"Two administration officials said Jim O’Neill, the second-in-command at the Department of Health and Human Services, would supplant Susan Monarez, a longtime government scientist. O’Neill, a former investment executive who also served at the federal health department under President George W. Bush, does not have a medical background. "
Jim O'Neill's lack of medical or scientific background:
"Unlike most past CDC directors, O'Neill is not a physician or scientist. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in humanities. This contrasts with the previous director, Susan Monarez, who had a PhD in microbiology.
Investment and libertarian ties: O'Neill spent much of his career in Silicon Valley investment, working with billionaire Peter Thiel. Critics point to his libertarian-leaning views and past statements about deregulation, including suggesting that drugs be approved for market based on safety alone, without effectiveness data.
Ayup! And MAGA idiots are rushing pell mell into full blown authoritarianism leading to a sicker and more mentally ill society.
ReplyDeleteOne without compassion, empathy, integrity, decency, curiosity, discipline, understanding, or peace.
You learned nothing from Covid.
ReplyDeleteI learned that after I took the COVID vaccine and boosters that when I did get COVID, it was nothing more than a head cold: no fever, no cough, no sore throat, no aches, no pains -- just a head cold for two weeks. And I am an immune compromised patient. So I learned that science works.
DeleteAnd idiot narcissists like RFK,Jr., are crackpots who will be responsible for countless American deaths because of his stupidity.
If you ever had a life-threatening disease (as I have had SIX times!) I go with what the experts in that disease knows, has studied, has published papers in, and has had good outcomes.
I would never in a thousand years believe a spoiled nepo pol who fried his brain for 15 years on heroine and has the self-control of an alley cat where it comes to females. I'm a sane person who doesn't take advice from a self-absorbed idiot who has ZERO knowledge in virology, biology, medicine, and epistemology. Only abject fools would do that.
You make a great experimental vaccine trial participant.
DeleteSpeak for yourself -FJ. I learned a lot from COVID such as the phrase "avoiding something like the plague" was not in fact based on reality. I learned that even as MAGA said no to the vaccine they sure the heck wanted all medical hands on deck when they needed to be intubated in order to breathe. I learned the emotional cost to our medical personnel when they had to tell unvaccinated folks that yep, they had COVID and no, there was no cure, either one died at that point or they got better with assistance, but no, no cure which is why it was so important everyone got the vaccine in the first place.
DeleteThat's what I learned, at least that's the 3 minute elevator speech.
I learned the when the president and VP said they wouldn’t take them if it was the one trump pushed. Guess what they lied
DeleteTell us -FJ... what should we have learned?
ReplyDeleteUnless -FJ has a PhD in medicine, virology, biology, and other related disciplines in infectious diseases, I'm guessing that he'll tell us what he learned on the Internet and from some obscure philosopher.
DeleteStay 6 feet away and wear a mask.
Deleteps - You don't need the rest of the "Plague Doctor" suit, though.
DeleteNone of what you posted makes any sense except to show that your reaction to my post is snark, which shows you have nothing constructive to say.
DeleteThose were the prescriptions of the CDC "experts". When asked about the "science" behind them, the answer was "none".
DeleteFauci wanted to experiment on the American people with untested mRNA vaccines. The consequences of those human medical experiments are only now, reluctantly being exposed. Cancer... up. Heart disease...up. Excess deaths... up. Weird growths in the veins and arteries of corpses...up.
Pure, unadulterated B.S. But I publish your nonsense here to show how foolish you are. You have ZERO evidence EVIDENCE, not manipulated b.s. to prove anything. People like you and RFK,Jr., are the REAL plague on our country because you promote and spread stupid lies.
DeleteTHE MAYO CLINIC debunks all of the B.S. you published.
The Mayo Clinic is not some whacky Deep State publishing conspiracy theories.
You are, OTOH, known for your conspiracies -- the recounts, for example in Arizona and Wisconsin that you promised would show the 2020 election was rigged -- all turned out to be b.s., the Durham report, B.S.! The case against the mother and daughter in Georgia and suitcases full of fake ballots, B.S., the "rigged 2020 election," B.S.
And here you are again pushing more B.S.
I have an idea: Why don't you take you conspiracy B.S. and open a fertilizer business and spread it on fields where something of value can be produced, instead of your unproved fever dreams of conspiracy around every corner every time something YOU don't understand or like frightens you.
Now you have a sparkling Happy Labor Day!
Take the vaccine at your own peril. I know I won't be taking it.
DeleteShaw... I'm willing to accept -FJ's list of Covid maladies at face value. All I ask is that he provide the links of peer reviewed studies, as the Mayo Clinic has, that support his views.
DeleteIt should not be difficult -FJ. Just post your links.
^^Didn't watch the video^^ 16 million participants.
DeleteSlowly Joe, with feeling...
DeleteGive us the link to the actual study with, as Grey noted, double and triple blind studies. You don't trust 6 guys working for the government without copious evidence. Why do you trust "16 million" people?
