RFK, Jr. Devil or Angel for Public Health?

Now that Covid has receded into our distant memory as a source of constant fear and anxiety, it might be good to cogitate on what we may have learned from it.

To do this, we have to cross party lines, test out some conspiracy theories, and enter other forbidden zones. But hell, I’m 83 and been around long enough to see time pass and theories come and go. I’m also reading a fabulous book called “Blind Spots,” by Marty Makary. I mentioned it before, and it exposes much about the medical establishment and medical school training. Read it.

First, the pandemic exposed a fundamental weakness in American democracy: the gulf between citizens and their government. This disconnect stems partly from widespread civic ignorance — a problem that predates COVID but became more consequential during the crisis. The Annenberg Public Policy Center’s 2023 survey found that only 34% of Americans could name all three branches of government, and fewer still could explain their functions. This basic knowledge gap extends to understanding government agencies’ roles, particularly those central to pandemic response like the CDC, FDA, and NIH.

During the pandemic, this civic knowledge deficit complicated public health messaging. When the CDC issued guidance, many Americans lacked the context to understand the agency’s role, authority, and limitations. The frequent changes in recommendations — from initial advice against masks to later mask mandates, from two-week lockdowns to extended closures — while reflecting…