Make America Healthy Again is a lie

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Jason,  Whenever I have a question about public health or medicine, I always call my mom.  Dr. Marianne McGrath has been a pediatrician for over 50 years — one of the first women to graduate from University of Kentucky medical school. I trust her take on pretty much everything. It might not surprise you that she's got a lot to say about the Trump administration's "Make America Healthy Again" efforts. When the CDC said it would no longer recommend the COVID vaccine to kids and pregnant women, they called it "common sense." My mom called it something she wouldn't want me to repeat in public. Because there was absolutely zero scientific reason for it — they didn't back it up with data and didn't even follow CDC procedure. That's what happens when you get rid of experts and install unqualified cranks to critical public health positions. Robert Kennedy Jr., the face of MAHA, is neither a doctor nor a scientist. He has zero formal experience in health policy. The man is a part-time politician and a full-time conspiracy theorist. (Seriously, just look up his views on cell phone signals to get a flavor of how nuts it is.) The team around him isn't much better — in charge of overseeing Medicare and Medicaid is TV doctor Mehmet Oz, who famously profited off selling his audience unproven and dangerous cure-alls. I could go on… So what's the big deal about the CDC changing their COVID policy? As my mom put it, less vaccine always leads to more disease — and more people getting COVID means more people at risk of serious complications, including long COVID. It's especially strange that this recommendation included pregnant women, who are particularly vulnerable to infection (and who can pass critical immunity on to their infants). But at the end of the day, one vaccine is small potatoes compared to the greater damage they're doing. So far, the Trump administration has already canceled or delayed nearly 2,500 NIH research grants — billions of dollars in funding cuts that have stalled or ended progress toward potential life-saving breakthroughs into Alzheimer's, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, cancer, and so, so, so much more. As Dr. Eden Tanner at the University of Mississippi whose research is aiming to develop a breakthrough treatment for glioblastoma told the New York Times: "I would like to cure brain cancer… I think that's not particularly controversial." Perhaps this is about enacting revenge on the scientists and doctors who refuse to take RFK Jr.'s crackpot ideas seriously. Or maybe Trump blames them for his disastrous COVID response during his first term. But I know one thing for sure: MAHA is a lie. This administration could not care less about making America healthier — they'll let people get sick and let disease run rampant as long as it means their perceived enemies suffer. It's among the most shameful, short-sighted, un-American aspects of this presidency. And that's saying something.  There's another part of my mom's story that puts a lot of this into perspective for me. In 1950, at 10 years old, she contracted polio and spent over a year in the hospital and a children's home. Her leg was paralyzed but she survived. And during her recuperation, she participated in Dr. Jonas Salk's historic research that eventually led to the polio vaccine — part of a heroic public health investment that would go on to eradicate the disease. Before we knew what caused polio, superstition and fear dictated public policy. It was a truly horrifying disease. People who got it were quarantined. When cases arose, they closed public pools. That ended in 1963 with the vaccine. My mom is a living embodiment of why we need science and professionals dictating public health decisions, and I'm so proud that she's speaking out about it. Winning elections again and getting the American people to see the truth about this administration requires telling stories like this — make a donation today and help support our grassroots efforts to do exactly that. More soon,  Amy DONATE   PAID FOR BY DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY ACTION (DMAPAC.COM) NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE'S COMMITTEE. Democratic Majority Action 814 Main St Paris, KY 40361 United States These emails are the single best way to stay up to date on how you can help Democratic Majority Action win elections for Democrats. 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