I’ve never been a fan of Red #5, Yellow #40, Blue #2 and all the other fake food dyes that have been used for decades. But I have always trusted scientific research more than I trust “gut feelings” to determine if substances are harmful or not. I’m also a big fan of Congressional approval for major changes to our food supply.
So RFK Jr’s ban on artificial food dyes should be a big concern to us. He picked an issue that has at least some support amongst Democrats as well as Republicans, but ramrodding it through by just “declaring it so” is not the way it should happen. There has been no statement from them about exactly why these dyes are being banned. I suspect RFK Jr thinks he is battling autism by doing this, but he will not admit that publicly. This is a stealth move meant to advance one of his pet conspiracy theories without alerting the public as to his motives. He wants to see if he can get away with this without any studies being done or laws being passed. If it works, the next things he bans may be something else he doesn’t like, such as mifepristone or birth control pills. Or he could try to mandate the use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19. I’m sure RFK Jr would be delighted to push even worse ideas, as long as some conspiracy nut has published a YouTube video from their mom’s basement that he liked.
I would be glad to get rid of the fake stuff American companies are allowed to put in our food. Let’s do it the right way, with real studies and approval by our elected officials, not by the gut feelings of conspiracy-theory-promoting wackos.
I’ve lived in the beautiful but backwards state of West Virginia for the past 12 years, and time and time again, the state legislature has a contest to see how far they can jam their heads up Trump’s ass. People keep voting heavily Republican here, despite the fact that WV was a historically Democratic state until they were brainwashed by GW Bush. 80% of West Virginians voted for Trump this last time — (gag), so most of the citizens have their heads in a similar place. So to appease Trump and RFK Jr, our representatives passed their own ban on food dyes. On August 1st of this year, many food dyes will be “banned for use in school nutrition programs”. Starting on Jan. 1, 2028, those dyes will be banned statewide, along with the preservatives butylated hydroxyanisole and propylparaben. Same thing — no studies, no scientific reasoning, just an exercise in authoritarian control over things they have no business monkeying with.
If anyone has more information or ideas about this sudden and cynical Republican “concern” over public health, their sneaky methods, and why it’s a priority now, please let me know!