Heck, there are 80 million of us, with evidence, who say Biden won n 2020, but you don't that group either.
How on earth do you determine when, and who to trust? Especially when there's no independent oversight?
What happened to the mantra that the heads don't need to know anything about what they are head of because it is managing people that is their job.
ReplyDeleteThis goes down the line that Memphis is more violent than Chicago. Twist opinions to manage the point of view.
If department heads had to know something we surly wouldn't have had mayor pete in charge of anything.
In a sane country (and right now, thanks to the Republican Party, America isn't "sane."), one would hope that the head of HHS would have some working knowledge of public health and medicine. Kennedy has none of that. He's a conspiracist who is known for promoting unfounded theories on health and vaccines that are counter to the scientific method and methodology. IOW, he's a crackpot.
DeleteRFK,Jr., has never managed an organization as large and important as HHS, and his recent firing of experts, who actually know what they're doing, in favor of another conspiracist shows, once again, that RFK,Jr., is a narcissist who cares only for his own glorification and not the health and well-being of the American people.
PS. AT no time in his capacity as Transportation Secy. did Secy. Buttegeig put Americans at risk for their lives, unlike what RFK,Jr., is doing.
You seem to have a strange attraction for charlatans like RFK, Jr.
skud, If you insist on using a title for Pete Buttigieg that he no longer holds wouldn't it be the last title? Or are you going for mass disrespect? I'm thinking mass disrespect because that's just who you are.
DeleteSec Pete did an amazing job as Secretary of Transportion. What he didn't know going into the position he quickly picked up as evidenced by his binders of facts brought to every congressional hearing designed to challenge his effectiveness as a department head. But yeah, he (checks notes) "Checked a box". Contrast that with the congressional hearings of the FOTUS cabinet where the phrase "I don't know" was uttered more times than McDonalds has French fries (C-SPAN is a fascinating resource when traditional media is too cowardly to do their jobs).
Pete Buttigieg is a Rhodes Scholar with a field of study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. I know that means nothing to you skud because to you Pete's just gay, but those topics mesh well to give one a well rounded view of life and how to ensure our forward movement is to the benefit of all, not just a privileged few. I don't expect you to understand, just providing some context so when you next disparage Sec Pete we'll all know your biases.
skud, your inability to accept the fact that Tennessee, not Illinois, holds one of the most violent and crime-ridden cities in the US. Chicago isn't even in the top ten. You need to get your information from places other than rightwing propaganda sites.
Delete"Memphis, Tennessee, is frequently ranked among the US cities with the highest crime rates, with a high violent crime rate of 2,501 per 100,000 people, according to data from Security.org. Other cities with high crime rates include Detroit, Baltimore, and Houston. These rankings are generally based on FBI data and measure violent crimes such as murder, robbery, and assault."
For those smarter than scientists, I have no problem with them refusing vaccines. But for them to deny them to others is hypocritical, like the
ReplyDeletebully creep they worship.
Any doubts I had about the vaccine were dispelled by the reactions of the scientists responsible for creating the vax. The unbridled joy they expressed. The tears of relief knowing their efforts would save lives, one of the main reasons they got into the field they did in the first place.
ReplyDeleteAs a formerly altruistic person I trust that drive.
My job in health care admin wasn't just a job for me, I wanted, no needed to make a difference for humans. Yes, I look back and think how naive of me, especially after learning how the greed for bonuses by management at the highest levels hiked up everyone's rates, but when one is in the middle of doing what they think is a good thing?
Yeah, I believe in that impulse, therefore I got the Dolly Parton funded vaccine (I was blessed with Dolly juice - the placebo effect on that high lasted far longer than the original vax!) and every booster afterwards. The plague is the plague and as one who remembers a past life dealing with the plague... yeah, I'm glad I'm here/now and not there/then.
Final thought - I guess American society has moved on from their rational for making laws aka "if it saves one life!" to "if I feel it then it's real", a statement proven to be false through mental health classes. Facts are facts and have never cared about anyone's feelings.
I am personal friends with the family of one of a handful of people who in the early days, got the J & J vaccine and nearly died from it. She was 18, had a series of strokes and still suffers from side effects.
ReplyDeleteHere's how she puts it, and I'm paraphrasing... Everyone should make their own decision as to whether or not to get vaccinated. But thankfully that vaccination is available. I got vaccinated and nearly died but I would do so again.
Her entire family, all Trump supporters, despite her experiences, still support and encourage people to get vaccinated. Like we all did back in the day, against measles, mumps, rubella, and more.
The ones who should have learned have learned NOTHING. And they plan to subject ALL to their ignorance.
ReplyDeletePosts about ‘Japan vaccine deaths’ misrepresent study
ReplyDeleteFact Check: Japanese study does not report explosion in deaths among COVID-vaccinated
By Reuters
They key here -FJ is peer review. If the numbers are as large as you seem to purport, a significant sample size should be easy to find and study.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why that hasn't happened yet.
