The first Trump administration, from January 2017 to January 2021, was characterized by disregard of science and denigration of scientific expertise, discordant with past American policies. There was a significant departure from evidence-based policymaking, an inclination towards deregulation, and a strong alignment with industry interests. We can expect similar actions in his new administration, already manifest by withdrawal from the Paris Accord and the World Health Organization after Trump’s inauguration. He has also pushed for greater use of fossil fuels, withdrawn support for electric vehicles and banned windmills that produce electricity on federal lands. If Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tobert Kennedy Jr, is confirmed by the Senate, medical care and its scientific backings will take a major hit.
We are in a major battle with China for world leadership for our economy, science, and military, as well as the respect and admiration from other nations. By withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on Climate, we have lost our standing as a leader in meeting the challenge of climate change. The goal of keeping the world’s temperature to a maximum of 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial levels by reducing greenhouse gas emissions has already been bypassed. Trump’s decision to go all out in the production of fossil fuels by the U.S. completely ignores scientific data on climate change and shows a lack of caring about how the world is impacted. Or perhaps Trump and his government lackeys are not smart enough to understand the scientific basis of climate change through the emission of greenhouse gases.
Trump also intends to gut the EPA and roll back numerous environmental regulations because they are burdensome for some industries. He does not seem interested in the effects of pollution on workers in various plants or the American public in general. He is more concerned with making sure American industries are profitable and can compete with others globally. Trump proposes to loosen fuel efficiency standards for vehicles and power plant emissions. These actions are widely opposed by scientists and environmentalists, who argue that they will lead to increased pollution and enhance global warming.
In the first Trump administration, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic was marked by a series of missteps and a disregard for scientific advice. Despite early warnings from health experts, the administration downplayed the severity of the virus, leading to delays in implementing crucial mitigation measures. This was compounded by mixed messaging on mask usage and social distancing, undermining public trust in health guidelines. There were also many instances of interference with health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This included pressuring these agencies to approve untested treatments and altering guidelines to align with the administration’s narrative. The administration’s promotion of unverified treatments also contributed to public skepticism about the Covid-19 vaccines.
The first Trump administration proposed significant budget cuts to key scientific agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). While not all proposed cuts were enacted, the attempts signaled a lack of support for scientific research. Additionally, there were restrictions placed on research funding, especially in areas like climate science and public health. The administration also disbanded or reconstituted several scientific advisory committees, replacing expert members with industry representatives or political appointees. This move was seen as an effort to align advisory bodies with the administration’s policy goals rather than relying on independent scientific advice.
We can anticipate similar actions in the current Trump Administration as were seen in the preceding one. A particularly dangerous action by Trump is the nomination of Robert Kennedy Jr as the head of Health and Human Services. Kennedy denies the efficacy of vaccines and has promoted conspiracy theories about their dire effects, including the causation of autism, though this has been scientifically disproved. In general, he decries modern medicine and disputes various treatment modalities. If Kennedy is confirmed by the Senate, it will be an absolute disaster for medical care.
Thus, we can see that global warming will intensify unless Trump changes his policies supporting the fossil fuel industry. And America health care will be driven into the dark ages if Trump’s choice for HHS Secretary, Robert Kennedy Jr is confirmed.
www.robertlevinebooks.com
Buy The Uninformed Voter on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your local bookstore.
Posted at 09:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: fossil fuels, Global warming, healthcare, Jr, Robert Kennedy,Jr, vaccinations, scientific data, scientists
Political junkie, Vietnam vet, neurologist- three books on aging and dementia. Book on health care reform in 2009- Shock Therapy for the American Health Care System. Book on the need for a centrist third party- Resurrecting Democracy- A Citizen’s Call for a Centrist Third Party published in 2011. Aging Wisely, published in August 2014 by Rowman and Littlefield. Latest book- The Uninformed Voter published May 2020