🏥 Health Policy Horror Show: How RFK Jr.'s Vaccine Vendetta Victimizes Vulnerable Populations | BUCKMASTER SHOW

When military expertise clashes with RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine agenda and Arizona's biological bounty hangs in the balance

Based on the Buckmaster Show for 5/28/25, a daily radio show in Tucson, AZ, interviewing local newsmakers. Analysis and opinions are my own.

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😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
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Two smart 🧠 grown-ups talked to a radio 📻 host about important stuff happening in Arizona 🌵 and America 🇺🇸. One expert 👨‍⚕️ explained how a government official is making it harder 😤 and more expensive 💰 for people to get vaccines 💉 that keep them healthy 💪, which isn't fair 😠 to families who don't have lots of money 💸. The other expert 👨‍✈️, who used to be a general in the army 🎖️, talked about how there are way more rattlesnakes 🐍 this year because it was so dry 🌵, but also shared cool facts 🤓 like how Arizona has over 1,300 different types of bees 🐝 and scientists 👩‍🔬 just found a new kind of bat 🦇 by testing hummingbird feeders 🌺. Both experts care 💝 about keeping people safe 🛡️ and healthy 🏥, and they think regular citizens should get involved 🗳️ in making their communities better ⬆️.

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🗝️ Takeaways

• 🩹 RFK Jr.'s vaccine removal forces under-65 Americans to pay $220 out-of-pocket for COVID boosters while maintaining Medicare coverage for seniors

• 🧬 NIH funding cuts represent a "generational gutting" of scientific talent that threatens America's biomedical research leadership

• 👩‍⚖️ The mysterious Senate Parliamentarian holds more power over healthcare policy than most elected officials

• 🐍 Arizona's rattlesnake surge stems from winter drought conditions driving serpents toward suburban water sources

• 🦇 A new bat species discovered in Arizona through citizen scientist DNA sampling of hummingbird feeders demonstrates community-driven conservation

• 🎖️ Military experts warn about creating a "warrior class" that fights wars while civilians remain disconnected from service

• 🏠 Arizona's heat-death crisis requires addressing root causes like restrictive zoning rather than just emergency cooling centers

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When Wisdom Wades Through the Wilderness: Public Health Pragmatism and Desert Defense Dialogues

Bill Buckmaster's post-Hawaiian homecoming delivered a deliciously dense dose of democracy in action, featuring two formidable forces fighting the good fight against bureaucratic balderdash and biological blindness. Wednesday's show served up substantive sustenance for souls starved of serious discourse, proving that progressive pragmatism still pulses through Arizona's airwaves.

Will Humble: The Health Hero Holding the Line

Broadcasting from the bucolic beauty of Spirit Lake, Iowa (because apparently even public health experts need vacation therapy after witnessing RFK Jr.'s rampage), Will Humble emerged as our voice of reason in an increasingly unreasonable world. The executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association and former state health department director didn't mince words when dissecting Kennedy's catastrophic crusade against common sense.

"He's had a 25-year track record of being anti-vaccine," Humble stated matter-of-factly, delivering the kind of brutal honesty that cuts through Kennedy's carefully crafted Kennedy mystique. Because nothing says "Make America Healthy Again" quite like ignoring 25 years of actual health expertise, right?

The devastating details of Kennedy's vaccine vendetta reveal the cruel calculus of conservative "healthcare": while Medicare beneficiaries over 65 will still receive COVID booster coverage, everyone else faces a $220 reality check.

"If you're under 65, if you're 64 and under, most likely your health insurance plan will no longer cover that booster," Humble explained.

Translation: if you're young, struggling, or simply haven't reached the magical Medicare milestone, your health is apparently less valuable than corporate tax cuts.

But Humble's horror extends far beyond immediate immunization inequities. The wholesale slashing of National Institutes of Health funding represents nothing less than intellectual infrastructure annihilation. "We're losing a whole generation of talent at those agencies," he warned, painting a picture of America's scientific supremacy slipping away while politicians prioritize performative populism over public protection.

