Ten Measles Deaths So Far

In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the myth that vaccines cause autism. This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing diseases to spread. Examples include measles, COVID, flu, and polio. A top antivaxxer is HHS Secretary RFK Jr. He is part of the "Disinformation Dozen." He helped cause a deadly 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa.  Last year, he lied about it under oath.

Since  Trump took office in 2025, the U.S. has recorded more confirmed measles cases than in the previous 20 years combined.  With more than two months to go in 2026, the US has already DOUBLED its 2025 total.  And we have lost our measles elimination status.

Ford McCracken at The Hill:

The U.S. reached 10 measles deaths this year after additional deaths reported in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, a concerning sign as the previously eradicated disease makes a resurgence worldwide and in the U.S.

Measles cases have already reached more than 5,400 this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dashboard — more than double the nearly 2,300 reported through the entirety of 2025.

Ninety-six percent of cases in 2026 are in unvaccinated individuals, compared to 93 percent last year.

Pennsylvania’s department of health confirmed that the newly added measles death, which brings the total to 7 deaths in the commonwealth, was in an unvaccinated person. Wisconsin said that a child had died but did not specify other details.

The Keystone State, with more than 1,500 cases, accounts for more than 1 in 4 cases reported in the entire country, according to the state’s dashboard.

Even worse, RFK's lies have reached audiences all over the world. 

US Loses Measles Elimination Status

 In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the myth that vaccines cause autism. This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing diseases to spread. Examples include measles, COVID, flu, and polio. A top antivaxxer is HHS Secretary RFK Jr. He is part of the "Disinformation Dozen." He helped cause a deadly 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa.  Last year, he lied about it under oath.

Since  Trump took office in 2025, the U.S. has recorded more confirmed measles cases than in the previous 20 years combined.  With more than two months to go in 2026, the US has already DOUBLED its 2025 total.

 Liz Essley Whyte  and  Jennifer Calfas at WSJ:

The Pan American Health Organization, an international health body, has revoked the U.S.’s measles elimination status, people familiar with the matter said, a stunning reversal for a nation that has kept the vaccine-preventable disease at bay for decades.

The U.S. achieved measles elimination status in 2000 after robust immunization campaigns and the creation of a program that made shots free for millions of children.

Many public health experts and epidemiologists expected the U.S. to lose elimination status, as outbreaks over the past two years have exploded to highs not seen in decades. States such as Pennsylvania, New York and Wisconsin reported five measles deaths so far in November from unrelated outbreaks.
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Measles is considered eliminated when a country has no continuous spread of the virus for at least 12 months. PAHO makes its determination based on a review of recent outbreaks and a report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that shows whether disparate outbreaks are linked or whether any one outbreak lasted more than a year.

Measles has largely been under control in the U.S. over the past 30 years, with often just a few dozen cases recorded annually. Over the past two years, states such as Utah, Texas, South Carolina and Pennsylvania have all reported big outbreaks. In 2026 alone, the CDC has reported more than 5,400 cases—a level not seen since before measles was eliminated.

The acceleration of cases coincides with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s tenure as health secretary. Since joining the administration, Kennedy has tried to cut the number of shots on the childhood vaccine schedule, promoted long-debunked claims that immunizations cause autism and cut federal funding for some vaccine research.
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Under Kennedy, the CDC has backed away from long-held immunization recommendations. The Trump administration has called for children to receive fewer vaccines and to specifically separate the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine, into individual shots—a shift public health experts say would sow confusion. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective in preventing the disease.

5,412 Measles Cases

 In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the myth that vaccines cause autism. This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing diseases to spread. Examples include measles, COVID, flu, and polio. A top antivaxxer is HHS Secretary RFK Jr. He is part of the "Disinformation Dozen." He helped cause a deadly 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa.  Last year, he lied about it under oath.

Since  Trump took office in 2025, the U.S. has recorded more confirmed measles cases than in the previous 20 years combined.  With more than two months to go in 2026, the US has already DOUBLED its 2025 total.

CDC:

As of November 12, 2026, 5,412 confirmed* measles cases were reported in the United States in 2026. Among these, 5,394 measles cases were reported by 47 jurisdictions: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. A total of 18 measles cases were reported among international visitors to the United States.

There have been 43 new outbreaks** reported in 2026, and 96% of confirmed cases (5,216 of 5,412) are outbreak-associated (3,831 from outbreaks starting in 2026 and 1,385 from outbreaks that started in 2025).

