The Media Overlooks RFK, Jr., Don't Do the Same
He has a unifying message, is smart and charismatic, lifts weights in jeans, and trains freaking falcons. But what about his polices?
According to the Media, only two men are running for President: former President Donald J. Trump in the Republicans' corner, vigorously posting on his Truth Social account, and incumbent Joesph R. Biden being physically held up in the Democrats' corner.
As of writing this article, neither candidate has officially clinched the nomination. However, Trump is expected to take care of that by the end of today following the primaries in Mississippi, Georgia, Hawaii, and Washington.
In the run-up to what is shaping up to be the longest election season in my lifetime, most Americans were not excited about the idea of a Trump v. Biden rematch. Last spring, the media reported that Trump v. Biden is the rematch nobody wants.
Days before America was told how much it does not want a Trump v. Biden rematch, a third had announced his run for President: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The media reported on RFK's announcement and, within the same announcement, attacked him for his positions on COVID-19 and for daring to question "settled science."
"For Mr. Kennedy, that cause is vaccine skepticism, which he cloaked in terms of truth-seeking and free speech, a crusade that in the past led him to falsely link childhood vaccines to autism. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, he sought to undermine public trust in vaccines, comparing government efforts to impose mandates in some places to "Hitler's Germany." Both Facebook and Instagram took down accounts of a group he runs for spreading medical misinformation." - New York Times
"Kennedy has repeatedly invoked Nazis and the Holocaust when talking about measures aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19, such as mask requirements and vaccine mandates. He has apologized for some of those comments, including when he suggested that people in 2022 were worse off than Anne Frank, the teenager who died in a Nazi concentration camp after hiding with her family in a secret annex in an Amsterdam house for two years." - CBS News
"Kennedy was a strident critic of the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic and its top infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci. He also railed against the coronavirus vaccine and vaccine mandates.
In 2022, Kennedy invoked Nazi Germany in an anti-vaccine speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. The previous year, Instagram took down his account "for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines.'" - CNN
RFK, Jr. was immediately cast off as a longshot conspiracy nut. The DNC wouldn't give RFK, Jr. the time of day; today, he continues to be without Secret Service protection, customarily provided to all viable Presidential candidates. The claim is that RFK, Jr. faces no serious threats and is not a viable candidate, even though RFK, Jr. has faced threats and is currently polling at 12.9%, according to RealClear Polling.
Is that a significant polling percentage? No.
But it's disruptive, and that is the problem. RFK, Jr. is disruptive, and it appears he is most disruptive for Biden. And I can always appreciate a little disruption.
I Get Why You Like Him
RFK Jr. appeals to Americans who voted for Biden in 2020, many Independents, and a decent number of conservatives. I get it; I felt inspired watching his "State of the Union" video. He successfully conjured up images of a bygone era of American greatness when most Americans were proud to be American.
RFK Jr. is an old-school Democrat. He loves his country, opposes government corruption, and values freedom of speech. He reminds us of a time when you could have dinner with your Democrat friend, agree on 80-ish % of topics, have a healthy debate on the remaining 20%, and leave the table without a drink in your face.
He's intelligent and charismatic. The media has focused predominantly on his positions regarding COVID-19, immigration policies, and freedom of speech—views that often align more with Republicans and conservatives.
But he is still a Democrat, and many Republicans and conservatives do not know where he stands on other important issues. And how can they? The media has essentially blacklisted him, and his social media campaign has focused primarily on big pharma, immigration, and free speech. The result is that we do not have a clear picture of RFK, Jr.'s policy positions.
Getting to Know RFK, Jr. Policies
First, I am going to share just some of what is on his website. If you want to read his policy positions, they are all laid out on his website.
Jump Ahead
Although many of his policies sound appealing, as with most Democratic policies, many also require more government and spending. We must be wary of promises that sound great on their face but are outside the executive branch's preview. For example, I am very intrigued about his plan for the housing crisis and how to deal with Blackrock, Vanguard, and State Street.
However, I am weary of the idea of government-backed housing loans. It reminds me of 2008 and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. I was living in Florida at the time, and I am still traumatized.
Also, when you artificially make lending, it raises demand, which raises prices, which is precisely what happened during COVID-19. Interest rates were low at the start of COVID-19, and with everyone relocating or buying bigger, housing prices went up. It's economics
The Economy
"People who work hard should be able to afford a decent life."
Being able to afford a decent life doesn't mean working more hours. It means higher pay and lower bills.
Here is what Kennedy will do to make that a reality:
Raise the minimum wage to $15, which is the equivalent to its 1967 level.
Prosecute union-busting corporations so that labor can organize and negotiate fair wages.
Expand free childcare to millions of families with programs like that pioneered by the state of New Mexico.
Drop housing costs by $1000 per family and make home ownership affordable by backing 3% home mortgages with tax-free bonds.
Cut energy prices by restricting natural gas exports.
Support small businesses by redirecting regulatory scrutiny onto large corporations.
Secure the border and bring illegal immigration to a halt, so that undocumented migrants won't undercut wages.
Negotiate trade deals that prevent low-wage countries from competing with American workers in a "race to the bottom."
Rein in military spending and use the resources to fund infrastructure, health care, higher education, child care, and domestic prosperity.
Reverse the chronic disease epidemic that is a $3.7 trillion drag on families and the American economy.
Clean out the corruption in Washington, D.C., which funnels so much of our nation's wealth to giant corporations and billionaires.
Establish addiction healing centers on organic farms across the country.
Make student debt dischargeable in bankruptcy and cut interest rates on student loans to zero.
Cut drug costs by half to bring them in line with other nations.
People always ask, "How are we going to pay for all this?" The answer is simple. First is to end the military adventures and regime-change wars, like the one in Ukraine. The wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya already cost us over $8 trillion. That's $90,000 per family of four. That's enough to pay off all medical debt, all credit card debt, provide free childcare, feed every hungry child, repair our infrastructure, and make college tuition free — with money left over. That's enough to make social security solvent for another 30 years.
Second is to end the corruption in Washington, the corporate giveaways, the boondoggles, the bailouts of the too-big-to-fail that leave the little guy at the mercy of the market. Corporations right now are sitting on $8 trillion in cash. Their contribution to tax revenues was 33% in the 1950s — it is 10% today. It's high time they paid their fair share.
The Environment
Kennedy is a long-time environmentalist. He made his name as an environmental attorney. But, he plans to restore and likely expand the USDA and the EPA, which means more regulation.
Fox News reported on a blog post Kennedy wrote in 2014 titled "Jailing Climate Deniers," he says he believes "big oil" CEOs should be jailed for what they're doing to the environment. So my guess is his administration will not be restricting fossil fuels.
"Clean it Up"
We will shift agricultural subsidies so as to encourage regenerative practices. Today, a new generation of farmers and ranchers is building soil, replenishing groundwater, and detoxifying land, all while producing just as much food as conventional farmers and earning a decent livelihood.
We will incentivize the transition of industry to zero-waste cycles and clean energy sources, and forge agreements with other countries to implement these policies throughout the global supply chain. These first two policies will vastly reduce the toxic waste, industrial poisons, and pesticides that make people and ecosystems sick.
We will protect wild lands from further development, by curbing mining, logging, oil drilling, and suburban sprawl. We will become a global advocate for rainforest preservation and marine restoration. We will rethink development policies that promised economic growth while ignoring ecological sustainability, and ended up delivering neither.
We will restore the USDA and the EPA to their proper role of protecting health and the environment. Today, corporate influence has severely compromised these agencies, resulting in a proliferation of highly toxic chemicals in our food, soil, air, and water. It's time to clean it up!
The Border
Kennedy speaks powerfully about the issues at the border and is vehemently opposed to the current administration's border policy; however, I have seen little explanation about what to do with the millions of illegal immigrants currently in the U.S.
He proposes hiring more judges to handle asylum cases, but what will be done for those in the U.S. who do not appear in court? What will be done regarding "sanctuary cities" that do not turn these illegals into CBP?
There are two ways people enter this country illegally. One way is by sneaking in. The other is by simply walking across at an entry point, claiming asylum, and disappearing. We have to address both. If we only shut down the asylum route, they will sneak across instead. If we only seal the border, they will overwhelm asylum processing resources. We must end both simultaneously. To accomplish this, the Kennedy administration will pursue the following policies.
Tighten border security to regain control over the border. We will use technology that was installed at the border then dismantled by the Biden administration, such as cameras, lights, and motion detectors, coupled with physical barriers in key areas (there is no need to build a wall across the entire 2,000-mile border). We have the technology to prevent people from getting through undetected. We can control the border. We have the technology. We can deploy the personnel. All we need is the will.
Get on top of asylum claims. We have to fully fund courts, services, and border agencies to allow lawful immigration in accordance with U.S. law and deny non-compliant access, and appoint more judges to handle asylum cases. There are woefully few asylum judges to process even the legitimate claims of political refugees. If claimants of political asylum knew their case would be heard swiftly, and that specious claims would be met with swift deportation, the cartels' business model would fail.
There are 1.6 million immigrants living in the US while they await their asylum hearing. Fewer than 15% will be approved. We need to appoint hundreds more judges to deal with this backlog, and to ensure that newly arriving immigrants get a hearing before being admitted to the U.S.
Let's Dig Deeper into Mr. Kennedy
Some issues that are suspiciously missing from Kennedy's policy section on his website are abortion, the Second Amendment, and Trans rights. However, if you dig around, you will find them towards the bottom of his FAQ.
Kennedy on Abortion
When it comes to the issue of abortion, no candidate is perfect. However, we know where Trump and Biden stand on the issue.
During the SOTU, Biden stated that he intended to make Roe v. Wade the "law of the land." Considering Democrats are unwilling to put any restrictions on abortion, that is a frightening thought.