Here's the thing that should terrify every thinking American: we're not just losing funding—we're losing the brilliant minds who could solve tomorrow's health crises. But hey, at least the billionaires get their tax breaks, right?

The conversation took a fascinating turn when Humble introduced us to Elizabeth McDonough, the Senate Parliamentarian—a position most Americans have never heard of but which wields enormous power over our collective future. This mysterious maven, serving since 2012 as an independent, determines whether massive legislative packages need 60 votes or just 51.

"She's the person who would advise Senator John Thune... about whether it's 60 votes needed or 50," Humble explained, revealing how one staff position can shape the trajectory of American healthcare.

Isn't it deliciously ironic that in our supposed democracy, an unelected official most people have never heard of holds more power over healthcare policy than the millions of Americans who actually need that healthcare?

On Arizona's legislative landscape, Humble highlighted hopeful progress with "about 25 to 30 bills that relate to public health that have been passed. Most all of them are good." But his real passion emerged when discussing the state's homelessness crisis and heat-related deaths. His prescription goes beyond band-aid solutions like cooling centers to address root causes: "Making some adjustments to these policies that the cities are making that restrict zoning so it's that we don't have the affordable housing out there."

Because apparently, in the land of the free, having shelter from 120-degree heat is still considered a luxury rather than a human right.

General Jeffrey Buchanan: Rattlesnakes, Reality, and Regional Resilience

Retired three-star General Jeffrey Buchanan brought his trademark blend of military precision and desert wisdom to discuss everything from serpentine surges to service anniversaries. The Arizona Game and Fish commissioner confirmed what many Tucsonans have suspected: this year's rattlesnake renaissance stems from winter's withering dryness.

"We had such a dry winter that these snakes, of course, are seeking cover. They're seeking food, and they're seeking water," Buchanan explained with the calm authority of someone who's survived on nothing but rope for five days in Hawaiian mountains. Yes, you read that right—this man literally survived military training with just a piece of rope. Suddenly, dealing with suburban snakes seems almost manageable.

But here's where Buchanan's practical pragmatism shines: rather than fear-mongering about fanged visitors, he advocates for respectful coexistence and—wait for it—culinary curiosity. "I actually think it's better [than chicken]. It's got more flavor. It's got the texture about like shrimp, but a little bit more flavor," he shared, offering a deliciously unconventional perspective on desert dining.

Leave it to a three-star general to turn a public health concern into a cooking show moment. Though honestly, in today's economy, snake steaks might be more affordable than grocery store prices.

The general's discussion of border deployment offered a measured military perspective on the current situation. With over 8,000 troops now stationed along the southwestern frontier—compared to his 6,000-strong contingent during Trump's first term—Buchanan emphasized that "the military is not doing law enforcement things. Those are under the responsibility of Customs agents and Border Patrol agents."

It's refreshing to hear someone actually explain what military border support means, rather than letting politicians weaponize immigration fears for electoral advantage.

Perhaps most poignantly, Buchanan reflected on the Army's upcoming 250th birthday, offering sobering thoughts about our all-volunteer military. His concern about creating a "warrior class" echoes Admiral Mullen's warning about becoming Sparta: "When we have a warrior class, it can be a family business... there's a potential where we end up having a class of our country doing fighting the nation's wars on behalf of everybody else."

In other words, while the rich get richer and the poor fight wars, the middle class gets squeezed from both ends. Sound familiar?

Desert Democracy and Biological Bounty

Arizona's astonishing biodiversity—820 species under Game and Fish jurisdiction—serves as a stark reminder of what we stand to lose if we prioritize profit over preservation. The discovery of a new nectar-feeding bat species, identified through citizen scientists' DNA sampling of hummingbird feeders, demonstrates how community engagement can advance scientific understanding.

Because apparently, in Arizona, even our bats are more productive than our legislature when it comes to discovering new solutions.

With 1,300 bee species calling Arizona home (more variety than most states have in their entire congressional delegations), our desert demands defenders who understand ecological interconnection. The upcoming Game and Fish Commission vacancy provides an opportunity for engaged citizens to champion conservation while serving the statewide interests.

