# Trump links vaccines to autism **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 10, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819 "2017-01-10T15:59:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/21 "2017-01-10T20:11:58Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Wow, a DEMOCRAT! > Won’t this be fun after security briefings and situation room events? Republicans don’t have sole ownership of stupidity, just a majority shareholder position. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/22 "2017-01-10T20:17:00Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Republicans don’t have sole ownership of stupidity, just a majority shareholder position. I see a couple of folks assumed I was thinking Wow, A Stupid Dem. I know the demographics of the anti-vaxxers run towards the left; I meant that Cheato would actually call in a big-name Democrat for anything, much less an administration post. I guess Jenny McCarthy wasn’t available, or objected to having to wear a Pussy-Guard™ in order to serve around Cheats. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/23 "2017-01-10T21:09:04Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > NBC is reporting that Trump has asked Kennedy to [chair a commission on ‘Vaccine Safety’](http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-meets-anti-vaccine-activist-after-raising-fringe-theory-trail-n705296) A “commission” dominated by fringe types like RFK Jr. is capable of generating a few headlines, but I’m doubtful anything concrete will come of it, apart from maybe spawning a Congressional committee hearing to skewer a few unfortunate CDC scientists. Democrats would have a field day linking Republicans to antivaccine pseudoscience and conspiracy theories, and I suspect GOP leadership would prefer to avoid taking a stand on the issue. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/24 "2017-01-10T21:20:54Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > I see a couple of folks assumed I was thinking Wow, A Stupid Dem. I know the demographics of the anti-vaxxers run towards the left; I meant that Cheato would actually call in a big-name Democrat for anything, much less an administration post. > > I guess Jenny McCarthy wasn’t available, or objected to having to wear a Pussy-Guard™ in order to serve around Cheats. Several months back I wanted to be fair and looked for a Democrat that was into stupid conspiracies or woo woo, Kennedy’s name was the one that popped out the most, and got my deserved condemnation. While it may be true that there are more rank and file democrats following this sick anti vaccine idea, the reality is that there were very few, just like on the right wing side. However, the disturbing trend is that recently most of the champions of woo woo are coming from the right side of the isle, and from the new leadership. I’m talking about several Republican candidates and congress critters (it was not just Trump). As if we needed yet another “anti-science litmus test”\* to be added to what most Republicans are supposed to be nowadays. :rolleyes: - Besides denial of climate science, denial of evolution, believing that rape can’t lead to pregnancy if the woman is really stressed, etc. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/25 "2017-01-10T21:32:53Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > A “commission” dominated by fringe types like RFK Jr. is capable of generating a few headlines, but I’m doubtful anything concrete will come of it, apart from maybe spawning a Congressional committee hearing to skewer a few unfortunate CDC scientists. > > Democrats would have a field day linking Republicans to antivaccine pseudoscience and conspiracy theories, and I suspect GOP leadership would prefer to avoid taking a stand on the issue. Killing Wakefield (figuratively) has been difficult enough, how much harder to open people’s eyes when an _official Presidential Commission_ reports that vaccines cause autism? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/26 "2017-01-10T22:24:39Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > [Here’s the direct link](https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/449525268529815552?lang=en) and here’s what he wrote Old news, but still dumb. Unless he’s corrected himself, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/27 "2017-01-10T22:38:33Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Old news, but still dumb. Unless he’s corrected himself, of course. Read the rest of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/28 "2017-01-10T22:42:06Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > Killing Wakefield (figuratively) has been difficult enough, how much harder to open people’s eyes when an _official Presidential Commission_ reports that vaccines cause autism? I dunno, maybe I’m too optimistic that the storm of denunciation and ridicule greeting such a conclusion by a stacked commission would substantially nullify its effect. I’m starting to remind myself of Doremus Jessup in “It Can’t Happen Here”, advising people that the Windrip Presidency hasn’t been all that bad yet. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/29 "2017-01-11T00:30:34Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Anti-vax nuttery is sadly about as bipartisan bit of woo as you can find. It’s something crunchy vegan moms in Berkeley and pickup w/ gun-rack-driving dads in Dallas can come together and agree on. I’m not too up on the whole anti-vax thing, but could it be that the face of the movement tends to be more liberal than conservative? That is, the famous folks out there making a stink about it tend to be on the left rather than on the right? Again, more of a question than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/30 "2017-01-11T01:07:45Z")
I support many of Trump’s policies but reading this made my heart sink. He really needs to learn to weigh the evidence before he makes such statements. I do think we conservatives owe Trump a lot but one of the things I find most worrying about him is that he’s like an old easy chair, he always bears the impression of the last person who sat there. I’m hoping he gets over that as President but we shall see. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/31 "2017-01-11T02:21:32Z")
