Well, there’s always Howard Dean if Sebelius is too troublesome…

“However, there are concerns that there will be a backlash by the anti-abortion community if she is nominated, and that’s not a battle the White House wants to have right now.”

Exactly which battles does the White House want to fight right now?

And if not now, when?

I growing more and more concerned that we’re going to end up sitting around the campfire out behind the Wal-Mart store, arguing about missed opportunities and the good-old days.

Would someone please remind the Democrats that they ‘won‘.

Digg is open

True about Dean. In a sense. Look, I still haven’t worked out my position on abortion which sometimes makes me unpopular with some progressives. That said, I’m nowhere near beinga supporter of goons like Kline. His behavior is absolutely despicable. It ought to (but won’t) have repurcussions which affect his law license. So while Dean is certainly qualified, in my view, and, in my view, would be a good pick, he shouldn’t get the nod because Obama caves to lying thugs like this.

Exactly which battles does the White House want to fight right now?

The looming economic depression, but that’s just one humble opinion.

But, but, that means appointing an actual Doctor & a (gasp) progressive, rather than yet another DLCer! For that reason alone, your entirely sensible suggestion will never be granted even fleeting consideration. Not to worry, the Administration will surely be able to locate a Republican, preferably a person whose personal ideology is totally at odds with the mission of the Department, to occupy this position.

aborty

Jane’s upstairs.

Standing up to these…. whatever, I’m watching the langauge … should be something the administration considers welcome rather than troublesome. For a few rsasons. Because it’s right. And because the progressive portion of his base is not real pleased as it is.

I had completely forgotten about Phil Kline. I’m glad he got beaten 2X in Kansas elections, even to a GOP primary opponent. But if a loser like that and his shadow can influence this White House, we need to start thinking of getting somebody with more balls to run against Obama in the 2012 primaries. Right now.

You’re right that she shouldn’t be passed over out of fear.

Has the storm front hit you yet? Rained really hard here. For all of about five minutes…

ooops

When WILL Obama start acting like he walks the talk? He just wants to be friends with everybody…except the people who worked their butts off getting him in there; us, he takes for granted; a dangerous complacency for sure.

Someone needs to remind him that Roe is still the law of the land in case he forgot.

Abortion rates went down 8 1/2% during Sebelius’s term as governor

The fact that they oppose her when the above is true is proof that they do not really care about “the unborn,” only the political leverage they can get.

So they vet for this but not for tax problems?

That wasn’t a response to Waat4Bob.

Can we vote for one your phrases – “the anti-abortion community” (or) “the forced birth crowd”?

This sounds like the kind of fight we want the back story a GOP DA getting women’s medical abortion records for political purpose?
I want the GOP answering questions about that especially before Obama makes a Supreme Court pick.
I want the GOP to start a culture war issue when everyone is worried about jobs.
Why are issues like Abortion, Gay Marriage called culture issues the red states don’t produce much culture/art/music etc they say No! They do create the repression that many artists struggle against.
The GOP are the modern day descendants of the Athenians who forced Socrates to drink poison.
For all Athens success at war for all its money its the Philosophy and Art for what its remembered for.
That is what made the Greeks Great.

Look at the Republicans in the Senate. And at some of the Senatorial Blue Dogs. The Cons, using lies and bull, are hoping to push the squeamishness people have over “Topic A” into deep-sixing her nomination.

In addition, Obama’s gearing up to do Stimulus Two, since everyone knows that the first package isn’t enough to do the job on its own. Remember, with Franken still out for another few weeks Obama still needs to get at least three Republicans to cross over to stop filibusters before they start.

Not yet. Has gotten very cloudy, though.

If the WH is worried about the looney forced birth crowd over this what is going to happen when it comes time to appoint a supreme court judge? Time to tell the crackpots FY I won.

Is it true that a regular appropriation bill can’t
be filibustered?
If so, why can’t we use an appropriation bill to
augment stimpy?

Phil Kline! Oh gross, I just aborted my breakfast. When will that sleeze go away?

Obama should not allow Kline (who is a ’small’, unpleasant ‘entity, after all) to influence the decision to put Sebelius forward, as the public is growing restive with Republican attempts to thwart needful ‘change’.

Let the hell-hounds bay! At worst, as Jim White suggests, after the clamorous madness subsides, Howard Dean could be appointed, and then, if the slavering pack wants more, they’ll find themselves increasingly isolated and despised …

What’s, really, to lose?

While timeliness matters, the grander strategy, must rely on ‘education’, and the public appears to be in the mood of paying ‘attention’ and remembering those who oppose reason.

