No. 61: Meet the newest controversial candidate

Aug 07, 2023

Hi, welcome back! I’m still working on the piece I mentioned not including last week, but maybe it’ll eventually make it in. Have a great week, and I hope this issue can help you stay informed! ;)

Meet the biggest democrat hypocrite

An opinion piece

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is running in the 2024 presidential election, identifying as a Democrat, which is one messy conversation.

The name Kennedy probably rings a bell, because yes, he is the nephew of JFK, a member of the Kennedy family, the famed and tragic bunch. But this isn’t a history lesson, it’s a critique of a presidential candidate who has quite contradictory beliefs.

The blizzard of misinformation that is now inundating our democracy will end only when the government and the media start telling the truth to Americans. - Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. — Ironic! Via Kennedy2024

According to The Hill, the 69 year-old has gained favor mostly among conservatives, due to his polarizing skepticism regarding vaccines (CNN). Family members have denounced these claims, but he has not wavered. His cousin, Jack Schlossberg, grandson of JFK, recently spoke of Kennedy Jr. on his Instagram, saying, “I’ve listened to him. I know him. I have no idea why anyone thinks he should be president. What I do know is, his candidacy is an embarrassment.”

So why might he consider himself a Democrat? He himself says, “Good environmental policy…is identical to good economic policy.” His website boasts his plans, if elected, on transitioning to clean energy, encouraging regenerative farming practices, reducing toxic waste, and more. He makes other good points, like vowing to “rein in the lobbyists” and wants to “heal the {two party} divide.”

But these core values seem weak in regards to other key components of his campaign. AP writes,

That kind of support has demonstrated some of the contradictions in Kennedy’s candidacy. He has said he wants to “reclaim” the Democratic Party, while aligning himself with far right figures who have worked to subvert American democracy. He touts his credentials as an environmentalist, yet pushes bitcoin — a cryptocurrency that requires massive amounts of electricity from supercomputers to generate new coins, prompting most environmental advocates to loudly oppose it.

Again, his favorability among conservatives as ‘the other option’ besides Trump is a cause of concern, not unlike the since severed GOP support of Joe Manchin.

His unrealistic, yet hopeful promises (as you probably know, President Biden broke his promise of blocking new fracking on federal lands) warrant questions, like, to get the climate policies we need, must we compromise our health and safety? Will conservatives only join our side if we spread misinformation and conspiracy theories, the GOP signature move? While I personally believe we will not see this candidate materialize as a legitimate opponent, I am concerned about this obvious contradiction which hasn’t received enough media attention. (But this is a great example about how our two-party system is flawed!)