For the full year of 2025, a total of 2,289 confirmed* measles cases were reported in the United States.

More on the RISE Act

 In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the growing number of college students on the spectrum.  

This week, the Senate passed Senator Jim Banks’ (R-Ind.) bipartisan Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act, legislation that would cut red tape for students with documented disabilities seeking to receive accommodations in college. Banks introduced the RISE Act with Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA).

 Danielle Douglas-Gabriel at WP:

Colleges and universities have been enrolling more students with documented disabilities amid increased diagnoses and greater willingness to self-identify. A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found the share of college students with disabilities has nearly doubled, from 11 percent in 2004 to 21 percent in 2020. College students with disabilities often get accommodations such as more time to complete assignments and exams.

The college trend is occurring alongside a growth in the number of K-12 students receiving disability services, which researchers in a separate GAO report found increased 21 percent between the 2012-13 and 2023-24 academic years. About 16.5 percent of public school students in pre-K through 12th grade received services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act during the 2024-25 school year, federal data show.

Students with disabilities can face significant challenges transitioning to and attending college. Researchers at GAO said some students are unaware of or unprepared for the self-advocacy needed to request support, while others are met with reluctance from faculty to provide accommodations. Even when students can clear those hurdles, they must contend with documentation requirements that can be costly and time-consuming.

Documentation requirements vary from college to college. One college noted in the GAO report said psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluations used as evidence of a learning disability could be no more than five years old, while another had no time frame. Students who need new evaluations could spend months trying to get appointments and pay thousands of dollars for evaluations, the report found.

“Students with disabilities shouldn’t have to pay for costly and duplicative testing to prove a disability that they’ve already documented,” Banks said in a statement. “My bipartisan RISE Act slashes red tape, removes unnecessary barriers, and ensures students receive the support they need to succeed.”

Lawmakers are confident about the bill’s chance in the House, where Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Oregon) and Erin Houchin (R-Indiana) have sponsored companion legislation. Bonamici, who has introduced similar legislation for years, told The Washington Post she is in conversation with her colleagues in the House about how to get the legislation to the floor for a vote before the end of the year.

RISE Act

 In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the growing number of college students on the spectrum.  

A November 10 release from Senator Jim Banks (R-IN):

Last night, the Senate passed Senator Jim Banks’ (R-Ind.) bipartisan Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act, legislation that would cut red tape for students with documented disabilities seeking to receive accommodations in college. Banks introduced the RISE Act with Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA).

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee advanced the RISE Act unanimously on July 30. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Erin Houchin (R-Ind.) are leading the companion legislation in the House.

Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.): “Students with disabilities shouldn’t have to pay for costly and duplicative testing to prove a disability that they’ve already documented. My bipartisan RISE Act slashes red tape, removes unnecessary barriers, and ensures students receive the support they need to succeed.”

Approximately 15 percent of public-school students receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. However, students entering college are often required to undergo and pay for new diagnostic testing before receiving accommodations—even when their disability has already been documented.

Key Provisions of the RISE Act:

• Closes a loophole that often requires students with documented disabilities to undergo new, costly diagnostic testing to qualify for accommodations.
• Makes school policies regarding disability services more transparent for students and families so they can make an informed decision on the college that best fits their needs.
• Requires universities to collect and report key data related to undergraduate students who are registered as students with disabilities to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
• Provides additional support and authorizes funds for technical assistance to help colleges and universities to serve those with disabilities better.

The legislation is endorsed by the National Center for Learning disabilities, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, American Council on Education, Association on Higher Education and Disability, American Psychological Association, Autism Society of America, National Disability Rights Network, National Down Syndrome Society, Autism Speaks, The Arc of the United States, and numerous other education and disability advocacy organizations.

Uniting to Protect People with Disabilities

 In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the congressional role in the issue.

The Trump administration has threatened the rights and interests of people with disabilities such as autism.  the 119th Congress failed to push back.  The 2026 election was a massive rejection of Trump and gives the 120th Congress a chance to do better.

