When people criticize Dr. Anthony Fauci, he says: “They’re really criticizing science. Because I represent science.”
Pretty arrogant.
I assume Fauci is a top-notch scientist. My brother worked with him at the National Institutes of Health and respected him.
But power tends to corrupt, and Fauci has been given a lot of power.
His department directed tax dollars to the Wuhan Institute of Virology to modify coronaviruses in bats.
When Sen. Rand Paul asked Fauci about funding “gain of function” research, experiments that try to learn more about a disease by making it more contagious or deadly, Fauci denied it, saying, “Sen. Paul, you do not know what you are talking about!”
But it turns out that Paul did know what he was talking about.
The Wuhan experiments Fauci funded did not directly cause COVID-19. We know that because the molecular structure of the altered viruses is different.
But gain-of-function research is risky and deserves public discussion.
I like that Paul, unlike most of his colleagues, pushes for that discussion. In my new video, he says he does this because it’s important “not only for assessing what happened and how this pandemic arose, but making sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Originally, “experts” claimed COVID-19 came from animals in the wet market in Wuhan. But now “experts” say that COVID-19 might have come from a lab.
“This has become so polarized that you’re either completely in the bag with Fauci or completely opposed to him,” says Paul. “There is no one wanting to actually get to the truth of where this came from or understand that this could happen again.”
I ask Paul what he thought about Fauci’s flat dismissal of anyone who criticizes him.
“That’s an incredibly arrogant attitude,” replied Paul. “Reminiscent of the medieval church (where) the government representative decided what was science … Any time you have government dogma saying they are science, or government bureaucrats who claim that ‘this is the one and perfect truth’ … we should run headlong away.”
Today our government wants to mandate vaccines in private workplaces. The administration claims that’s necessary because not enough people are vaccinated.
Paul calls that a “big lie.”
“We are not stupid. The whole idea of collectivism is that people are too stupid to make their own decisions. Individuals will make rational decisions and do.”
I push back. “Some people are stupid. Is there no point when the government does have a right to force a vaccination?”
“I’m not for ever forcing someone to take medical care,” says Paul.
What about kids?
“The death rate among children is less than the seasonal flu,” Paul points out. “We never mandated that kids get vaccinated for the seasonal flu, (even though they get) like 49 different vaccines. Can we not leave some choice for parents and kids?”
I hope so but push back again. “What if it’s airborne Ebola? Does government ever have the right to say, you must take this medicine?”
“No,” says Paul. “Once you let government in the door to make these decisions, they make onerous decisions.”
They do.
I’m a libertarian. I want government out of my life.
But an epidemic is the rare exception where some government force may be appropriate. If a disease is vicious and contagious, and a medicine clearly reduces the spread, I want government to protect me from reckless people, like it protects me from murderers.
Not to say that America needs a vaccine mandate. There’s been far too much government force during this pandemic already.
It’s good to question the government’s rules. I’m glad Paul does that.
But when it comes to epidemics, I won’t say: never.
John – Thank you for posting that interview. I have always considered myself a middle-of-the-road Republican. The one time I took a political “test” I aligned with Colin Powell. But I am thinking that I really align with the Libertarians, and this interview really supported that as I agreed with almost all of what Sen. Paul said. Well done sir.
99.9
It’s interesting that Dr. Fauci and Dr. Paul seem to share some of the same characteristics in that they both tend to gravitate toward “my way of the highway” positions (polar opposite ones, however). That being said, I do tend to lean more in the direction of Dr. Paul in that I believe that there needs to be a very robust discussion BEFORE we let government loose with heavy-handed, one size fits all (or none, really) mandates. They are, sadly, a reflection of a generalized trend I’ve noticed for sometime among our fellow citizens away from civil discourse and toward absolutism. The danger manifests itself throughout almost all levels of society and we are quickly moving toward a day where we will no longer be able to talk to one another.
Yes John Stossel, you have got it right. Keep up the good work!
Great stuff standing up to Facebook too.
Does government protect us from murderers? They certainly show up after the murder to investigate and hold someone accountable. But protection in real time is very rare. It is our god given right to bear arms that protects us from murderers in real time. Government is to slow to make these decisions for us. Education and honesty from people like Fauci is a better protection than gov mandates.
If the Covid Injections really work, a person who got one would have nothing to fear of anyone who did not get the Jab. The obvious fear exhibited by the Jab Ed of the un-jabbed shows they know the Jabs are ineffective. Since they are ineffective there is no point in forcing people to get them. Government clearly lacks the wisdom to make health decisions for anyone. Government scientists will follow the wrong decisions of the bureaucracy in spite of the the science. None of them can be trusted. This has been proven ! The steadfast refusal to be jabbed by millions proves these average citizens have more common sense than their leaders. Safety testing was Inadequate and data manipulated to make the Jabs look safe. They are not! Anyone paying attention can see this. I agree with Rand Paul MD that government should never make health decisions for anyone.
Dear Mr Stossel
Have you read Robert Kennedy’s book “The Real Anthony Fauci”? Dr. Fauci is not a scientist and has followed the same authoritarian approach to shutting down alternate viewpoints since the AIDS epidemic in the 1980’s.
Thank you for your continued reporting.
FAUCI DOES NOT QUALIFY AS SCIENCE. He fits better as a lying Son of Satan & incarnate evil man. He has allegedly already been prosecuted & convicted for his crimes – which he still vigorously denies despite the NIH saying he was lying when he said he had never participated in gain of funciton study or unsed Wuhan Labs in the past.
“I want government to protect me from reckless people, like it protects me from murderers.” I’m a big fan of yours. However, the above quote is flawed. Government doesn’t protect you from murder therefore it can’t protect you from disease. The government can punish criminals like murderers. So were you suggesting people should be punished if they don’t get a government forced vaccine? I have a 12 medical, internal and trauma medicine background. I have my shots and don’t fear vaccines. I fear dictatorial or totalitarian government forced vaccine or punishment for not getting it.
Obviously, as always, Fauci is just a puppet, is not, and has not been a practicing doctor
Amen to that! This disgusting lying sold out anti-American anti-Freedom criminal is a Traitor to The American People and should be imprisioned and spend the rest of his miserable life in Guantanamo bay, or worse.
*And to be clear, there are a LOT of politicians and govt thug employees that should also be in prison, or worse, for a very, VERY long time! Why are these lying tyrannical oath breaking crooks not held criminally accountable accordingly with The Constitution and Bill of Rights for their heinous, blatant criminal actions!?!?
Time for The good American People to finally come together and Enforce the limitations placed on govts, and make examples of every single one who has violated their Oath’s, or is complicit watching other’s violate their Oath’s and sat idly by doing nothing.
Fauci routinely contradicts himself and is never held accountable for doing it. He’s incompetent. His primary interest is lining his own pockets like the oligarch stooges that are running the show.