On Vaccines, 'It's Every Man for Himself'
It takes a cracked mindset to name a cracked pot with no scientific training to head the agency that oversees 11 agencies tasked with protecting Americans' health. They include the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, Medicare and Medicaid.
Donald Trump's pick of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head Health and Human Services suggests utter lack of concern for the well-being of everyday Americans. "Bobby," as Trump affectionately calls him, could threaten cutting-edge research into cancer cures, for heaven's sake.
Trump is clearly enjoying his latest clown show, urging Bobby to "go wild on health care."
Expect Bobby and his Trump-delivered supporters to accuse scientists and public health officials of being part of some dark elite bent on forcing vaccinations. They will undoubtedly find innocent missteps during the COVID epidemic to inflate their accusations.
Believe me, the elite doesn't care. The elite -- which I define not as the rich, but as the informed -- know who has medical expertise, and it's not this weirdo who says that a worm has been eating his brain. The elite know to get their shots.
RFK Jr. advocates drinking raw milk, which can contain harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites. Go ahead. Drink raw milk if you want. Me and mine will pass.
RFK Jr. insists that current levels of fluoride in the drinking water lower IQ. No evidence supports that, but lots of data show that fluoride reduces cavities. Trump says removing fluoride "sounds OK to me."
The New York Post has been one of Trump's bouncier cheerleaders, but it found no wit in the pick of this fruitcake to head HHS. I quote its editorial:
"We sat down with RFK Jr. back in May 2023. ... When it came to the topic (of health), his views were a head-scratching spaghetti of what we can only call warped conspiracy theories, and not just on vaccines. ... 'Pesticides, cellphones, ultrasound' could be driving an upswing in Tourette syndrome and peanut allergies. ... A radical, prolonged and confused transition ordered by a guy like RFK Jr., who will use his high office to spout his controversial beliefs, leaves a lot of room for things to go wrong -- and for people to wind up harmed or even dead."
As for the latter, recall that hundreds of thousands of COVID patients died because they failed to get properly vaccinated, according to reputable studies. Who can forget the pathetic pleas of patients breathing their last breath, begging doctors for the shot and being told it was too late?
Recall how Trump downplayed the seriousness of COVID with his rancid brand of humor, his suggestions that the afflicted might find a cure swallowing a disinfectant such as bleach. He touted hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug found useless against COVID. What a card!
When Trump came down with COVID, there was no "running wild" with his care. He was airlifted to Walter Reed Hospital, where he received first-class treatment informed by the best science: Regeneron monoclonal antibodies, antiviral remdesivir and dexamethasone, a steroid.
Forgive these suspicions that Trump takes some sadistic pleasure in exercising his power to get people to hurt themselves. But that's right up there in the malignant narcissist's playbook, and he is a textbook case.
Back to me and mine, we have every intention of ignoring the idiot who believes that Americans are being "unknowingly poisoned" by canola oil, corn oil and sunflower oil. We have our COVID shots. We have our flu shots.
You want to take advice from a fruitcake who illegally dumped a dead bear in Central Park? Feel free. That's your right.
In Trump Part II, it's every man for himself. For women, same idea.
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Follow Froma Harrop on Twitter @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com. To find out more about Froma Harrop and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators webpage at www.creators.com.
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