|
|
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Technology |
KENNEDY: Economic advice or patriotic advice?
Q: No, about doing business in China.
KENNEDY: I'm not somebody who thinks that we should divide the world. Government policy should be about fostering, developing, nurturing the middle class in this country. I don't think we should cut off trade with China. I think some of the things that are being done for example, the programs to bring semiconductor--
Q: The CHIPS Act.
KENNEDY: In the CHIPS Act, I don't like the fact that we're getting subsidies to the richest companies in the world. I'd like to see more trying to bring the industry to home. I don't think we should be rattling the sabers with China.
[Wikipedia: The CHIPS and Science Act, signed into law in 2022, provides roughly $280 billion in new funding to boost domestic research and manufacturing of semiconductors in the United States.]
He joined a struggling nonprofit called the World Mercury Project in 2016 and rebranded it as Children's Health Defense, which became one of the country's largest anti-vaccination advocacy groups. It falsely claims that a variety of childhood illnesses are being caused by the ingredients in vaccines, as well as fluoride, acetaminophen, and 5G wireless technology. Kennedy gave speeches, wrote articles, and produced videos claiming that vaccines were "making our children dumber and giving them injuries." He saw the ensuing criticism from scientists and public-health agencies as confirmation that he was right.
The strategy that allies have landed on is to focus on podcasts and alternative media. Kennedy believes the 2024 election could be "decided by podcasts," and he intends to use them to full advantage. "In the same way that my uncle realized that television was a good medium for him in 1960, and Trump discovered that he could communicate with these large groups of people on Twitter in 2016," Kennedy says, "I think podcasts are a good medium for me."