A joint statement from the Arc of the United States, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, the Center for Public Representation, the National Health Law Program, and VOR:

We come together today as a coalition of national organizations who advocate for people with disabilities and their families. It is no secret that there are many policies on which we have historically and vigorously disagreed. But we are united in our efforts to preserve long-established rights and policies that affect millions of people with disabilities, because despite our differences, we all agree with the fundamental principle that people with disabilities should be able to access the services they need and to live the lives they choose. Between extraordinary cuts to Medicaid and the recent memorandum from the U.S. Department of Justice that reverses course on the government’s decades-long support for the right to live in the community, people with disabilities are more vulnerable to harm than they have been in decades.

Public Law No. 119-21, the reconciliation bill introduced as HR 1- the One Big Beautiful Bill Act which was passed by Congress in 2025, is expected to result in nearly $1 trillion in reduced Medicaid funding, the largest cut in the Medicaid program’s 60-year history. For people with all types of disabilities, Medicaid is a critically important lifeline across their lifespan. For many people with disabilities, Medicaid is their only source of coverage for the services they need to support routine activities throughout their lives. We are at a crisis moment. All Medicaid long-term services and supports are at risk. Significantly reduced funding to states–together with the government’s efforts to paint home and community based services as rife with fraud–are pressuring states to reduce these essential services. The likely results will include loss of human dignity, financial strain to individuals and families, and homelessness, by needlessly driving many Americans with disabilities who could live successfully in their own communities with support into emergency rooms and psychiatric wards, nursing facilities and other institutional settings, including jails and other forensic facilities.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the cuts in Public Law No. 119-21 will cause about 7.5 million Americans to lose Medicaid coverage. The federal government’s new rule implementing the Medicaid work requirement is expected to increase that number by another 1.8 million, or nearly 25%, if implemented. While there is an exemption to the work requirement for people who are medically frail, large numbers of people with disabilities are expected to lose coverage due to the complexities of proving that they meet or are exempt from the work requirement. For those people, loss of Medicaid coverage will be devastating.

The Justice Department’s actions similarly threaten the rights and choices of people with disabilities. On June 18th, the Department’s Office of Legal Counsel issued an opinion stating that neither the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) nor Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act require states to provide services to people with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate. The opinion reversed the government’s longstanding position that guided its enforcement work over decades and across Administrations. It is inconsistent with long-settled federal case law, including the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C. It effectively invites states to institutionalize people with disabilities who do not want or need institutionalization.

We support the rights of individuals with disabilities and their families to make informed choices about residential options, treatment services, and other daily activities that meet their needs in the most integrated setting appropriate. We support the right of people with disabilities to live fulfilling lives with self-determination and dignity. We also support their right to oppose placement into settings they do not want and that do not meet their needs.

The integration mandate and the Olmstead decision are crucially important, and the government’s retreat from enforcing these rights will cause untold harms. These actions threaten all Americans with disabilities, including people experiencing psychiatric, intellectual, and physical disabilities. They would deny critical opportunities to choose where to live and receive services.

We call on all members of the disability community to join together and speak with one voice to demand the reversal of these cuts to Medicaid and to support the rights of people with disabilities, and their families, to choose the options that best suit them throughout the course of their lives. And we call on all Americans to demand that Congress and the Administration adopt policies that uphold the rights, dignity, well-being and community participation of people with disabilities and rescind those policies that undermine these principles.

Congressional Pushback

 In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the congressional role in the issue.

The Trump administration has threatened the rights and interests of people with disabilities such as autism.  the 119th Congress failed to push back.  The 2026 election was a massive rejection of Trump and gives the 120th Congress a chance to do better.

Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, Todd Wallack and Susan Svrluga at WP:

Historically, the Education and Justice departments have investigated discrimination complaints involving students of color, children with disabilities, as well as allegations of sexual violence and harassment.

But critics say the Trump administration has neglected many of those cases, while concentrating on a narrower set of priorities important to conservatives, including alleged discrimination against White and Asian students in admissions and scholarships, antisemitism and policies to protect transgender students. The Trump administration also laid off many investigators, contributing to a backlog of complaints.

“We have a civil rights crisis in education right now,” said Columbia law professor Suzanne B. Goldberg, who served as acting assistant secretary for civil rights at the Education Department in 2021. “The departments have dropped nearly all of their basic protection of students in service of a few select priorities.”

Goldberg said she expects Congress will hold hearings and issue subpoenas to gather information about the issues.

“Congress will be very interested in gathering information to see what exactly the departments have been doing with taxpayer dollars,” she said.

