Obama picks Daschle for Human Services Cabinet post

What do you think? I'll post information about Daschle.

NYTimes has a Profile of him here...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/08/us/politics/08daschle.html?scp=2&sq=Daschl...

Daschle supports a Universal Health Care System.

Ok, Obama has officially disappointed me. Every single one of his picks have been pro war, pro death penalty, pro patriot, act, anti-gay, bad on environment, pro-free trade or all of the above.

Daschle is no better: http://www.ontheissues.org/Tom_Daschle.htm

No change. More of the same.

Obviously people didn't get that Obama is a moderate. It is Change, Daschle supports a universal health care system.

Dascles record on Health from animalia_libero's source.

Give everyone the same health plan as Congress has. (Jul 2004)

Allow more affordable drugs via Canadian imports. (Jan 2004)

Voted YES on $40 billion per year for limited Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Jun 2003)

Voted YES on allowing reimportation of Rx drugs from Canada. (Jul 2002)

Voted YES on allowing patients to sue HMOs & collect punitive damages. (Jun 2001)

Voted NO on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Apr 2001)

Voted YES on including prescription drugs under Medicare. (Jun 2000)

Voted NO on limiting self-employment health deduction. (Jul 1999)

Voted YES on increasing tobacco restrictions. (Jun 1998)

Voted NO on Medicare means-testing. (Jun 1997)

Voted YES on blocking medical savings acounts. (Apr 1996)

Increase funding to combat the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. (Mar 2003)

Rated 88% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record. (Dec 2003)

Clearly he has a good record.

Current89, is health care all you care about?

I think this guy is a good pick. A step in the right direction.

the healthcare system in America is an absolute crime and needs to be reformed ASAP!

as a recent college grad who can't find a job because of the shit economy, i haven't had any healthcare coverage in several months. i fear for my life if something were to happen to me.

its the same old shit...change my ass...im greatly disappointed in all the ex Clinton aids he's picked for his cabinet...

"and is know[n].."

xo

In the future (assuming America makes it to a future election in the same broken system) I think all candidates need to make all their cabinet choices known BEFOREHAND.

This is ridiculous.

I cannot assume anything that Obama is going to do at this point, he is on to something that I don't know yet, its complicated of how this guy works. Only when he is president will I understand..heathcare is important to all, i hope that he keeps his word upon the universal heathcare situation, its going to cost us a lot though..

Most of the experienced folks in Washington were in the Clinton adminstration. It is the policy that will be changing and in order to hit the ground running he needs folks that know the wiley ways of DC. I think Mr.Daschle is an excellent pick. Once again experienced people implementing a NEW policy! We will know more once the man actually take office!

This guys version of change is a little off. I was hoping for some new blood in Washington. All we continue to get is the same people and of course they do the same thing.

Do the same thing over and over expecting different results.

Don't forget Mr Daschle was one of the senators that got an anthrax envelope. He also wrote a book on how to fix the broken health care system. Being the former
majority leader of the senate he knows how to get things through the senate. I can really see things are going to get done, and all I have too say too you non believers, your party will never win another election with no ideas for the people. And thats a fact!

I simply think that, if, in the future, all candidates pick and announce their cabinets ahead of time, we won't have to deal with snarky comments of disappointment, that's all.

Although designing a system like the Federal Reserve that is supposed to care about the well-being of the people versus the well-being of its bottom line seems a little WTF-ish.

To be honest, I have no clue who Daschle is except hearing his name mentioned here and there, but I highly doubt any of this will improve the quality of my life.

I'd like to hope so, but the system is entrenched and burdened by profit and greed for a reason, so what makes you think Obama is going to change it UNLESS he is completely out of the pockets of lobbyists etc.?...which he is not.

Just like when a friend "loans" you money...you now owe that "friend" money or a favor in return. Obama didn't just win the campaign with a multi-million dollar budget he pulled out of his ass, so that means he is just as burdened and indebted to his contributors as the rest of 'em.

Until you get the money out of the campaigns and lobbyists out of the system period, the country will remain unable to truly "change" as it should. Right now it, and yes, even your "savior" Obama works from a reverse power structure where the money controls the policy instead of the best design and intent, what are you gonna do about it?

First of all damnneargenius, Obama didn't take contributions from lobbyist. He had 4 million regular people like you and me donate up to 2,200 dollars because that is the limit per person. If people like you and me put him in office I think he'll be working for us.
If each person donated just 100 dollars that makes 400 million dollars.

only time will tell if Mr. Daschle is the man who will help save us from the health care crisis.

Wow I wouldn’t pick Tom Daschle to apply a band-aid let alone run health and human services. This is the same guy that wanted to create a federal health board modeled after RomneyCare.

Earth to Tom Daschle,

Romney care is a failure.

P.S.
Please forward this message to Barack Obama
Thanks

Obama has chosen another WORM from the Clinton Administation. Please tell me, where is the CHANGE he campained on? All Of his Supporters are his apples, which he is replacing with worms.

Well since he also voted for the war in Iraq, perhaps HHS will pay more attention to the thousands of maimed, disabled troops that vote effected as well as the thousands suffering now from PTSD, depression, and other mental illnesses. I don't think voting for war promotes health.

You can't have an effective health agenda without addressing the environment. Allowing coal companies and other companies to continue polluting this country and making its people sick is counterproductive to any health agenda you may have. I suppose it would be too much to expect someone with actual medical experience to hold this position.

BTW, I read Tom Daschle's wife is a big time DC lobbyist and he worked for a firm that did lobbying in the health field after he left the Senate.Think that will matter? I bet the pharmaceutical companies and others like Monsanto are lining up already.
And from my observation it is three for three on tv here. The story about Clinton at SOS, Holder as AG, and this made TV. The story about Obama looking to appoint Monsanto buddy Tom Vilsack as USDA head got dumped. Shows you who votes here. Is it about the country first?

Health care is on its way to becoming socialized. Obama's pick has a lot of push and pull in the health care field so it will be interesting how this pans out.

I work in healthcare (hopefully not for too much longer!) and I think this is fantastic. Too many people go without in this country. A lot of people don't seek treatment because they think it is beyond their means, so they don't even try until it's too late. That's just messed up in the land of oppertunity.

I'm with you lightbee. I heard Daschle interviewed about healthcare during the primaries. I am excited about this pick. He doesn't thing we can have single payer health care politically, but he likes the ides. He said that right now 45% of Americans are in a single payer system! He is talking about Medicare and VA and other gov programs. Would it be so hard to include the other 55%??

I say we the people should demand single payer, and this adminstration would be able to do it if we demand it. On every level from local to federal and with one big loud relentless voice.

To the people who fear "socialized medicine" Single payer is socialized payment, all providers can be in private business and doctors can collectively bargain with their state for payment amounts. That's how it works in Canada, its not hard, and there is total choice of providers.

Our entire economy could be freed of the bloodsucking insurance companies.

I currently spend about $300/mnth on health insurance, and my employer chips in another $500. In Canada, I would be paying about $60.00. I would love to take home another few hundred a month and allow my employer to grow my industry with the savings it realizes.