Normally, I consider an anonymous or pseudonym-signed reply to an online story as Exhibit A of profiles in cowardice. (Letters published in newspapers must have genuine John Hancocks.)
But I’m making an exception for “mrmxbn’s” retort to Meryl Kornfield’s Washington Post story about how narcissistic nut-job Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s conspiracy-fueled campaign for president is attracting support from both the far left and far right. “Mrmxb” aimed his fire leftward, maybe figuring that though Kennedy leans Trumpward, the MAGA faithful tend to march lock step to The Donald’s drum.
Kennedy, who rides in the anti-vaxxer clown car, claims he’s not running as a spoiler. But in her article, Kornfield includes his claim that Joe Biden — the guy the rest of the Kennedy clan is all in for — is a greater threat to our democracy than Trump.
Even before that statement, Kennedy bashed Biden a lot more than he trashed Trump. Several planks in Junior’s platform are Trumpy. Too, a MAGA “mega donor” has sent “major donations” Kennedy’s way.
Anyway, RFK Jr., like Trump a self-absorbed con man, has long been a purveyor of some of the far right’s kookiest conspiracies. “... As often happens when people adopt one conspiracy theory, they often start believing in others,” Amanda Marcotte wrote in Salon, adding, “Conspiracy theories also pull people to the right, and Kennedy is no exception.”
Remember when he said scientists secretly fixed the COVID 19 virus so it would be lethal for whites and Blacks but not for Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people? Is he bucking for Secretary of Science Disinformation or maybe Ambassador to Outer Space in a Trump II cabinet?
“Mr. Kennedy has made his political career on false conspiracy theories,” recalled New York Times political writer Jonathan Weisman “But his suggestion that the coronavirus pandemic spared Chinese people and Jews of European descent strayed into new and bigoted territory.”
His father, a tireless champion of civil rights, didn’t have a bigoted bone in his body.
“Mrmxbn” didn’t pull punches in pointing out the dangerous folly of punishing the president over Gaza or whatever by voting for RFK Jr. I found his (or her) reply as substantive as Kornfield’s story:
If you’re thinking of throwing your vote away this year by voting for Kennedy to “punish Biden” or to “punish the Dems,” you already tried that in 2016 and this is where we are. There are only two people who have a chance to be the next president – Trump and Biden. If Biden loses he will go to his beach house in Delaware with his wife and grandkids and live out his golden years.
You’re not punishing him or the Democratic party; you’re punishing yourself.
A vote for Kennedy is ostensibly a vote for Trump.
If your collective votes for Kennedy allow Trump to return to the White House, Biden will have passed away while you’re still having your rights stripped away, one by one, by extreme right christo-fascist loons. Gaza will be leveled. Trump is on TV saying he supports Israel “finishing the job.” Taiwan will be taken by China. Ukraine will be taken by Russia. NATO will be weakened considerably. Muslim Americans will be rounded up and deported. Hispanic Americans will be rounded up and deported. There is zero chance at universal healthcare.
But please carry on with your “protest” as you shoot yourself in the foot to “punish” an 81 year old man who doesn’t need this crap, but is doing it to protect you from Trump, and apparently yourselves. Where were you when Roe v Wade was overturned? I was in a voting booth in November of 2016 voting for Hillary. Where were you? Were you voting for Jill Stein then? How many protest votes will it take for you to learn to not be stupid?
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