Bonamici told The Post in a statement that she wants to hold hearings to investigate why the department closed several of its regional offices and to force officials to “answer for the lack of action on pending cases and the disturbing number of case dismissals.”

In addition to holding hearings, the new Congress could also try to include restrictions in appropriations bills on how the departments use federal civil rights enforcement funds, though the executive branch generally has broad discretion to decide which cases to prioritize.

“Congress will no longer be a bystander,” said [Frederick] Hess at AEI. “They’ll be holding hearings. They’ll use oversight. They can try to attach language to spending.”

Autism Workforce

In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the day-to-day challenges facing autistic people and their families.  One is a shortage of caregivers and direct support professionals, which is likely to get worse.  

Cristina Busu at Newsweek:

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board reported that U.S. job postings seeking Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or Board Certified Behavior Analyst–Doctoral (BCBA-D) certification increased 28 percent from 2024 to 2025.

A 2025 ANCOR survey also found that many community-based disability service providers continued to experience staffing shortages.

Those numbers matter because when professional support is unavailable, families often absorb the responsibility.

In my experience, that can mean a parent reducing working hours, leaving a job, or reorganizing nearly every part of family life around caregiving. A 2024 study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders similarly identified challenges in balancing paid employment with ongoing caregiving responsibilities.

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The autism workforce crisis is not only about how many professionals are available. It is also about what happens to families when the support they need is not there. If we want to build a more supportive system, we need to consider both.

Survey: Autism, Vaccines, Republicans, and Trump

In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the myth that vaccines cause autism. This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing diseases to spread. Examples include measles, COVID, flu, and polio. A top antivaxxer is HHS Secretary RFK Jr. He is part of the "Disinformation Dozen." He helped cause a deadly 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa. Last year, he lied about it under oath.

Since Trump took office in 2025, the U.S. has recorded more confirmed measles cases than in the previous 20 years combined. With more than two months to go in 2026, the US has already DOUBLED its 2025 total.

Last week, the US topped 5,000 cases for the first time since 1991. Next week, the Pan American Health Organization is virtually certain to declare that the United States has lost its measles elimination status, which it has held since 2000.

New article: Perlis RH, Santillana M, Baum MA, Druckman JN, Ognyanova K, Lazer D. Knowledge and Misinformation Regarding Autism Risk Factors in a Survey of US Adults. JAMA Health Forum. 2026;7(11):e264105. doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2026.4105

Key Points

Question What proportion of US adults endorse non–evidence-based beliefs about autism risk, and what characteristics are associated with these beliefs?

Findings In this cross-sectional survey study of 30 288 US adults, approximately one-quarter of respondents endorsed childhood vaccinations or acetaminophen use during pregnancy as autism risk factors. This endorsement was more common among individuals with particular sociodemographic characteristics and political affiliations, whereas greater trust in scientific and medical institutions was associated with lower rates of endorsement.

Meaning Results suggest that non–evidence-based beliefs about autism risk factors are common among US adults and highlight the need for targeted public health efforts to address these beliefs.

From the article:

Belief in childhood vaccination as a risk factor ...Adding political party to this model, all other affiliations were less likely to endorse this belief than strong Republican (aORs, 0.23-0.71; strong Republican vs strong Democrat, aOR, 3.83; 95% CI, 3.47-4.24; eFigure 3 in Supplement 1).

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Trust in Donald Trump was associated with a significantly greater likelihood of such beliefs (vaccination aOR, 4.51 [95% CI, 4.13-4.91]; acetaminophen aOR, 4.50 [95% CI, 4.11-4.93]).

 Abstract

Importance With the rise of misinformation about autism risk, including recent statements from US government officials, the extent to which the public understands environmental autism risk factors is not known.

Objective To characterize beliefs about autism risk factors among US adults and identify characteristics influencing these beliefs.

Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional survey study used data from an internet-based survey of adults aged 18 years or older residing in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia and was administered between December 18, 2025, and January 27, 2026. Multiple regression models assessed sociodemographic and other individual characteristics, including political affiliation and trust in institutions, for association with endorsement of misinformed beliefs.

Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was endorsement of individual risk factors, scored on a 5-point Likert scale from definitely false to definitely true.

