from the clownshow dept
The state of American health is in crisis at the moment due to a confluence of things entirely created by the current administration. Putting RFK Jr. in charge of Health and Human Services (HHS) never felt like anything other than a move designed to troll Trump’s detractors and it shows. As the measles outbreak that began earlier this year continues to grow, Kennedy is busying himself going on talk shows to promise to end chemtrails or else claiming he’ll have the origins of autism solved in a few months. Musk’s DOGE, meanwhile, has produced a 1/8th cut of HHS’ workforce and slashed its funding while this is all going on. Thanks to DOGE and an obedient Kennedy, HHS has less capability to keep us healthy than it did before.
The health of a nation isn’t some joke. The people in charge of it should be more qualified to run it than simply having a famous last name and a penchant for spouting conspiracy theories about health concerns. And when the latest nominee for Surgeon General is best described as Kennedy’s favorite “wellness influencer,” well, we have a problem.
Dr. Casey Means is the nominee and, to be fair to her, she has a medical degree from Stanford and has done medical research work for the government and several prominent universities in the past. The previous nominee, Janette Nesheiwat, just withdrew without much explanation. Reports seem to indicate that this resulted from harsh pushback from alt-right gremlin Laura Loomer.
Means has no experience in government administration, however, and dropped her residency some time ago. Now she runs a tech company and hocks health supplements.
Casey Means has no government experience and dropped out of her surgical residency program, saying she became disillusioned with traditional medicine. She founded a health tech company, Levels, that helps users track blood sugar and other metrics. She also makes money from dietary supplements, creams, teas and other products sponsored on her social media accounts.
Means has mostly steered clear of Kennedy’s controversial and debunked views on vaccines. But on her website, she has called for more investigation into their safety and recommends making it easier for patients to sue drugmakers in the event of vaccine injuries. Since the late 1980s, federal law has shielded those companies from legal liability to encourage development of vaccines without the threat of costly personal injury lawsuits.
And this is going to be America’s doctor. Someone who is at least lightly skeptical of vaccines and who’s main qualification for the job appears to be that she supported Kennedy and he likes her.
Apparently other supporters, such as Kennedy’s running mate in his failed presidential bid, are quite skeptical of the nomination.
“Yes, it’s very strange. Doesn’t make any sense,” philanthropist Nicole Shanahan said in a post on X, responding to a separate post that was criticizing Trump’s decision to select Means. Means is primarily known as a wellness influencer.
“I was promised that if I supported RFK Jr. in his Senate confirmation that neither of these siblings would be working under HHS or in an appointment (and that people much more qualified would be),” Shanahan continued, referring to Means and her brother, Calley Means. “I don’t know if RFK very clearly lied to me, or what is going on. It has been clear in recent conversations that he is reporting to someone regularly who is controlling his decisions (and it isn’t President Trump).”
You can also add the previously mentioned Laura Loomer to Means’ detractors as well.
I agree with them, though I’m sure on vastly different grounds. Trump’s desire for media-first personalities within government positions is nothing knew, of course, but dipping so low as to put an “influencer” in as the nation’s top doctor is plainly absurd. To do it at the moment when there is a measles outbreak occurring is all the more so.
The need to remove Kennedy from his post is only becoming all the more clear.
Filed Under: casey means, influencer, rfk jr., surgeon general, wellness
