Obama's Big Health Announcement
"She's forged a reputation for bipartisanship in her own right," said the President. And with that, Barack Obama announced that he was naming Kathleen Sebelius to be HHS Secretary. In another bipartisan move, the president was also flanked by former Kansas Senator Bob Dole and current Kansas Senator Pat Roberts. He was also joined by Nancy Ann DeParle, who becomes head of the White House Health Care Office. DeParle, he said, would lead the "public and legislative effort" for health care. Obama also brought Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus and House Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman on to the state as well.
Sebelius and Obama became close during the presidential campaign. She was an early endorser of his bid and Obama took frequent trips to Kansas, the birthplace of his mother. She was considered for vice president and went through a thorough vetting last summer.
Neera Tanden, who advised Hillary Clinton on domestic policy, and then worked for the Obama campaign, will also play an important role as will Jeanne Lambrew who, at least at the moment, is the deputy director at the White House Health Care office. Ezekiel Emanuel, brother of Rahm Emmanuel, the White House Chief of Staff, is also likely to play a major role in health care reform. It's important ro remember, too, that any plan that emerges will be scrutinized by Larry Summers, the director of the National Economic Council.
The real question about health care's success depends on whether Obama can make it seem like an essential part of economic recovery. As Obama spoke the Dow continued to sink well below 7000. If he can make universal health care seem like an essential part of economic recovery he has a shot at prevailing. But at the moment too many people see health care as an expensive nicety, something that's desirable but not essential to recovery. The upcoming White House Health Care Summit should give the president another opportunity to reframe the debate but at the moment the fight is not being fought on terrain that's favorable to the president.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Don't buy into the nonsense that the DOW is the only indicator of our economy. Instead, remember that these "wizards" were the folks who nose-dived us all into this mess.
These folks are not canaries in the coal mines as it relates to our economy. They are simply gamblers who wouldn't know a real investment if it bit them in the a$$.
Remember that as the DOW goes up and down like a yo-yo on a string.
March 2, 2009 1:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I half believe that the Republican Wall Streeters are mucking with the indexes to try and force the Obama Administration to change some of their plans.
March 2, 2009 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Matt, when you say that Obama is currently fighting on unfriendly terrain, ie, that health care is currently viewed as a nicety, not as part of the solution to our economic situation, do you have some poll numbers or other evidence to point to in order to back that up? Or is it just conventional inside-the-beltway "wisdom"? Seems to me lots of people are hurting and that times are ripe for something big, both in terms of individual attitudes and corporate outlook. I admit I have only anecdotal back-up for this; have you got something better for your assertion? (and I mean this very politely, not trying to be snarky here, just looking for data!)
March 2, 2009 2:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
>>But at the moment too many people see health care as an expensive nicety, something that's desirable but not essential to recovery,>>
That might be true on Planet "Inside the Beltway" but in the real world? Not so much!
March 2, 2009 2:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Having lived under the British NHS and now under personal private health insurance in the USA, I can tell you the biggest benefit of universal healthcare is not having to worry about paying the bills when you're either sick or worried about being sick (i.e. worrying whether your symptoms are worth the cost of a visit to the doctors and even further testing). The difference is night and day, and this is speaking as someone who can afford the current insurance premiums.
The level of Republican ignorance and/or lies about universal healthcare is still staggering to me and you should counter the lies every chance you get:
1) Universal healthcare does *not* mean you are forced to use government funded services. Private healthcare and (cheaper) private health insurance will *always* be an option to those who can afford it.
2) Universal healthcare does not mean long waiting lists for critical, life saving, procedures. Even when the NHS was underfunded and there were waiting lists for non-urgent procedures, there never was such a list for those that were most critical. Today, the NHS is still almost half the cost of the American system per capita, and nobody has to wait more than a few weeks for anything these days.
March 2, 2009 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink