The rise of RFK Jr. is a wake-up call for out-of-touch liberals
Advertisement
Like its sister slogan 'Make America Great Again,' Kennedy's '
Mainstream liberals, by contrast, have refused to even acknowledge the longing for a 'fix.' The go-to liberal approach of consciousness-raising — the messaging equivalent of those lawn signs that say '
Advertisement
What, exactly, does Kennedy propose to 'fix'? Public health-wise, America is doing a lot of things right, from the fluoridation of water that has prevented millions of painful cavities to widespread childhood vaccination that has wiped out once-routine epidemics of such deadly illnesses as polio. The American scientific establishment, with its deep pockets and cutting-edge medical research, has been the envy of the world (
But then there's people's everyday experience. Substances banned in other developed nations, from
Meanwhile, the wellness industry has long capitalized on people's anxieties. Can't afford glasses? 'Holistic' healers claim
Kennedy, who exudes the kind of authenticity that plays well on social media, is an icon of an emerging
Advertisement
One standard liberal response to figures like Kennedy has been fact-checking. That tactic
Ultimately, to combat Kennedy, the liberal establishment must recognize that his popularity reflects a genuine crisis of trust.
America is famous for its rugged individualism, but for every Marlboro Man there is a
Advertisement
Liberals must relearn the art of emotional resonance with ordinary people, which means acknowledging their suffering without judgment. Policy proposals must commit to real change that makes health care more accessible and affordable. Like Bill Clinton, liberals have to convince voters that they '
If liberals wish ever to regain political power, in short, they need to shed their reputation for being out of touch. They must acknowledge that the Trump-era Republican Party and Kennedy's ascension are mere symptoms of America's malaise.
Kennedy's post as HHS secretary should be a wake-up call. It reflects a profound disconnect between institutional messaging and the public's lived experience. Actually making America healthy again starts with addressing that gap.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNBC
25 minutes ago
- CNBC
CNBC Daily Open: The Trump administration's mixing business with politics to build a chip empire
Don't mix business with pleasure — or the music of the spheres might eject you from the skies even if you are an astronomer — but it seems, in the current milieu, there are no such restrictions between business and politics. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is eyeing a stake in struggling chipmaker Intel, according to a Bloomberg report on Thursday. That consideration is primarily attributable to Intel's status as the only born-and-bred American company that can manufacture the fastest chips on U.S. soil. While some firms such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Samsung, both of which can produce 3-nanometer chips — the most advanced semiconductors so far — have factories in the U.S., they are Taiwanese and South Korean companies, respectively, and probably do not enjoy apple pies on the Fourth of July. In combination with the news that Nvidia and AMD will pay the U.S. government a 15% share of their revenue from chip sales in China, as well as Apple committing to make more chips in America, the Trump administration seems to be consolidating a chip empire with the White House as its capital. To modify a song last heard by the Astronomer CEO before he was cast down to Earth: "I used to rule the world / Chips would rise when I gave the word."The Trump administration is reportedly considering a stake in Intel. The chipmaker is the only U.S. company that can manufacture the most advanced semiconductors in America. Intel's shares soared 7.4% after Bloomberg reported the news. Wholesale prices in the U.S. heat up. The producer price index for July shot up 0.9% on the month, higher than the Dow Jones estimate of a 0.2% gain. It was the biggest monthly rise since 2022. The annual figure came in at 3.3%, the highest since February. Potential Fed chair David Zervos backs an aggressive rate cut. The Jefferies chief market strategist told CNBC that reaccelerating wholesale prices in July should not deter the central bank from cutting its "restrictive" monetary policy by 50 basis points. U.S. stocks flirt with the flatline. The S&P 500's barest 0.03% gain, however, means it closed at another high on Thursday. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index added 0.55%. Meanwhile, the U.K. economy expanded by a better-than-expected 0.3% in the second quarter. [PRO] European defense stocks will benefit from Trump-Putin meeting. Regardless of whether the talks result in any breakthroughs on the war in Ukraine, analysts think it's a "win-win" situation for defense stocks. Putin vs. Trump? Ukraine talks could be a test of statecraft Russian President Vladimir Putin's standing in the West may be pretty low, but he's a skilled and seasoned statesman who shouldn't be underestimated, analysts say — and he's likely to be looking to outmaneuver his less experienced U.S. counterpart when the leaders meet in Alaska on Friday. "Let's be clear, Putin does not take Trump seriously," Tina Fordham, founder of Fordham Global Foresight, told CNBC ahead of the talks.
Fox News
25 minutes ago
- Fox News
Putin is not a negotiator, he just has people killed: Charlie Hurt
For News host Charlie Hurt discusses his predictions for President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting on 'Jesse Watters Primetime.'
Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
Judge orders RFK Jr.'s health department to stop sharing Medicaid data with deportation officials
WASHINGTON — A federal judge ordered the nation's health department to stop giving deportation officials access to the personal information — including home addresses — of all 79 million Medicaid enrollees. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services first handed over the personal data on millions of Medicaid enrollees in a handful of states in June. After an Associated Press report identified the new policy, 20 states filed a lawsuit to stop its implementation. In July, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services entered into a new agreement that gave the Department of Homeland Security daily access to view the personal data — including Social Security numbers and home address — of all the nation's 79 million Medicaid enrollees. Neither agreement was announced publicly. The extraordinary disclosure of such personal health data to deportation officials in the Trump administration's far-reaching immigration crackdown immediately prompted the lawsuit over privacy concerns. The Medicaid data sharing is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to provide DHS with more data on migrants. In May, for example, a federal judge refused to block the Internal Revenue Service from sharing immigrants' tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to help agents locate and detain people living without legal status in the U.S. The order, issued by federal Judge Vince Chhabria in California, temporarily halts the health department from sharing personal data of enrollees in those 20 states, which include California, Arizona, Washington and New York. 'Using CMS data for immigration enforcement threatens to significantly disrupt the operation of Medicaid—a program that Congress has deemed critical for the provision of health coverage to the nation's most vulnerable residents,' Chhabria wrote in his decision, issued on Tuesday. Chhabria, an appointee of President Barack Obama, said that the order will remain in effect until the health department outlines 'reasoned decisionmaking' for its new policy of sharing data with deportation officials. A spokesperson for the federal health department declined to directly answer whether the agency would stop sharing its data with DHS. HHS has maintained that its agreement with DHS is legal. Immigrants who are not living in the U.S. legally, as well as some lawfully present immigrants, are not allowed to enroll in the Medicaid program that provides nearly free coverage for health services. But federal law requires all states to offer emergency Medicaid, a temporary coverage that pays only for lifesaving services in emergency rooms to anyone, including non-U.S. citizens. Medicaid is a jointly funded program between states and the federal government. Immigration advocates have said the disclosure of personal data could cause alarm among people seeking emergency medical help for themselves or their children. Other efforts to crack down on illegal immigration have made schools, churches, courthouses and other everyday places feel perilous to immigrants and even U.S. citizens who fear getting caught up in a raid. 'Protecting people's private health information is vitally important,' Washington state's Attorney General Nick Brown said in a statement. 'And everyone should be able to seek medical care without fear of what the federal government may do with that information.' Seitz and Kindy write for the Associated Press.
