The Rather unusual picks for Health and Education Secretary
By Jakob Aufenberg. Read: 3 Min 20 s
Make America Healthy Again!
Robert F. Kennedy has been nominated to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
A direct descendent of America's most prominent Democrat family clan will decide over the health and cure of hundreds of millions of Americans. What may be unknown to these millions, however, is their incoming Secretary´s stance on key policies his Department is responsible to implement. Kennedy, inter alia, expressed rather uncommon views on the effects of vaccines, declaring them responsible for causing autism. The American Diet, too, has repeatedly been subject to his critique.
For a long time, Kennedy has vowed for stricter regulation of additives and ultra processed foods. These stances help draw a more differentiated picture of his persona which would simply make it easy to title him an “anti-vaxxer” and cancel him consequently.
Kennedy is “anti-pharma” - how his policies will affect the American industry is yet to be witnessed. What we may assure ourselves of, however, is disruption.
Just beneath Kennedy's role as Health Secretary, Dr. Mehmed Oz has been selected to be the second man in charge of American health. He will run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, an institution overseeing the health of over 150 Million Americans. A great choice, Dr. Mehmed Oz is a Harvard-educated physician with more than 20 years of experience as a surgeon. A great choice, too, because Mr. Oz has even been educating the average American Citizen about health advice in his Dr. Oz Show for several decades.
A not so great choice, considering Mr. Ozs advertisement of miracle cancer cures and sudden weight loss formulas that led to a U.S Senate Drilling against him and his rather questionable methods. Not to mention his advocacy for “hydroxychloroquine “ as a miraculous Covid-19 vaccine.
Although undoubtedly a qualified doctor, Mr. Ozs nomination will once again raise eyebrows.
Debate has not only been sparked by presidential nominations in the health sector but the administration's boldness in leadership appointments also extends to other areas, such as the education department.
It appears to be no surprise by now that nothing is sacred in American institutional politics with Trump at the helm, but surely his choices in the Education Department won't be so outlandish as to jeopardize the future of the American youth…? Well, think again!
Make Education Great Again!
Linda McMahon, an ex-Wrestling star and executive, has been appointed as Secretary of Education. With her extensive expertise in the Arena she will spearhead Trump's efforts to make America's Education Great Again.
Videos gone viral show her roughhousing around with fellow wrestlers and even her own children.
For the sake of the American pupils, we all may hope that McMahon will abstain from introducing similar methods in the classroom.
She herself is a rather unconventional pick, but potential controversy also surrounds her husband, who has recently been involved in a rape- and sex-trafficking scandal forcing him to step down as head of WWE. - apart from such allegations, the couple has been friends with the president-elect for decades. A useful connection, really.
Policy-wise, McMahon might oversee the literal dismantling of the federal Department of Education, as Trump vowed to give power “back to the states” in regard to education. Goal of this endeavor is to limit “liberal” policies stipulated by federal regulation.
McMahon will probably be rather happy about the outlook of her tasks.
Her past expertise certainly does not qualify her to oversee how America educates its children.
Dismantling things, be it a Wrestling Arena or a Federal Department, will suit her better.
Trump deliberately surrounds himself with rulebreakers and loyal subordinates. One may regard this as a blunt move to finally remove any discourse or dissent from his presidential administration. This holds true; with most of his appointees having no political experience at all, there will be little hampering Trump's “full speed ahead” disruptive ambitions.
Such a view, however, only covers one side of the medal: the appointees having little political expertise holds great potential, too.
Their disruptive impact may benefit an administration that is usually subject to an endless bombardment of lobbyism and corporate interests, heavily diminishing its trust-worthyness.
Whether their anti-establishment stances will hold true and loosen the grip “big pharma”, “big agriculture”, etc. exercise over American politics will be seen over the course of the next four years.