Let us be done with simplistic political calculus, let us, rather, embrace the notion that the age of stupid (as Hugh so aptly has christened it) is waning, rapidly, and that the people are weary (and quite sick) of bull …

Good Morning Jane and Firedogs,

big Sibelius fan here.

But it’s hard to believe that a man like this could keep a supremely qualified candidate like Kathleen Sebelius out of Health and Human Services.

maybe it wont be this numbskull, but this has Kimba Wood redux written all over it.

Kline is prepping his act for the national stage, as the courageous, beaten-down-but-not-deterred prosecutor done wrong by teh Evil Powers That Be. And where is he doing this preparation, you ask?

He’s a visiting professor . . .

of law . . .

at . . .

. . . wait for it . . .

Liberty University School of Law.

(Monica Goodling and the folks at Regent U. must be sooooo jealous.)

Part of preventing the looming depression is fixing health care, though.

Let the pukes start a culture war during the economic death spiral. Watch the eyes of the people roll derisively. Bring ‘em on.

Is the concern over Phill Kline, or is the concern over the issue of abortion? If it’s Kline, then nominating Sebelius is a no brainer.

If the issue is the wider one of abortion, then the message we’re being sent is (somewhat rational intuitive leap) the administration is unwilling to nominate anyone who has noticably supported a woman’s right to choose. If Sebelius wants this, and Obama wants this, then we have to help them sell this. So digg.

All the fear & loathing the right likes to work up about the government in your medical records should be turned back on Kline – offensive is everything.

good for sibelius re the privacy and choice fights. but she was kansas insurance commissioner for 8 years and that’s what i want to know more about.

The White House problem is that they don’t want to violate that rule known well to bloggers: Do Not Feed The Trolls.

It’s not Kline alone that is influencing the White House, but their fear that Kline (at his new visiting digs at Liberty) is on the verge of being the new Anti-choice Poster Boy.

I say “Go for it.” Kline will continue his trollishness regardless of who gets appointed, and so will his comrades in arms. Let him rant, while the rest of the country gets on with the business of caring for the sick, the elderly, the at-risk children, and those in need.

The White House has, aa someone once said, “… nothing to fear but …”, well, you know how that goes.

I thought Obama was a deft poker player, telegraphing ‘fear’ hardly suggests any mastery of that particular ‘art-form’.

So?

We join together,then Peterr, in saying, (in concert with the chorus), “Go for it!!!”

Can we just all agree to agree?

;~D

In politics there are some fights you want to have I think that as long as we don’t start the fight except for wanting to appoint someone proabortion rights for a job.
Well why does the GOP get to block our choices when America wanted/elected us and our values into office.
The GOP certainly made sure that everyone knew that a vote for Obama was a vote for abortion rights, gay marriage etc.
It did not matter what Obama’s actual position on the issues were all Dems get smeared by the GOP.
Funny the defenders of culture/virtue lie about us to defend culture/virtue.
Maybe it is all about saying No! Its all about control. When was the last time someone said help the poor go to heaven? Minister to the sick go to heaven?
Nope its all about saying No, its all about do this and you go to hell.

So what’s the squeamishness about GOP filibusters? At some point Reid and Obama are going to have to play hardball and say “Go ahead, filibuster”.

Maybe Obama is just a center-right Dem and Choice is just another of those Liberal concerns that are not that important to him.

i just googled around a bit and couldn’t find anything on point – does sibelius have any health care or public health background (in policy, profession, anything)?

I thought Obama was a deft poker player, telegraphing ‘fear’ hardly suggests any mastery of that particular ‘art-form

He could be bluffing to start the game. Obama has only started being president.

Since when has the Wingnut Right ever allowed facts to get in the way of its never-ending quest to implement even stupider policies?

How do we know that Obama “fears” Kline? Haven’t seen anything that seems more than a rumor that started who know where.

hi cbl2 – what exactly makes sibelius “supremely qualified” for hhs?

She’s a DLCer… so corporate America should approve. /semi s

off the top of my head (and within context of the nom.) she is an excellent administrator who has successfully pushed back on fact free Gooper merde in Kansas of all places again and again

I know you are asking about bona fides – and I don’t have anything but a ‘personal’ answer – I like her, she makes sense, is a grown up who does not resort to centrist, blue dog bs – sorry

I like your take on this. Early on, right NOW for example, I’d surely like to see Obama show he will not shrink from doing what he believes is right for fear that there might be a tussle. The time to get beyond that is ASAP. We didn’t vote for an Obama who would act like Harry Reid, shrinking into the corners. We don’t have time to play rope-a-dope with the wingers. Besides, every time he shows weakness in response to potential threat of mayhem, the next confrontation will be even harder to avoid.