Results Of the 30 388 adults who completed the survey, 100 did not provide an answer to the childhood vaccination item, leaving 30 288 in the analysis. Among the 30 288 participants (mean [SD] age, 46.6 [15.9] years), 13 702 (45.2%) identified as men, 16 393 (54.1%) as women, and 193 (0.6%) as nonbinary. The most commonly endorsed cause was genetic factors (20 380 of 30 254; unweighted, 67.4%; weighted, 66.7%), an evidence-based risk factor. However, 8370 of 30 288 (unweighted, 27.6%; weighted, 26.6%) endorsed childhood vaccinations and 7140 of 30 211 (unweighted, 23.6%; weighted, 23.1%) endorsed acetaminophen in pregnancy as autism risk factors. In regression models, endorsement of vaccine-autism risk beliefs was greatest among adults aged 35 to 44 years (vs 18 to 24 years, adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.64; 95% CI, 1.44-1.86) and lowest among those aged 65 years and older (aOR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.55-0.74). Endorsement was also associated with men (aOR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.19-1.34), African American or Black race (compared with White race, aOR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.15-1.35), Hispanic ethnicity (aOR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03-1.24), and strength of Republican political affiliation (strong Republican vs strong Democrat, aOR, 3.83; 95% CI, 3.47-4.24). More frequent social media use was associated with lower odds of endorsing misinformation (multiple times daily vs less than weekly, aOR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.66-0.78).

Conclusions and Relevance Results of this survey study suggest that non–evidence-based beliefs about autism risk were prevalent among US adults and were strongly associated with sociodemographic differences and political affiliation. Limiting public health impact of such non–evidence-based information will likely require targeted interventions that recognize the heterogeneity of such beliefs.

Measles November

 In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the myth that vaccines cause autism. This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing diseases to spread. Examples include measles, COVID, flu, and polio. A top antivaxxer is HHS Secretary RFK Jr. He is part of the "Disinformation Dozen." He helped cause a deadly 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa.  Last year, he lied about it under oath.

Since  Trump took office in 2025, the U.S. has recorded more confirmed measles cases than in the previous 20 years combined.  With more than two months to go in 2026, the US has already DOUBLED its 2025 total.

CDC:

As of November 5, 2026, 5,182 confirmed* measles cases were reported in the United States in 2026. Among these, 5,164 measles cases were reported by 47 jurisdictions: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. A total of 18 measles cases were reported among international visitors to the United States.

There have been 43 new outbreaks** reported in 2026, and 96% of confirmed cases (4,993 of 5,182) are outbreak-associated (3,608 from outbreaks starting in 2026 and 1,385 from outbreaks that started in 2025).

For the full year of 2025, a total of 2,289 confirmed* measles cases were reported in the United States.

Youri Benadjaoud at ABC:

An infant in Wisconsin has died from measles, the state health department said Thursday.

It’s the first death in the state since 1990. This brings the total number of measles deaths reported by state health departments across the country to eight: six in Pennsylvania, one in New York and one in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin has reported 431 measles cases so far this year, the highest number in the state in more than 35 years. Nine people have required hospitalization, according to health officials.

Change in Congress

 In The Politics of Autism, I discuss the congressional role in the issue.

The Trump administration has threatened the rights and interests of people with disabilities such as autism.  the 119th Congress failed to push back.  The 2026 election was a massive rejection of Trump and gives the 120th Congress a chance to do better.

From the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund :

The new leaders take office at a critical moment. Disabled people face one of the most sustained rollbacks of our rights, services, and civil rights protections in a generation.

The 2025 budget law cut federal Medicaid funding and imposed work and reporting requirements that take effect by January 1, 2027. Medicaid pays for the home and community-based services that let millions of disabled people live outside institutions and in their communities. New administrative and paperwork barriers threaten to strip eligible disabled people of the coverage and supports they need to live independently.

In June 2026, the Department of Education moved oversight of special education and vocational rehabilitation to the Department of Health and Human Services. More than seven million disabled students depend on federal oversight to protect their educational rights. That same month, the Office for Civil Rights moved to the Department of Justice, which had already stepped back from enforcing essential disability protections.

In Texas v. Kennedy, the federal government stopped defending the Section 504 integration mandate. In September, it joined the remaining state plaintiffs in asking a court to strike the mandate from federal regulations, and the court ultimately did so. That mandate is a legal foundation of Olmstead v. Lois Curtis and of our right to live at home rather than be unnecessarily institutionalized.

Through the budget law and new rules, disabled immigrants and their families have faced additional barriers to access to healthcare, services and supports, housing, detention and deportations of themselves, their families and caregivers.

