Xavier Becerra, the individual handpicked by Joe Biden to steer the helm at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), seemingly avoids discussing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Despite Kennedy Jr. being selected by President-elect Donald J. Trump to dramatically reshape the department, Becerra remains mute on the topic. Nor does he appear to harbor any regret regarding his role in fanning the flames of the pandemic policies, potentially catalyzing the rise of his successor.
Contrary to the ideals of liberty and freedom, Becerra ardently defended Mr. Biden’s coercive COVID-19 vaccine mandates, harshly imposed on federal employees, healthcare workers, and large-scale employers. In defending these dictatorial actions, he even questioned the fundamental right to personal freedom and liberty, asking, ‘Should we require people to wear seatbelts?’.
Lost in his own rhetoric, Becerra fatally underestimates the public’s resistance to such invasive directives. His assertion, stating that the government has the right to trespass on personal freedom when public health is concerned, was summarily rebuked in the most democratic way – through the elections last year.
In contrast to Becerra’s exclusionary approach, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. forthrightly challenged the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates. So much so, the highest court in the land blocked the overreaching mandate targeted at large employers.
Not just opposing the mandates, Kennedy Jr. also launched a legal challenge against Becerra’s own department. The lawsuit focuses on HHS’s questionable actions in suppressing opposing views on social media, raising fundamental questions about the preservation of free speech in our digital era.
Before bidding his farewell to Washington last week, Becerra trumpeted one final act. He declared that the government insurance program, Medicare, would negotiate lowered pricing for a few select prescription medications, including Ozempic and Wegovy, two prominent weight-loss drugs.
Sparing an array of critical review for Becerra’s performance, and focusing more on the political landscape, it is clear that voters didn’t credit the Biden or the Harris administration for their so-called healthcare achievements. Even efforts like reducing drug prices, increasing health insurance coverage, creating a hotline for suicide prevention, and taking steps to protect abortion rights in wake of overturning Roe v. Wade didn’t manage to resonate with the public.
Analysing Becerra’s comments during his recent interview, it is apparent that being critical of the dissent doesn’t sit atop his priority list. ‘People put their attention where they need to – their family, their work, getting ahead’, he offered, laden with naivety, when asked about the recent election results.
In Becerra’s rhetoric, a sense of disconnection with the wants and needs of ordinary people is clearly evident. People are indeed concerned about their families, their work, their future, but they also pay serious attention to those in power who make decisions that may threaten these very concerns.
Becerra’s unsuccessful defense of the vaccine mandates, and refusal to address Kennedy Jr.’s concerns, paint a clear picture of the Biden administration’s disregard for civil liberties and rigidity to opposing views. By shamelessly advocating for executive overreach and erosion of personal liberties in the name of public health, he personifies the administration’s disregard for the will of the people.
The Supreme Court blocking the mandates showcases the abiding strength and spirit of liberty in America. Despite the administration’s unyielding attempts to undermine individual rights, the judiciary reinforced their commitment to uphold the values of freedom.
The continuous attempts by the HHS under Becerra’s leadership to suppress differing views on social media exposes another facet of the ongoing systemic problems. It doesn’t merely reflect on Biden’s missteps but reveals a deep-rooted issue of intolerance towards contrarian perspectives.
The farewell announcement, although significant in the context of the healthcare landscape, fails to offset the negative public perception of Becerra and the Biden administration. Lowering the pricing of select prescription drugs through negotiation tricks the public into perceiving it as an achievement, when in fact, it merely placates the surface issue, leaving the entrenched healthcare crises untouched.
The voting populace didn’t reward the Biden-Harris administration for a reason. Their efforts, though well-publicized, did not address the real healthcare issues at hand. A suicide prevention hotline or a handful of measures for abortion rights do not satisfy a nation dealing with a multitude of healthcare challenges.
The significance of Becerra’s recent interview is not his defense of Biden’s policies, but his inability to grasp the resonance of his own words. He attempted to justify the failures of the Biden-Harris administration by shifting focus onto citizens’ attention towards family work and prosperity. This merely reflects the administration’s short-sighted view of individual liberties and personal choices.
The Biden-Harris administration and appointees like Becerra continue to remain out of touch with the average citizen’s needs, ambitions, and ultimately, their vote. Their inconsistent policies and lack of respect for differing opinions paint a grim picture, highlighting the urgent need for change and reform.