Congratulations to the Viral Community

 

I know I've never had a really good word to say about Covid-19, HIV, Ebola, any of the avian flus, but I have got to hand it to them--somehow their guy Bobby wound up getting confirmed as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. I mean, measles, mumps, and rubella? We thought you were down and out, but it looks like you're tipping champagne bottles tonight because we've got us a Wakefield truther. 

Who knows? Maybe smallpox or polio can come on in for a bow, because conspiracy theories and barely informed opinions have just won the consent of the GOP Senate--except for Mitch McConnell, who knows first-hand what polio is about.  But couldn't seem to convey that reality to his GOP brethren and, um cistern (is that what we call Murkowski and Collins? I forget).

I think it's great if people eat more healthfully.  I, unlike RFK Jr, can admit to not having eaten fast food for a very long while. My version of the Mediterranean diet includes a little salumi, though. My oil of choice comes from the olive pit. Good luck on weaning Americans off canola and high-fructose corn syrup (there is a lobby against you). 

But here's my very important problem with RFK, Jr. He's a dumbass who just implied Trump was sent by God. Because Trump had the courage and intelligence to put RFK Jr. in charge of something to do with health. And you know, hearing that, I could almost believe Bobby was born in a manger. 

And raised outdoors his whole life like an ignorant animal. 

He went on to say something about how he was happy Trump was ending US AID for reasons that sound like they came right out of the mouth of a Kremlin apparatchik:

Kennedy also expressed his support for Trump’s crackdown on foreign aid agency USAID, calling it a “sinister propagator of totalitarianism and war.” Kennedy said he wants to do “the same thing” with institutions that are “stealing” the health of American children. When asked about vaccines, Kennedy said his views are “common sense” and that when people hear his true opinions, “Everybody supports it.”

The USAID agency formed by his uncle in 1961 at the height of the Cold War might well have been used to influence other nations--wow! Was Kennedy* high when he first understood that? To the extent that it promoted totalitarianism and war--probably more likely was a cut-out for promoting democracy and please don't lecture us while rimming the authoritarian asshole guy who wants to make Canada the 51st state 

Kennedy suffers from what I have been thinking of a MWBS--Mediocre White Boy Syndrome. Of course he and Trump and Musk would collide as privileged white boys with some real mediocrity and terrible hangups stemming therefrom. As with Hegeth and Gabbard, we are just going to watch this shit catch fire and burn this country and this Administration.

And I will be goddamned if the GOP Senate escaped whipping to confirming this asshole. You really could have seen this idiot, this nutter, this brainwormed grifting dipshit of privilege, and actually said "no" and made Trump make another choice--

When you get the calls about your suffering families of deceased constituents, my sympathy went to them--not you all. You all can go to hell. 

* People of notable families should get a version of "the talk" that explains that foreign agents are going to scoot job offers and political alliances your way to try and use your familial influence and do damage to the country. And maybe you should reject them if they don't pass a reasonable "smell test". I bet RFK Jr got such a talk. He is just really fucking stupid. 

UPDATE: In case this gets scrubbed, there's a page of HHS accomplishments and it includes: 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the nation's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services.

Below is a list of major events in HHS history and a list of the Secretaries of HHS/HEW.

2010

The Affordable Care Act was signed into law, putting in place comprehensive U.S. health insurance reforms.

2003

The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 was enacted - the most significant expansion of Medicare since its enactment. It included a prescription drug benefit.

2002

The Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness (now the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response) was created to coordinate efforts against bioterrorism and other emergency health threats.

2001

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid was created, replacing the Health Care Financing Administration.HHS responds to the nation's first bioterrorism attack - delivery of anthrax through the mail.

2000

Publication of human genome sequencing.

1999

The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 was signed, making it possible for millions of Americans with disabilities to join the workforce without fear of losing their Medicaid and Medicare coverage. It also modernized the employment services system for people with disabilities.

Initiative to combat bioterrorism was launched.

1997

The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was created, enabling states to extend health coverage to more uninsured children.

1996

Welfare reform under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act was enacted.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted.

1995

The Social Security Administration became an independent agency.

1993

Vaccines for Children Program was established, providing free immunizations to all children in low-income families.

1990

Human Genome Project was established.

Nutrition Labeling and Education Act was passed, authorizing the food label.

Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resource Emergency (CARE) Act began providing support for people with HIV/AIDS

1989

The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (now the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) was created.

1988

JOBS program and federal support for child care was created.

McKinney Act was passed to provide health care to the homeless.

1984

National Organ Transplantation Act was signed into law.

1981

Identification of AIDS - In 1984, the HIV virus was identified by the Public Health Service and French scientists. In 1985, a blood test to detect HIV was licensed.

1980

Federal funding was provided to states for foster care and adoption assistance.

1979

The Department of Education Organization Act was signed into law, providing for a separate Department of Education. The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) became the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on May 4, 1980.

1977

The Health Care Financing Administration was created to manage Medicare and Medicaid separately from the Social Security Administration.

Worldwide eradication of smallpox, led by the U.S. Public Health Service.

1975

Child Support Enforcement and Paternity Establishment Program was established.

1971

National Cancer Act was signed into law.

1970

National Health Service Corps was created.

1966

International Smallpox Eradication program was established.

Community Health Center and Migrant Health Center programs were launched.

1965

Medicare and Medicaid programs were created, making comprehensive health care available to millions of Americans.

Older Americans Act created the nutritional and social programs administered by HHS' Administration on Aging.

Head Start program was created.

1964

Release of the first Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health.

1962

Migrant Health Act was passed, providing support for clinics serving agricultural workers.

1961

First White House Conference on Aging.

1955

Licensing of the Salk polio vaccine.

Indian Health Service was transferred to HHS from the Department of Interior.

1953

The Cabinet-level Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) was created under President Eisenhower, officially coming into existence April 11, 1953. In 1979, the Department of Education Organization Act was signed into law, providing for a separate Department of Education. HEW became the Department of Health and Human Services, officially arriving on May 4, 1980.

1946

Communicable Disease Center was established, forerunner of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

1939

The Federal Security Agency was created, bringing together related federal activities in the fields of health, education, and social insurance.

1938

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act was passed.

1935

Social Security Act was passed.

1930

The National Institute (later Institutes) of Health was created out of the Public Health Service's Hygienic Laboratory.

1921

The Bureau of Indian Affairs Health Division, forerunner to the Indian Health Service, was created.

1912

President Theodore Roosevelt's first White House Conference urged creation of the Children's Bureau to combat exploitation of children.

1906

The Pure Food and Drugs Act was passed, authorizing the government to monitor the purity of foods and the safety of medicines, now a responsibility of the FDA.

1902

Conversion of the Marine Hospital Service into the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service in recognition of its expanding activities in the field of public health. In 1912, the name was shortened to the Public Health Service.

1891

Immigration legislation was passed, assigning the Marine Hospital Service the responsibility for medical examination of arriving immigrants.

1887

The federal government opened a one-room laboratory on Staten Island for research on disease, a very early precursor to the National Institutes of Health.

1878

The National Quarantine Act was passed, beginning the transfer of quarantine functions from the states to the federal Marine Hospital Service.

1871 etc:

The HHS has been a brilliant organization that deserved better. I'm not rooting for him to fuck it up, I'm saying he stands in contrast to what the agency has done before and thinks he will do something different. And I hate that for us.