I’m laid up a bit at the moment, having had both foot and knee surgery last week, so I’ve been stuck on the couch doing not a lot, and having overly much time to review the news, and the internet. Add a few pain relieving drugs, and you can imagine that I’ve been a bit here and there at times.

But one thing’s for sure, is that watching the US political scene is like watching a train wreck. There’s a weird kind of fascination – you don’t want to look, but you can’t look away.

I think the thing that’s fascinated (and horrified) me most, is the whole idea of RFK Jr as the head of HHS. I mean, (despite what he’s been saying), he’s well known as an anti-vaccinator, almost rabidly so. He’s on the record multiple times in all forms of media, mainstream and not mainstream, discussing his anti-vaccination views, and he’s headed up the Children’s Health Defense organisation, which is primarily known for its promotion of anti-vaccination tropes.

Unfortunately, what happens in US Health circles, often has a flow on effect across the world. Organisations such as the CDC, and FDA, provide knowledge and information from research that is shared (maybe I should say was shared) widely in times of need, and often frontlines important health initiatives involving infectious disease and substance control and usage.

The whole idea of RFK Jr in control of such significant health organisations seems to me like putting the fox in charge of the henhouse, if said fox was a fox bent on destroying any chance of the chickens inside producing offspring who might have a chance of growing to adulthood.

Yet after having watched various excerpts of the confirmation hearing today, and then browsing social media, there’s a huge amount of cognitive dissonance out there. First, RFK Jr keeps denying he’s anti-vaccine. (Despite all evidence to the contrary.) Secondly, supporters on social media ignore said evidence, even in the face of his books, podcast appearances, and media appearances (I’m assuming much like they ignore the scientific evidence for vaccination), and say he’s all for ‘health’ and ‘look at him go.’

But really, when you consider that the population of the US is over 330,000,000, surely there are many people who actually have qualifications and experience in the field of health, and who do not subscribe to conspiracy theories?

It seems completely and utterly ludicrous that a high profile conspiracy theorist might actually end up in charge of the health of one of the world’s most powerful nations.

Total cognitive dissonance.