Dem
47
GOP
53
In the Chinese Zodiac, this is the year of the snake. They have a point, but the year of the wacko might be better. Or maybe the year of the conspiracy theorist. A study by the AP over all 50 states showed that there are over 400 bills to repeal science pending in state legislatures. It is not as bad as Indiana almost (implicitly) defining π to be 4, but is even more insidious. If the Indiana state Senate had passed the House bill 246, no one would have died (except maybe from laughing). By contrast, the current batch of state bills could kill thousands of people. A few dozen have already passed. They would embed numerous conspiracy theories into state law.
Many of the anti-science bills attack public-health protections, like milk safety, fluoridation, and vaccines. The
bills are being pushed by people with a close association to Quack-in-Chief Secretary of HHS Robert Kennedy Jr.
Some of these lobbyists are selling harmful "wellness" products, like raw milk, to unsuspecting and naive consumers. The
profit margin on raw milk is 10x more than regular pasteurized milk, but it can contain harmful bacteria that would
otherwise be killed in the pasteurization process. Sellers call it "real milk" and claim it can treat asthma, allergies,
and eczema, none of which is true. Some of the legislation goes even further off the rails. For example, Oklahoma H.D.
1191 would authorize the sale and advertising of raw donkey milk:
Another area where anti-science bills are pending is water fluoridation. There is a large amount of evidence that putting fluorides in water not only prevents tooth decay but also has other health benefits. This is obvious to the untrained eye. Ask a teenager to open his or her mouth and you will see few, if any, fillings. Now try that with a septuagenarian and you will see many fillings. This difference is due to years of fluoridation. As far as we know, the American Dental Association is not lobbying to repeal fluoridation laws, even though that would greatly increase business for dentists. Florida and Utah have already banned fluoridation.
The majority of the bills, over 350 of them, try to impede or get rid of vaccinations one way or another. They have different approaches, including revoking mandatory vaccinations for entering school, barring discrimination against unvaccinated people, creating the criminal offense of "vaccine harm," requiring blood banks to test for evidence of vaccination, and instituting a 48-hour waiting period to get a vaccination after being warned about them. Two bills in Minnesota designate vaccinations as "weapons of mass destruction." How about bill S.F. No. 3456?
Many of the bills are in progress, but at least 26 anti-vaccine laws have passed in 11 states this year. Most of them were flogged by groups closely associated with Kennedy. They all believe mandatory vaccination is bad public health policy and inhibits their freedom. This is a well-organized and well-funded movement. It is not a couple of cranky parents making a fuss.
For those readers who aren't members of The Bulwark, podcasters Jonathan V. Last (JVL) and Sarah Longwell are often at odds over vaccines. JVL is rooting for children in red states that are eliminating mandatory vaccinations for school children to die of measles and polio so their parents will get the full Trump experience. After all, that is what they voted for, so they are entitled to it. Longwell doesn't want innocent children to get sick and die because their parents are morons. (V)