Health & Human Services: Tom Daschle?

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[VTJen]

That's great! What do you think of Tom Daschle in HHS?

Jamie, I am mixed about this only because Howard Dean (Former VT Gov) would have been a nice choice too.  He is a doctor by trade and we have a wonderful health care system in VT that he initiated.  I would not have health care if this program did not exist.  It is very fair and equitable.  When I didn't have a job, they charge me $7 a month for health care for me and my daughter.  Now that I am working (Long-term Temp. for the state) they have reevaluated and my daughter will stay on the medicare program and I will be transferred over to a very affordable BCBS program.

Anyway, I'm not sure how the reception would be with Dean and it looks like things are panning out as being pretty positive for Daschle, so I'm not upset, just bummed because I wanted our homeboy to get the post 

[Jamie]

That's great! What do you think of Tom Daschle in HHS?

Jamie, I am mixed about this only because Howard Dean (Former VT Gov) would have been a nice choice too.  He is a doctor by trade and we have a wonderful health care system in VT that he initiated.  I would not have health care if this program did not exist.  It is very fair and equitable.  When I didn't have a job, they charge me $7 a month for health care for me and my daughter.  Now that I am working (Long-term Temp. for the state) they have reevaluated and my daughter will stay on the medicare program and I will be transferred over to a very affordable BCBS program.

Anyway, I'm not sure how the reception would be with Dean and it looks like things are panning out as being pretty positive for Daschle, so I'm not upset, just bummed because I wanted our homeboy to get the post 

Do you know what Daschle's qualifications are? Dean certainly seems qualified - political proble or not. If he can create a great system statewide, then why not national?

[Icy]

Rumor is that Tom Daschle will be selected to head HHS...Health & Human Services.  Does Daschle have a conflict of interest?  From NYT:

President-elect Barack Obama’s selection of former Senator Tom Daschle for secretary of health and human services posed new questions on Wednesday about how broadly the new administration would apply Mr. Obama’s campaign promises to limit potential conflicts of interest among his appointees.

At issue is Mr. Daschle’s work since leaving the Senate four years ago as a board member of the Mayo Clinic and a highly paid adviser to health care clients at the law and lobbying firm Alston & Bird.

In a detailed list of campaign promises, Mr. Obama pledged that “no political appointees in an Obama administration will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years.”

[Deuce2 AL Renegade]

@ Jamie:   Here is some info I picked up on Dashle. Perhaps it will answer some of your questions.
http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/2008/11/19/tom_daschle_is_obamas_pick_for.htm

[Alex]

Tom Daschle this year wrote a book (Critical: What We Can Do About the Health Care Crisis) advocating adopting universal health care in the U.S.

[Icy]

Interesting...is the Insurance Industry reacting to the writing on the wall?

The health insurance industry said Wednesday that it would support a health care overhaul requiring insurers to accept all customers, regardless of illness or disability. But in return, the industry said, Congress should require all Americans to have coverage.

The proposals, put forward by the insurers’ two main trade associations, have the potential to reshape and advance the debate over universal health insurance just as President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office.

In separate actions, the two trade groups, America’s Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, announced their support for guaranteed coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions, in conjunction with an enforceable mandate for individual coverage.

In the absence of such a mandate, insurers said, many people will wait until they become sick before they buy insurance.

Members of Congress said Wednesday that they wanted to pass legislation next year, as proposed by Mr. Obama, to expand coverage and rein in health care costs.

More at WAPO.

Awwww.....didn't know they cared!

[VTJen]

Rumor is that Tom Daschle will be selected to head HHS...Health & Human Services.  Does Daschle have a conflict of interest?  From NYT:

In a detailed list of campaign promises, Mr. Obama pledged that “no political appointees in an Obama administration will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years.”

Wow, Icy - you have a very good point there. It goes directly against the policy that Obama just set. Maybe this gives Dean more credence to be considered.

Also, Dean may have decided to not go for the post.  Who knows?