Although Trump had a significant hand in overturning Roe v. Wade due to his Supreme Court Nominee's choices, he did go after DeSantis when he signed Florida's 6-week abortion ban. And most recently, it has been reported that Trump supports a 16-week abortion ban. If you are as bad at math as I am, that is four months.
Trump's campaign called the report "Fake News" but did not elaborate on his plans.
"As President Trump has stated, he would sit down with both sides and negotiate a deal that everyone will be happy with," Karoline Leavitt, the campaign's national press secretary, said in a statement.
So, what about Kennedy?
According to his FAQ:
What is Mr. Kennedy's position on abortion? Is he pro-life or pro-choice?
Here is a quote from a recent interview that summarizes Mr. Kennedy's position: "My stance is that every abortion is a tragedy, but I've spent my life advocating for bodily autonomy and bodily independence. And I don't think the government is the right entity to be telling women what they should be doing with their bodies." In addition, he calls for devoting all the resources burned up in the abortion fight to supporting mothers who want to carry their babies to term, who lack the resources to do so.
But we got more of a glimpse into Kennedy's stance while at the Iowa State Fair, where NBC asked him if he would codify Roe v. Wade or support a national ban on abortion after the first three months of pregnancy. This is how that went.
The media jumped on the fact that he said, "I believe a decision to abort a child should be up to the women during the first three months of life." And when pressed on whether that meant signing a federal ban at 15 or 21 weeks, he said yes
But a spokesperson for Kennedy promptly walked it back. "Mr. Kennedy misunderstood a question posed to him by an NBC reporter in a crowded, noisy exhibit hall at the Iowa State Fair," clarifying his stance on abortion as "always" being the woman's right to choose. Kennedy "does not support legislation banning abortion," the spokesman added.
Kennedy on Second Amendment
Most Democrats will also claim this but then follow with "common sense gun control" to reduce gun violence. Kennedy, however, deviates from his fellow Democrats. During a town hall with News Nation in June, he said that he believes there is nothing policymakers can "meaningfully" do through gun control to reduce the gun violence epidemic in America.
"I do not believe that there is, within that second amendment, that there's anything we can meaningfully do to reduce the trade in the ownership of guns,” he said, “and I'm not going to take people's guns away."
"Anybody who tells you that they're going to be able to reduce gun violence through gun control at this point I don't think is being realistic…and I think we need to figure out other ways to reduce that violence," Kennedy added.
This appears to align with his FAQ, which states that he wishes to focus on the cause of gun violence, such as mental health, versus regulating law-abiding gun owners.
According to his FAQ:
What is Mr. Kennedy's position on gun control and the Second Amendment?
Mr. Kennedy will protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, including the Second Amendment. As an environmentalist and outdoorsman, he recognizes the importance of guns to rural culture in America. He also understands why people want to own guns at a time of rising crime and low trust in government. However, as someone whose own life was shattered by gun violence at a young age, he will make it a priority to reduce gun violence in America, which starts by looking at its causes: despair, mental illness, alienation, desperation, cycles of trauma, and lack of opportunity for young men.
Kennedy on Trans Rights
I find this one interesting because there is very little besides the FAQ. As an individual who speaks so strongly against pharma, I find it interesting that he takes a safe stance on the issue. Yes, I get to leave adults to do as they please, but are we not going to address at all how mental health is tied to the trans issue and how big pharma is profiting from this issue?
Also, I must remind you that an "adult" is 18. What about the 18 - 19-year-old in a mental health crisis who decided to take cross-sex hormones and mutilate themselves?
According to his FAQ:
What is Mr. Kennedy's position on Trans rights?
Mr. Kennedy believes in body autonomy and respect for the choices of others. He believes that those who wish to alter their bodies or express as another gender should be free to do so. However, he believes it is important to preserve women's sports and women-only shelters for biological women. And he believes that gender-change surgeries and puberty blockers should not be given to minors.
Conclusion
My aim here is not to bash on Kennedy. In fact, I really like the guy. He is smart and seems cool, and I love his unifying message. Also, let's face it: he has to be better than Biden. But what about his policies? Because that kind of matters.
I am fully aware that Trump is exhausting and frankly behaves like an asshat more often than not, and for some unexplainable reason, he will admit his mistake with the COVID vaccine. But the border was secure, we had no war, and the economy was thriving before that wretched spike protein spread worldwide.
My concern with Kennedy is that, at his core, he is a Democrat, and even though he is a Democrat, I like and respect his policies to create more government and require more spending.
It would be fun to have a president who lifts weights in jeans, does pushups, and is into falconry. But what I would REALLY like is a thriving economy, no more wars, and for the government to leave me the #%*! alone.
So, what do you think about RFK, Jr? Did you learn anything new? Did I miss anything? Become a paid subscriber and join the conversation.
Call to Action
If you are an email subscriber but not a Substack App user, now is the time to download and engage with Substack. This platform has many independent journalists and writers who aim to cut through the mainstream media narrative. Don't know where to start and who to follow? Visit my recommendations!