Robert F. Kennedy Jr. United States Secretary of Health and Human Services

[Number 47]

Why Mitch McConnell voted against RFK Jr. for health secretary

In a party-line vote, zero Democrats and 52 Republicans in the Senate voted Thursday to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the new head of the Department of Health and Human Services. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was the sole Republican to oppose President Trump's nominee.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., a physician and the chair of the Senate's health committee, was originally hesitant but changed his mind last week after promises that Kennedy made to him.

The 82-year-old McConnell, who has served in the Senate since 1985 and is the longest-serving party leader in that body, recovered from polio when he was 4. He still walks with a limp and suffers health problems related to the illness.
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He contracted the disease in 1944, before the polio vaccine was available, and experienced paralysis in his left leg. Immunization campaigns starting in the 1950s eventually eliminated the scourge in the United States.

During the coronavirus pandemic, McConnell was a supporter of the COVID-19 vaccine and the push to develop treatments, telling The Associated Press that the moment reminded him of the fear surrounding polio in his childhood.

He issued a statement Thursday on Kennedy's nomination that explains his views in stark terms:

"I'm a survivor of childhood polio. In my lifetime, I've watched vaccines save millions of lives from devastating diseases across America and around the world. I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles.

"Individuals, parents, and families have a right to push for a healthier nation and demand the best possible scientific guidance on preventing and treating illness. But a record of trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories and eroding trust in public health institutions does not entitle Mr. Kennedy to lead these important efforts.

"This Administration – led by the same President who delivered a medical miracle with Project Warp Speed – deserves a leader who is willing to acknowledge without qualification the efficacy of life-saving vaccines and who can demonstrate an understanding of basic elements of the U.S. healthcare system. Mr. Kennedy failed to prove he is the best possible person to lead America's largest health agency. As he takes office, I sincerely hope Mr. Kennedy will choose not to sow further doubt and division but to restore trust in our public health institutions."

McConnell was also the only Republican senator to vote against Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence, and he voted against Pete Hegseth for defense secretary.

At a news conference on Thursday, Trump disparaged McConnell's mental fitness and said that he didn't know anything about McConnell having polio. "He's a very bitter guy," Trump said.

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-h...-mcconnell-hhs

[SmileyJoe]

Just go ahead and pin this link

https://www.factcheck.org/person/robert-f-kennedy-jr/


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[MF5150]

Big Pharma and the FDA when RFK goes to visit.

”Hey Bobby, we are here for you. We totally agree that we need to tighten up on our end.

Also, we think as a show of solidarity that you should go to a true American city, I dunno….lets just say Dallas….and do, well, kind of like a parade of sorts. Yeah, you in a limo with Cheryl and you can finish off by driving through Dealey. We will be in the car behind you.

Oh, open top for sure, right? Yeah, the people are going to want to see you…..”

[fudd]

Big Pharma and the FDA when RFK goes to visit.

”Hey Bobby, we are here for you. We totally agree that we need to tighten up on our end.

Also, we think as a show of solidarity that you should go to a true American city, I dunno….lets just say Dallas….and do, well, kind of like a parade of sorts. Yeah, you in a limo with Cheryl and you can finish off by driving through Dealey. We will be in the car behind you.

Oh, open top for sure, right? Yeah, the people are going to want to see you…..”

“My family isn’t gonna fall for that again

I do like restaurants and hotels though.”


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[Dr5115]

I hope that RFK cleans house. The amount of power that big pharma has over both the media and politicians is terrifying. A majority of congressional members have taken money from big pharma. Mainstream media gets a majority of their advertising revenue from big pharma. The media is not likely to run stories that would be detrimental to companies that provide a majority of their income.

This will be interesting to watch.

[edwardv]

Big pharma is not all evil. Certain aspects yes. Take cancer drugs. Thousands are living longer and being productive with certain cancers. Big pharma stocks also power many retirement portfolios which allow the middle class an opportunity to retire. However,the costs for those drugs are crippling to insurance companies and they pass it along to us in huge unaffordable premium increases.

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[Brett]

Big pharma is not all evil. Certain aspects yes. Take cancer drugs. Thousands are living longer and being productive with certain cancers. Big pharma stocks also power many retirement portfolios which allow the middle class an opportunity to retire. However,the costs for those drugs are crippling to insurance companies and they pass it along to us in huge unaffordable premium increases.

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Absolutely true.

[Little Dreamer]

OK, so let's get something clear: you expect the party who has ALWAYS protected big pharma, defeating any law to reign in their power, and taking millions from their lobbyist to be the one "reigning in" big Pharma?!?!!?

Makes ZERO sense.

[Dr5115]

I don't care who it is that cleans it up, as long as it's done. Why did the Biden admin tell Facebook what they could and could not run during Covid? Similar censorship over at Twitter. Seems logical that the companies producing the vaccines did not want any voices to be heard that would question the safety and efficacy of the shots. RFK has some interesting points, one being that as the most medicated country in the world, we are not the healthiest.

Im not saying all pharmaceuticals are bad. But lets be honest, big pharma does not and will not make any money if we have a healthy country.

[jimmy812]

I don't care who it is that cleans it up, as long as it's done. Why did the Biden admin tell Facebook what they could and could not run during Covid? Similar censorship over at Twitter. Seems logical that the companies producing the vaccines did not want any voices to be heard that would question the safety and efficacy of the shots. RFK has some interesting points, one being that as the most medicated country in the world, we are not the healthiest.

Im not saying all pharmaceuticals are bad. But lets be honest, big pharma does not and will not make any money if we have a healthy country.

He can clean up the food industry, then we'd have a better shot at being much healthier. Otherwise, I'd bet we'll still need many of those pharmaceuticals.

And, people are going to do what they're going to do. They'll eat what they want and how much they want, regardless of the consequences.

[lovemachine97(Version 2)]

A major problem with "big pharma" is government-imposed. The idea that more government is going to help us is likely to to not only disappoint us, but make it worse.

One major thing that could be done is streamline and rein in the approval process for drugs.

But we also don't need to rehash things. The idea that vaccines haven't been properly vetted is nonsense. Yet that seems to be where he is going to start--MORE regulation authority over vaccines.

[seenbad]

He can clean up the food industry, then we'd have a better shot at being much healthier. Otherwise, I'd bet we'll still need many of those pharmaceuticals.

Jimmy......that's actually a decent point you made. I'm so proud of you right now. lol.

And, people are going to do what they're going to do. They'll eat what they want and how much they want, regardless of the consequences.

Not accurate. Information provision is huge. Consequential health information being hidden or omitted from packaging and basic education has been a key to big food and lobbying efforts. That ends. Think warning labels on tobacco products inception and the decline in use since. It's taken a long time but less people smoke now (myself included). We went from "9 out of 10 doctors recommend Camel's" to "this product is proven to cause lung cancer". The same is going to happen to big food that happened to big tobacco (which is where all the big tobacco scientists went after the fall, for the purpose of making our food addictive rather than healthy).

[Dave's Dreidel]

How much more information do you need on a food package?

[seenbad]

How much more information do you need on a food package?

Do your fruit loops tell you red #5 can kill you and we're the only country that allows it because of the big food lobby ?

We could put a little more.

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[It's Mike]

If he focuses on food, he'll be a giant asset.

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