing a department that relies solely on evidence based science in order to protect public health. DHHS is also not just a little meaningless organization, it manages important programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, causing the nomination to be particularly alarming. Leading something so big requires not only leadership skills, but also trust from the public, and Kennedy’s record seems to fall short in both of these. I think it will be quite interesting to see how the senate handles the nomination and if they prioritize qualifications.
Honestly, the idea of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. running the Department of Health and Human Services is pretty wild. Given his history of spreading misinformation about vaccines and health science, it’s hard to see how he’d be a good fit. The CDC and FDA rely on trust from the public, and putting someone in charge who’s questioned the science behind vaccines and health issues could seriously hurt that trust. It’s not just about being a "good communicator" — managing a department this big and important requires more than just talk. If he gets confirmed, it could make people even more skeptical of the health systems that are already struggling to regain public confidence.
The selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr for leading the Department of Health and Human Services is ultimately very concerning. Given the critical role the DHHS holds in protecting national health, RFK Jr's history of theories, specifically denying the connection between HIV and AIDS and linking vaccines to autism, raises very serious concerns about the United States' future of public health. Overall, the DHHS needs a leader that can prioritize the public health of Americans, RFK Jr seems to not be ready to take on a very significant position like this. Appointing someone with such a concerning background can serve long-term negative impacts on the public heath of the US.
Over 75 Nobel laureates signing a letter opposing Kennedy is undoubtedly impressive, however I think the impacts of this letter will be limited. In our highly polarized current political landscape, trust in experts/scientists is already low, especially with the rise of populist, anti-elitist politics; I'm worried that these comments will only further galvanize the MAGA base, who may see this as proving their anti-establishment sentiments. Also, the amount of support that Kennedy gets saddens me. The fact that there are people supporting him even despite his blatant hypocrisy and misinformation really shows just how deeply entrenched partisan loyalty has become, and how politics overrides fact.
I agree immensely with Jeff Hutt, at least about the failed campaign. Kennedy suspended his campaign after getting little support, and turned to endorse Trump. He is flighty and committed only to political gain. As head of the Health and Human Services, he would not take true care of the nation's public health. I doubt he will pass the Senate, due in large part to the science that opposes everything Kennedy stands for about vaccinations. However, if he does, Trump will realize too soon that he has made a mistake once Kennedy screws our nation's health over. It is a public embarrassment for Trump if he were to remove his appointee in the middle of the term, especially because there was so much opposition. The only hope our nation has if Kennedy is appointed are the senior civil servants of the Department of Health and Human Services who many of the workers are very loyal to. The senior employees have real power, and can override Kennedy. It helps that their jobs are heavily protected, so the risk is not huge.
It's impressive how many bad health takes RFK Jr has as the nominee for DHHS. I wonder if Trump only picked him because of his strong loyalty, or if Trump truly believes in and supports the ideas that RFK Jr has and does promoted. With this same train of thought, one would wonder whether senators will vote in accordance with their health beliefs or with their alignment with Trump. One would hope these elected officials would vote with their beliefs on health, as that is ultimately what RFK Jr will be placed in charge of, but it can't be guaranteed, or even assumed that they will, as we have seen the powerful force that is Trump's personality. Furthermore, I wonder if even RFK Jr himself has strong ideas for health, or if his actions are only for political gain, as he's demonstrated in the past.
Honestly, I have not been keeping up closely with who Trump is appointing, so this was very informative for me, but also equally terrifying. Besides his outspoken rejection of science--that has been proven time and time again--it is just as concerning that one of his former colleagues, who obviously supports such a polarizing right-wing person to some capacity ("He’s an inspirational leader who’s able to communicate"), believes that he will have a difficult time in such a major management position ("But he’s not a manager"). The fact that he has never had any job come "even remotely close" to the leadership he will possess now is very concerning. It is laughable looking at this--seeing such an uninformed and ignorant person--and thinking back to the beginning of the year, where we learned about the founder's wishes to have more skilled people in government (electing/keeping people based on merit).
Kennedy's appointment isn't just a question of qualifications; it's a potential flashpoint for internal cabinet dynamics and public policy contradictions. The McDonald's photo op that Trump posted, in which Kennedy, who has likened processed foods and a fast-food diet to poison, holds up a McDonald's burger, is both hilarious, sad, and reflects a pattern of Trump deliberately humiliating his defeated rivals before (callback to the viral 2016 dinner between Trump and Mitt Romney). The Trump loyalty litmus test has shown time and time again -- we remember Rex Tillerson (former Secretary of State) and James Mattis (former Secretary of Defense) both resigning/fired from Trump's administration during his first term -- that loyalty to his policies and public image outweigh (the however nonexistent) expertise/individual beliefs within his cabinet, and those who stray too far from his messaging are pressured to toe the line. In the end, independent decision-making within his cabinet will be effectively nonexistent, and Trump's cult of personality will reign supreme.
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