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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is currently an Attorney and is running for President of the United States in 2024. He is a member of the left wing of the Democratic Party. We assign Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a Left Biased and Low factual rating due to numerous failed fact checks and the promotion of conspiracy theories and pseudoscience.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
State: New York
Title: Attorney – Democratic Presidential Candidate
Political Party: Democratic
Political Alignment: Left
Factual Rating: LOW
Career:
- Senior Attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council
- Chief Prosecuting Attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper
- President of the Board of Waterkeeper Alliance
- Partner at Morgan & Morgan, a nationwide personal injury law firm
- Founder and Chairman of the Anti-Vaccine advocacy group Children’s Health Defense
- Presidential Run: Announced candidacy for the presidency as a Democratic nominee (April 2023)
Stance on Key Policies:
- Abortion Rights: Favorable – Kennedy is pro-choice and supports the availability of mifepristone and misoprostol, emphasizing the importance of bodily autonomy and medical freedom. However, he also raises concerns about the influence of pharmaceutical companies and calls for addressing the root causes of chronic disease rather than solely focusing on abortion rights.
- Economy: Regulated Capitalism – Kennedy leans towards a free-market capitalist approach when it comes to economic policy. He has shown little interest in progressive economic ideas such as a wealth tax, universal basic income, or a federal jobs guarantee. However, he frequently criticizes corporations and the wealthy as being greedy. He has also proposed raising the minimum wage and supports unions.
- Climate Change/Environment: Supports Government Action – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a history of environmental advocacy, notably improving the health of the Hudson River. His current policy emphasizes regenerative agriculture, zero-waste industry, clean energy, and wildland protection. However, he has expressed doubts about the Environmental Protection Agency and raised concerns about influential entities’ potential misuse of climate regulation.
- Education: Public Schools – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. support public education and believes that college should be partially funded by the government. He also supports teaching Critical Race Theory in grades K-12.
- Foreign Policy: Non-Intervention – RFK wants to decrease military spending and does not support aid for Ukraine.
- LGBTQ Rights: Unfavorable – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made controversial statements regarding the LGBTQ+ community. In a report from the Washington Blade, he claimed that chemicals in the water are turning boys transgender. This statement has been widely criticized and is not supported by scientific evidence.
- Gun Ownership: Limited Gun Control Measures – He supports upholding the right to bear arms and has emphasized the importance of protecting Second Amendment rights. He has stated that he does not advocate for taking people’s guns away, indicating a belief in the individual’s right to own firearms.
- Immigration: Limited Immigration – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. believes that no country can survive if it can’t control its borders. He also views that drug cartels in Mexico play a major role in the immigration crisis.
- Health Care: Universal Single Payer – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s position on healthcare is to support a single-payer program available to everybody while allowing individuals who prefer private programs to have that option. Kennedy is a prominent anti-vaccine activist, a stance that has been widely criticized. He has been accused of spreading misinformation about vaccines and their safety.
- Overall: Left – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is generally considered to have left-leaning political views on most issues, although his specific positions may differ from those of Bernie Sanders. While Kennedy is known for his environmental activism and advocacy, he has also promoted controversial and disputed viewpoints, particularly in relation to vaccinations. His promotion of certain conspiracy theories has been a subject of criticism and scrutiny.
Recent Failed Fact Checks (sample of dozens)
- Vaccines are not subject to placebo-controlled testing. – False
- “We [the United States] put a new government in [Ukraine] that immediately makes a civil war against the Russian population of Donbas, bans the Russian language, kills 14,000 of them…” – False
- 300,000 Ukrainian troops have died during the conflict. – No Evidence
- FedNow creates a central bank digital currency. – False
- The COVID-19 vaccine is the “deadliest vaccine ever made.” – Pants on Fire
- Robert F. Kennedy has made several dozen false claims regarding vaccines, including claiming vaccines cause Autism.
(M. Huitsing 07/20/2023)
Last Updated on July 26, 2023 by Media Bias Fact Check