Most of these changes did not come through new laws. They were the result of executive and agency actions, while Congress failed to use its existing oversight and spending powers to intervene. The new Congress has both the authority and the responsibility to act.

We call on every member of the new Congress to work together to advance disability and civil rights and bring disabled people to the table when working on the issues that most impact us. Restore and protect Medicaid and home and community-based services, keep special education where it belongs, restore and strengthen civil rights enforcement, stop the attacks on Black, brown, transgender and immigrant communities that impact disabled people and our communities, and codify the integration mandate so that the right to live in the community is protected.

A Measles Death in New York State

In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the myth that vaccines cause autism. This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing diseases to spread. Examples include measles, COVID, flu, and polio. A top antivaxxer is HHS Secretary RFK Jr. He is part of the "Disinformation Dozen." He helped cause a deadly 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa.  Last year, he lied about it under oath.

Since  Trump took office in 2025, the U.S. has recorded more confirmed measles cases than in the previous 20 years combined. 

With more than two months to go in 2026, the US has already DOUBLED its 2025 total.

Joseph Goldstein at NYT:

A child in New York’s North Country died after contracting measles, the first death in the state from the viral disease in 30 years, health officials announced Monday.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said the death was a signal that public health protections were eroding as a growing number of families forgo vaccinations.

The child died in Lewis County, which is northeast of Syracuse and has recorded 15 measles cases this year, according to the health authorities, who shared few details about the case.

“I am heartbroken to learn that a child in Lewis County has died after contracting measles,” Ms. Hochul said in a statement.

The governor linked the death to Trump administration policies that she said had undermined public confidence in pediatric immunizations.

“This is New York’s first measles-related death in 30 years, a devastating reminder of what’s at stake when Washington deliberately erodes decades of progress in protecting Americans from preventable illnesses,” Ms. Hochul said.

 

Olmstead and the Threat to People with Disabilities

  In The Politics of Autism, I discuss court cases involving the civil rights of people with autism and other disabilities. 

Trump does not care.  He despises people with disabilities.  His head of the DOJ Civil Rights Division is a political hack who uses the r-word as a slur.

In June, the Department of Justice quietly released a memo pertaining to the landmark 1999 disability civil rights case Olmstead v. L.C.  DOJ stated it “will not rely upon the Olmstead Guidance in its enforcement” of the ADA, and that Olmstead is “not enforceable.”That precedent, the memo claimed without evidence, increases homelessness.

Maia Spoto at NYT:

In a memo in June, the Justice Department asserted a new interpretation of a decades-old Supreme Court decision that has required the government to provide care to people with significant disabilities in their own communities whenever possible, rather than segregating them in institutions.

That Supreme Court decision put in place new limits and obligations and changed what it means to live with a disability in America — whether you’re a homeless person with mental illness, a preschooler with cerebral palsy or a nursing home resident with Alzheimer’s.

Now, many families caring for someone with a significant disability see an emerging threat to government obligations they have long relied on.

Those obligations include public benefits that the administration has sought to limit in other ways, like Medicaid. In one case in Florida, the Justice Department already appears to be using its reinterpretation of the law to argue that the government is not required to provide at-home care for children with complex medical conditions.

More such cases could follow, potentially upending the way people with disabilities receive care in any number of states. Among the many people who could be affected by the Florida case is a 13-year-old boy named Dylan Webb who has A.D.H.D. and autism, as well as a blood-clotting disorder and a heart condition that requires constant access to a defibrillator.
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The staffing of Dylan’s nurses is governed by a court order that covers thousands of children in Florida with complex medical needs. It emerged from an anti-discrimination lawsuit, one of many where the federal government pressed states to do more to prevent disabled people from being put in institutions.

At a trial in 2023, the federal judge in Florida, Donald Middlebrooks, heard stories of enormous hardship. One grandmother testified she had lost her home because, with patchy nursing care for the grandson who lived with her, she couldn’t work consistently. In a decision ordering more in-home nursing, the judge wrote that when nursing shifts went unfilled, families endured harrowing conditions trying to keep their children from growing up in pediatric nursing homes.

But the Justice Department is seeking to undo the judge’s order in Florida, citing the legal position on disability rights that the office took in the June memo, when it said states were not required to provide care for disabled people at home and in their communities whenever possible.