[schnauzer]

The one thing Daschle has going for him that Dean does not have is broad bipartisan support in the senate.  He is great friends with both Sen. Kennedy and Sen. McCain (as well as a number of the redder R's. Former Sen. Bob Dole actually campaigned for him back in the day).  He knows how to get stuff shoved through the congress.

Dean, God love him, is a polarizing figure. Lot's of dems like him, but he has fewer friends on the republican side of the aisle, and bottom line, a new national health plan must be built and passed by the congress.  This is what Bill & Hillary didn't manage to do.  Daschle has the background to move this through congress. 

Daschle has never been a lobbyist.  He has advised a number of clients, many of whom are lobbyists. He does have ties to the insurance industry.  Some have said that was a deliberate decision on his part.  To learn from the inside what needs to happen to get insurance for everyone.  National health care isn't going to happen unless you can convince the  insurance industry to go along.

How about Surgeon General for Dean? 

[VTJen]

How about Surgeon General for Dean? 

Ooooo... I'll be happy with SG!

I know Dean will be somewhere near Obama, but just though HHS was a good possibility.  I agree with you about Daschle being an known entity among Senate & House.  This makes sense and I in support of his appointment.

[Goalie]

I think Dean is brilliant.  He may not have the bipartisan support that Daschle has; but he certainly has the qualifications.  He was the force behind the very successful internet fundraising that became so central to Obama's win. 

Thanks for the information re: the health care system he initiated in VT.  Smart, smart guy. 

[schnauzer]

I think Dean is brilliant.  He may not have the bipartisan support that Daschle has; but he certainly has the qualifications.  He was the force behind the very successful internet fundraising that became so central to Obama's win. 

Thanks for the information re: the health care system he initiated in VT.  Smart, smart guy. 

Oh I agree.  Dean is very capable.  Even brilliant.  It's just as they say his "skill set" might be a better match for another position.  I understand that the idea is for Dasch to to the Health Czar concentrating on congress and the insurance industry.  It isn't really so much bipartisan support in Daschle's favor as his background in making sausages (er laws)  He was an aid to South Dakota Senator James Abourezk for five years.  Spent 8 years in the House of Representatives, and 18? years in the Senate before his loss to  Thune.

He's spent the last 4 years boning up on health care and the insurance industry...  Add in the fact that everybody thinks Tom is sooo nice all the while he makes it impossible to do anything other than what he wants you to do.

He was a supporter of health care reform when Bill Clinton tried it, and has been pushing for it ever since.

[Deuce2 AL Renegade]

Dashle:  Wasn't that the name of one of Santa's Reindeer?  Oh, that was Dasher.
I think he will do well in the position where placed. I'm not a political junkie, which is plain to see,
but after much reading and education received here, I feel more knowledgeable than I would have
before this election. I may joke around a lot, seem a little silly, and type nonsense sometimes, but,
I have learned an awful lot about politics in the past 3 months here with you good people. Thank you so much for the friendship and education you have been kind enough to share with me.
"Deuce" 
 

[Charcoal Sniper P.]

Howard Dean doesn't have the skills.
snip
Dean would be very risky and questionable.

I respectfully disagree.

He is a Doctor. He was Governor of Vermont for 11.5 years.  He was the head of the DNC for several years.  He completely reworked the Medicaid system in Vermont, so that it works, and is inclusive of all children, most adults and all healthcare needs including reproductive health and mental health.  He is a very accomplished man, with lots of skills including in medicine and politics.

eta: the post I quoted was modified by the original poster to empty  its contents and then got deleted.

[VTJen]

I respectfully disagree.

He is a Doctor. He was Governor of Vermont for 11.5 years.  He was the head of the DNC for several years.  He completely reworked the Medicaid system in Vermont, so that it works, and is inclusive of all children, most adults and all healthcare needs including reproductive health and mental health.  He is a very accomplished man, with lots of skills including in medicine and politics.

Very well said!