BTW, as far as I'm concerned, the vaccine is your choice. Take, don't take it. I don't care. But also don't take away my option to get it.
Which has happened here in Nevada.
It's completely interesting all the turmoil as it relates to the CDC and loss of confidence. Starting in February 2020, the CDC had an impressive series of errors, blunders and missteps that contributed mightily to the loss of public confidence in the institution.
Earlier today Trump referenced that reality as he was speaking of Operation Warp Speed on Truth Social.
Here's his statement...
“Many people think they are a miracle that saved Millions of lives. Others disagree! With CDC being ripped apart over this question, I want the answer, and I want it NOW... I have been shown information from Pfizer, and others, that is extraordinary, but they never seem to show those results to the public. Why not??? They go off to the next ‘hunt’ and let everyone rip themselves apart, including Bobby Kennedy Jr. and CDC, trying to figure out the success or failure of the Drug Companies Covid work... They show me GREAT numbers and results, but they don’t seem to be showing them to many others. I want them to show them NOW, to CDC and the public, and clear up this MESS, one way or the other!!! I hope OPERATION WARP SPEED was as ‘BRILLIANT’ as many say it was... If not, we all want to know about it, and why???””
It's almost as if he's not a president. "Why????" Our president can get that info almost immediately. By using Google, just like you and me. The problem is if he sees good and effective numbers, which he will, he's stuck, because the -FJ's of the world, without any proof, won't believe it.
He also won't speak of, or explain, that all that damage to the CDC and their reputation, happened in 2020, when Trump was president.
Gotta wonder why that is so...
The proof was provided. You ignored it (as usual). You prefer the Big Pharma (nothing-to-see-here) cover studies. Like the DuPont big chemical studies or the Reynolds tobacco studies. Paid for cover studies are de riguer when there's $ involved.
DeleteYes Joe, that's what you've said many times. However your proof however is tantamount to the Trump Campaign, after losing the 2020 elections, calling affidavits proof.
DeleteThose affidavits and your examples are not proof. They are accusations that have not proven with critical means of corroborating evidence. It's as if you are asking, in a murder trial, for a person to be convicted simply on the words of another person, backed up by people who weren't even there.
I simply asked for some peer reviewed studies. You know, actual research with sample groups, stated methods, foot notes, etc.
Instead we get YouTube videos of talking heads.
C'mon man, you're better than that...
Joe, your concept of proof is the same template used by those in power to ensure the people under their control continued to believe the sun revolved around the planet to ensure their power structure would remain intact. You need an updated template, just saying. Also, you neglected to include information about peer reviewed double and triple blind studies. Was that just an oversight or do you still need some time to perform those tests?
DeleteJoe prefers the RFK Jr "studies". The brain worm told me so.
ReplyDeleteIt always best ro ignore bulls**t provided by bullsh**ters like you based on the bullsh**t you believe jc.
ReplyDeleteThat’s not “ proof.” That’s a report on ONE country. No other country, as far as I could find info on, had those stats. Why is that?
ReplyDeleteGrey, Mayor pete was so good at his job that there was a major train wreck (actual train wreck not biden election) that he didn't have time to visit. Forcing hiring of air traffic controller to comply with DEI so in excess of 50% never completed training and has created a major shortage which could endanger the flying public.
ReplyDeleteskud: "Forcing hiring of air traffic controller to comply with DEI..."
ReplyDeleteThat is FALSE. It is a lie that was spread on rightwing media. I know from reading years of your claims that you get your information from only ONE source, and that source is rightwing propaganda outlets, and you did it again by repeating false information.
"It is false that former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg mandated DEI hiring for air traffic controllers. This claim was spread by conservative outlets and politicians, falsely asserting that the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lowered standards for DEI initiatives during his tenure.
The false claim gained traction in early 2025 after a mid-air collision in Washington, D.C.. The Trump administration issued an executive order ending DEI efforts in the federal government and falsely claimed the Biden administration hired people with "severe intellectual disabilities" and psychiatric issues for air traffic control, citing a since-removed section of an FAA report.
Buttigieg's response. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Buttigieg condemned the false accusations, highlighting that during his time as Secretary, "we drove down close calls, grew Air Traffic Control, and had zero commercial airline crash fatalities".
And stop with you nonsensical claim that Secy. Buttigieg didn't visit the train wreck. You're really grasping at MAGA straws on that one because you don't know what you're talking about and what the NTSB's responsibilities are in a disaster like the one that happened in Palestine, Ohio:
"Looking through the section of the U.S. Code that deals with the secretary’s duties, none of them seem immediately applicable to the crisis in East Palestine. There are likewise scant emergency or crisis powers offered to Buttigieg. The National Transportation Safety Board — which issued an initial report on the derailment on Thursday — is the primary body for determining the cause of the crash and issuing recommendations for the future. But contrary to what Comer and other Republicans seem to think, the board is independent, and not under Buttigieg’s control."