I’d be surprised if some readers are not already fumbling over themselves racing to the comment section to denounce me as brainwashed, an advocate against the interests of America–or if they choose a more polite term–misled.
The headline of this article is controversial, especially when one considers the fact that Republicans are bathing in the honeymoon phase of Robert Kennedy Jr’s recent endorsement of Donald Trump’s candidacy. Though I understand Republican excitement, I can’t help but feel that RFK Jr. made a catastrophic mistake.
It is no secret that I support independent presidential candidates. I extended that support to the campaign of RFK Jr., for I believed he had a greater chance of winning than, say, Dr. Cornel West, and, therefore, that he represented the most obvious choice for those who can only stomach the idea of voting for an independent. And while it’s true I disagree with him on important issues, most notably his view on the war in Gaza, I believe many of his policy proposals were constructed in good faith and would render positive results for a nation that desperately needs them. I also appreciated his willingness to detach himself from the Democratic Party and how he challenged people to confront their own allegiances. It was a very unifying message.
For example, in an op-ed he wrote for The Hill, RFK Jr. states:
“For decades Republicans have railed against Big Government, and Democrats have complained about Big Business. Behind the scenes though, they have capitulated to both. The result is that we now face something much more dangerous: a combination of Big Government and Big Business.”
This is why his endorsement of Trump is so puzzling. He is against corporate capture yet is also willing to join the conglomerate of Big Government and Big Business? RFK Jr. claims that his support of Trump is necessary to counter the malignancy that is the modern Democratic Party. In addition to releasing intense obloquy against the Democrats, he cited “free speech, the war in Ukraine and ‘a war on our children’ as among the reasons he would try to remove his name from the ballot in battleground states.”
The goal of this article is not to delve into each one of these issues–it would simply take too much time. For what it’s worth, I believe RFK Jr’s ambitions (assuming he’s serious about them) are extremely noble, especially with regard to public health. Anyone can see that Americans have become progressively less healthy and that our youth are especially far less healthy than they were in the past. Serious action needs to be taken in this area, and it cannot wait any longer.
But since RFK Jr. did not reveal explicitly how he expects to achieve advancement on these issues, we are left wondering about the role he would assume should Trump reclaim the White House in November. It is speculated that he could serve as Trump’s secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Some may wonder why he did not team up with the Democrats and why he shows so much disdain for the party his family was so crucial in building. In short, the Democratic Party isolated RFK Jr. and shut down any attempt at collaboration. It was reported, for example, that RFK Jr. attempted to meet with the Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris “to discuss the possibility of serving in her administration, perhaps as a Cabinet secretary, if he throws his support behind her campaign and she wins.”
The article goes on to say that “Harris and her advisers” did not respond “with an offer to meet,” nor did they show any interest in his proposals. Strategically, I think it was a terrible idea for Harris to side-step RFK Jr. Many expect his endorsement of Trump to have only a modest effect in the November election, but I think that is facile. It won’t determine it, but to suggest his endorsement won’t have any sway in the electorate, particularly among swing voters, is, in my view, naive. Recent polls show a tight race, so why wouldn’t the Democrats want to bring RFK Jr. into their camp?
The simple answer is that RFK Jr. goes against many of the interests of the Democratic Party. Party interests lie elsewhere, and the pursuit of those interests has been reflected in the corporatization of the United States. However, what I cannot wrap my head around is how RFK Jr. believes the Republican Party is not beholden to the same forces. In fact, he doesn’t believe that.
RFK Jr. frames his role in Trump’s campaign as being similar to Abraham Lincoln’s team of rivals, where opposing politicians can form a “unity party” and work together while disagreeing “privately and furiously.”
Though I think it is good messaging, the Republican Party is simply using RFK Jr. for votes. Republicans saw what the Democrats didn’t: that RFK Jr.’s voters are valuable.
In addition, RFK Jr. has been scathing in his criticism of Trump and I do not understand how he can seriously uphold these criticisms while also supporting him. For example, he called Trump a “bully” and a “terrible president.” I recommend looking at what he says directly because it is quite potent.
His endorsement of Trump, however, underscores his movement as an independent, which in his words, is the only thing that “can free America from corporate capture.” True political change, the kind America is clamoring for, will not derive from the two-party system. RFK Jr. knows this, and so does the rest of America.
It can be argued that RFK Jr. had no realistic chance of winning the presidential election, and while I agree, I think the purpose of his campaign could have been greater than a political victory. It is the same line of reasoning behind my support of Dr. Cornel West. Our country needs a candidate who is unifying, regardless of whether you agree or disagree with them on every issue, and one who can stir up a grassroots political revolution against the two-party system that is bringing American politics to its nadir.
More than that, many people believed in RFK Jr.’s messaging and appreciated that he discussed issues both Republicans and Democrats were eager to avoid due to their complicity in creating them–but now, any hope seems to be extinguished.
Of course, I can only speak for myself and others who are strict dissidents to the current status quo. As I stated earlier, many people in the Trump camp are gushing over the endorsement and believe it could be a deciding factor in November.
Did RFK Jr. succumb to corruption? Is he simply a puppet? There have been many questions raised about what made him abandon his mission. In his speech, RFK Jr. claims the Trump campaign cares about pressing issues such as public health and that if Trump follows through on his commitments, the country will be much healthier in four years. Moreover, since RFK Jr. is 70 years old, he insisted that he can’t wait another 4-8 years to run again for office and that he needs to act now to be most “effective.” In short, he sees a direct path into presidential politics, an opportunity time will not allow him to see again. Spite also played a role in the decision–it simply had to. As a lifelong Democrat, to be dumped like he was most definitely stung.
I understand his decision to a point, though, and I think he made his choice out of genuine concern for our nation. It also put apparent strain on his personal relationships with people such as his own wife and members of the Kennedy family. Where he went wrong is to trust the word of the Republican Party. Does he genuinely believe Trump will follow through on his commitments? Even if Trump does care (which I don’t believe for a second he does), is the Republican Party interested in pursuing solutions to these pressing issues? I’m inclined to say no, and for the same reasons, RFK Jr. outlined at the outset of his campaign. It sucked the life out of his movement – a genuine independent candidacy–and brought him into the mix of partisan politics, where the most committed of his supporters now feel abandoned.
In sum, RFK Jr.’s abandonment of independent principle was a massive mistake for the simple fact that it contradicts everything his campaign represented–a genuine attempt at an independent political revolution. You can’t tell people to be suspicious of the corporate-captured political parties, then ally yourself with said parties.
At any rate, for the sake of the country, I hope RFK Jr. has success in achieving the goals he identified; all of us know how crucial it is to be healthier. Unfortunately, however, I have little faith in the word of Donald Trump or the Republican Party.
Whether it was worth it for RFK Jr. to suspend his movement will be answered in time.
He can only be judged by his results.
