In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the myth that vaccines cause autism. This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing diseases to spread. Examples include measles, COVID, flu, and polio.
A number of posts discussed Trump's support for the discredited notion.
Another leading anti-vaxxer is presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. He has repeatedly compared vaccine mandates to the Holocaust. Rolling Stone and Salon retracted an RFK article linking vaccines to autism. He is part of the "Disinformation Dozen."
He is now Trump's nominee to head HHS.
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) is a physician and chair of the Senate HELP Committee. He has questions for RFK. Juliegrace Brufke at The Daily Beast:
“Vaccinations, he’s wrong on, and so I just look forward to having a good dialogue with him on that,” Cassidy said during his Fox News interview.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have called Kennedy’s vaccine skepticism and eccentric behavior—including allegations of whale decapitation, dumping a dead bear in Central Park, claiming to have brain worm and other conspiracies—“alarming.”
The HELP Committee chaired by Cassidy is slated to hold a “courtesy” hearing to weigh Kennedy’s nomination, which has not yet been scheduled. But the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing to decide whether to send Kennedy’s nomination to the chamber floor for a vote, which would likely occur late this month—if Kennedy, whose own family has turned on him, makes it that far. (Kennedy’s conspiracy theories include the assassination of his late uncle, President John F. Kennedy.)
Kennedy is one of Trump’s more controversial nominees. But Republicans close to Trump say they are optimistic about his odds, especially since a few Democrats—notably Sens. Bernie Sanders and John Fetterman—have left the door open to supporting Kennedy.
