Recall March 23, 2010? That was the day that the Affordable Care Act, otherwise formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), colloquially, "Obamacare," was signed into law. That day symbolized in current-day policy, that health care as a right for all Americans was established. Fifteen years later, that right is fast becoming a pipe dream. Why?

Before ACA became the law of the land, I often wrote that health care is a right. I even taught about it during a stint at Stetson Law School and advised Congress during the writing of the ACA. So, when I say that health care as a right may be history, I have some foundation to assert it.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is at the helm of Health and Human Services as its confirmed Cabinet secretary with his anti-vaccine bent and ideology, recently ridding the CDC of its head, Dr. Susan Monarez, who did not support Kennedy's contamination of proven scientific study and research, particularly relating to vaccines. Kennedy has backed the defunding of mRNA development used to develop vaccines and supports Trump's budget bill that will take away Medicaid from some 11 million Americans and do other damage to heath care in this country. An informed voter now can conclude that what ACA brought forth in policy as a right, Kennedy/Trump intends to "taketh away," again, in the blink of an eye, after a mere 15 years.

Kennedy, as we all know, or should know, is not a scientist, is not trained in nor has studied science or (the practice) of medicine in any formal, peer-reviewed or critical manner. He thus should be considered a charlatan when it comes to recognizing proven science, ignoring the credible scientists who have informed the public about the safety and efficacy of vaccines. It is for this reason that once Monarez at the CDC was let go, her chief lieutenants quit in protest.

This anti-vaccine ideology has now taken hold in our state. The Surgeon General, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, an anti-vaccine proponent himself, said that Florida's schoolchildren will no longer have to submit to mandated vaccinations which have saved lives and diminished illnesses for many years.

Only we, the people, have the power and authority to avoid subjecting ourselves to Kennedy's (and Ladapo's) mindset, as it is we who will become the sacrificial lambs of his thinking. Kennedy's CDC now does not recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children and pregnant women, and he has discussed limiting the COVID vaccine even further. One Kennedy medical adviser has even suggested he might take vaccines off the market entirely.

Without our health, none of us are much good, certainly to ourselves, but also to our families, friends, communities or employers. And COVID is not picky in who it strikes and at what age. So, with this stance, it is time that Kennedy must depart his position. Our well-being is just too important for him to guide a baseless and foolish policy affecting the nation's public health any longer.

We want health care as a right to remain a national policy.