The Intersection of Hope and Action

In these times of institutional assault and environmental uncertainty, voices like Humble and Buchanan remind us that expertise and integrity still exist in public service. Their willingness to speak the truth while serving others proves that progress remains possible when wisdom meets dedication.

Sure, we're facing unprecedented challenges—from vaccine misinformation to climate change to economic inequality. But we're also witnessing unprecedented resistance from people who refuse to let ignorance triumph over intelligence.

The path forward requires both individual action and collective organization. Support local environmental groups, attend city council meetings, and vote in every election—especially the local ones that directly impact your daily life. Demand that your representatives prioritize science over superstition, community over corporate interests.

And here's where you come in: Three Sonorans exists because independent journalism matters now more than ever. Corporate media won't give you this kind of unflinching analysis of power structures and policy impacts. We will. But we need your support to keep shining light in dark corners and asking uncomfortable questions that comfortable people would rather avoid.

Subscribe to our Substack, share our stories, and most importantly, engage with your community. Democracy isn't a spectator sport, and the desert doesn't defend itself.

What Do You Think?

How do we balance individual freedom with collective responsibility when it comes to public health measures? What role should citizen scientists play in conservation efforts? How can we ensure that expertise informs policy without creating an elitist technocracy?

Share your thoughts below—because the conversations we have today shape the world we'll inhabit tomorrow. And in times like these, hope isn't just an emotion—it's an action plan.

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Quotes:

• Will Humble on RFK Jr.: "He's been, he's had a 25-year track record of being anti-vaccine. And, you know, for many years, he was just a lawyer trying to make a living one way or another. And now he's got the power of the state."

• Will Humble on vaccine coverage impact: "If you're under 65, if you're 64 and under, most likely your health insurance plan will no longer cover that booster... It's going to set you back about 220 bucks, something like that."

• Will Humble on scientific talent loss: "We're losing a whole generation of talent at those agencies... we're going to lose our cohort of young researchers or even middle researchers, as they're no longer able to support an academic career."

• General Buchanan on rattlesnake cuisine: "I actually think it's better [than chicken]. I think it's better than chicken... It's got more flavor. It's a little, it's got the texture about like shrimp, but, but a little bit more flavor."

• General Buchanan on warrior class concerns: "We are at the risk of becoming Sparta. When we have a warrior class, it can be a family business... there's a potential where we end up having a class of our country doing fighting the nation's wars on behalf of everybody else."

• Will Humble on Senate Parliamentarian power: "She's the person who would advise Senator John Thune... about whether it's 60 votes needed or 50... it's a really important decision that she's going to be making coming up."

Names Mentioned and Context:

• Will Humble - Executive director, Arizona Public Health Association; former Arizona Department of Health director; "I'm not surprised because he's had a 25-year track record of being anti-vaccine."

• RFK Jr. (Robert F. Kennedy Jr.) - Current HHS Secretary; Criticized for removing COVID vaccines from recommended schedule despite lack of evidence

• Elizabeth McDonough - Senate Parliamentarian since 2012; "She's registered as an independent... she's been in the job since 2012"

• John Thune - Senate leadership figure; Referenced as receiving advice from the parliamentarian on vote thresholds

• Rex Humkey - USA Today journalist; Criticized RFK Jr.'s vaccine decision in article

• General Jeffrey Buchanan - Retired three-star general, Arizona Game and Fish commissioner; "I actually think it's better than chicken" (about rattlesnake meat)

• Clay Hernandez - Outgoing Game and Fish commissioner from Pima County; Term expiring after five years of service

• Admiral Mullen - Former chairman of Joint Chiefs; Warned about military becoming "Sparta" with warrior class

• Tom Fairbanks - Radio show producer/engineer; Mentioned as being "on the other side of the glass"

• Bill Buckmaster - Radio show host; Recently returned from Hawaiian vacation, celebrating 15th year of show

• General Washington - Historical reference; Created the Army on June 14, 1775, making it older than the country

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