That was back in 2014. But if he still thinks that, and sets policy based on it, this country is in for a plague of plagues. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/32 "2017-01-11T02:23:58Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > That was back in 2014. But if he still thinks that, and sets policy based on it, this country is in for a plague of plagues. No. This is now. > [@Ambrosio\_Spinola](#): > > But what _is_ news is that Trump is meeting today with [noted anti-vaccination conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr.](http://www.vox.com/2017/1/10/14225038/trump-robert-f-kennedy-jr-anti-vaxxer-autism-vaccine) to discuss immunizations. So this may be something that comes up again going forward, if he continues his habit of repeating what he heard from the last person he talked to. > [@August\_West](#): > > Turns out this thread is somewhat timely after all. NBC is reporting that Trump has asked Kennedy to [chair a commission on ‘Vaccine Safety’](http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-meets-anti-vaccine-activist-after-raising-fringe-theory-trail-n705296) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/33 "2017-01-11T02:24:40Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > …but we shall see. And then what? How many times do you sit back and watch someone with that much power fuck up and say “…but we shall see” when the next time rolls around? If something bad happens and you “see it”, _then what?_ At what point do you get beyond what you supposedly owe Trump and start remembering what you owe the rest of this country? In this case, in what way does giving aid and comfort to the enemies of health and science pay off this supposed debt of yours? At what point do you take your fucking soul back? ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/34 "2017-01-11T02:27:02Z")
I am constantly reassuring myself: 1. The President has actually very little direct power - his main power is to popularize policies (see: WMD) 2. The GOP is using Trump to take control of the Government (scary enough in its own right). Once they get settled in, they will impeach and convict Trump (he gives adequate reasons at least twice a week). This gives them President Pence - a political apparatchik who DOES know how to be a President AND is a True Conservative - overturn Roe v Wade, de-fund anything that helps more than hurts anyone worth less that $5,000,000. A true conservative’s dream President. 3. I will be dead when the last of the Antarctic Ice Cap melts and the full effect of a generation of under-vaccinated children become adults is realized. The rest of you are on your own, suckers. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/35 "2017-01-11T02:28:51Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’m not too up on the whole anti-vax thing, but could it be that the face of the movement tends to be more liberal than conservative? That is, the famous folks out there making a stink about it tend to be on the left rather than on the right? Again, more of a question than anything else. There have already been links in this thread that address that question. Did you read them? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/36 "2017-01-11T02:37:19Z")
Oops. Have read more of the thread now. OK, that’s the line. He’s crossed it. I must soon go to save my country. I loved you all, even **Fenris**. OK, not actually **Fenris**. Hi, NSA contractors! ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/37 "2017-01-11T02:41:32Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > 1. I will be dead when the last of the Antarctic Ice Cap melts and the full effect of a generation of under-vaccinated children become adults is realized. > > The rest of you are on your own, suckers. I will fucking use black magic and Matsumoto anime tech to keep you from dying. you’re helping now, you sick fuck. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/38 "2017-01-11T02:55:26Z")
Personally I think that Trump is being encouraged by the Russians to take an anti-vax line so that their biological weapons will be more effective. Hey, it maybe a silly conspiracy theory, but you’ve gotta admit it would make a good trashy novel plot. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/39 "2017-01-11T05:07:47Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > One hand making a circle with thumb and forefinger, the other hand extending pointing finger towards said circle…and missing repeatedly? No, that’s the Imperial Stormtrooper firing squad. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2017, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819/40 "2017-01-11T05:40:17Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > I support many of Trump’s policies but reading this made my heart sink. He really needs to learn to weigh the evidence before he makes such statements. You’re describing a man who rejects the conclusions of the intelligence committee but gladly takes on insane conspiracy theories from the National Enquirer. We’ve known this since the fucking _primaries_. Why’s it taking you so long to figure out that Trump is a phenomenally poor choice for anything more important than running a Kindergarten? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-links-vaccines-to-autism/776819.md?page=3)