We’ve got to stop reacting to every report coming out about what’s going on in the minds of the Obama Administration as if its the god-given truth. We don’t know. Whoever leaked it probably doesn’t know either. If we start by acknowledging what’s speculative, our discussions will be better.

I’m for Howard Dean or Dr. Joycelyn Elders for this position.

We join together,then Peterr, in saying, (in concert with the chorus), “Go for it!!!”

Can we just all agree to agree?

d’oh!?! Great minds… and all that good stuff. What a riot. Talk about simultaneous agreement upon the toobz, speed of light. Whoot! ;->

Kansas City Archbishop Joseph Naumann asked that Sebelius no longer receive Holy Communion because of her position on abortion. Naumann criticized Sebelius for vetoing HS SB 389.[49] Some members of the Catholic media objected to the Archbishop’s request.[50][51]

In September 2005, physician George Tiller won a reception at Cedar Crest, the official residence of the Governor, at an auction benefiting the Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus.[52][53]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Sebelius

How many prochoice GOPers get excommunicated Arnold married a Catholic and runs a very prochoice state why isn’t he getting targeted for not trying to change the abortion laws?

It probably doesn’t matter who is chosen, selise, ’single-payer’, the only thing that makes real sense in the ’situation’, isn’t likely, anyhow (or even any-way) it is the issue of ’spine-li-ness’ and what might happen on another (some, ‘distant’) day.

I’m just curious how we intend to ‘compromise’ with poor health and even hunger?

But, as you know, I alway applaud both your questions and your willingness to do so.

(You’re one of my inspirations)

DW

Time to start leading with a whip and a clenched fist.

I am so sick of reading about why The Obama Administration is afraid of this and how the don’t want to upset that. They lost and it’s time to pay the butcher’s bill.

If McMarionette had won and the rethugs had the numbers we have don’t you think…wait, we know how the would lead. And it’s not about getting even.

If what we think is true about the economy, if what we know is true about our position in the world, if what we know is true about the condition of our education system, and on and on, we don’t have the luxury of massaging hurt egos of the rethuglican party. Think about it, they have Governors who are actually posturing about the stimulus money. They, politically, don’t have a clue. They never have cared about the state of the American people, and now in their frenzy to get power back, they show everyone just who they really are.

This administration needs to follow their gut and do whats right for all of us.

So much for “elections have consequences”. Sigh. When the Republicans win they run the country. When the Republicans lose they run the country. Being in the minority apparently matters not. What gives that the Dems are so afraid to fight for their principles?

frankly as a poker player, he should’ve nominated someone like Faye Waddington (sp?) got them all to shoot their wad, double down screamin’ and yellin’ and then play the Sibelius card . . . but that’s just me

um, i thot most of us did so as a matter of course, of course, ahem.

anyway. agreed.

Personally, I’d prefer Dean over Sebelius, but I doubt that he has a chance. Dean was great as party chairman, but that really didn’t require working with Republicans. He is smart though and would probably recognize what could get done and what couldn’t. Sebelius is probably conservative enough to be effective at the post, which actually might make her scarier to Republicans. It seems that the thing to do is push for Dean, hoping at least to get Sebelius.

It’s clear there are so many issues at stake that a battle for the appointment is not something the WH wants to deal with right now.

They want a good, effective and easily accepted appointee.

ES and cbl2 – thanks. i don’t see any specific qualifications for hhs, thought i might have missed them. are there no competent administrators with health care or public health experience? glad she’s not a blue-dog type, but that’s not enough for me to get excited about supporting her.

As a candidate for and as Insurance commissioner she refused contributions from insurance companies and is credited with having removed the commission from control of the insurance industry, from Wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Sebelius

schnaps! when has this country followed lockstep behind any pope?

Marcia Angell or David Satcher?

too sneaky by half. Might work, and might not. sometimes you gotta go for the gold both in an attempt to secure it, AND to show strength and resolve.

i saw that, but there was no citation to check.

What gives that the Dems are so afraid to fight for their principles?

um. do i really need to answer that one? *g*

good morning phred.

And just for thought…

I am not a fan of the wording “forced birth”. Abortionists do not “get it” that when a fetus dies, the mother has to deal with this loss through “forced birth” medical practices when the body does not naturally abort. And yes, pro-lifers, it is STILL called abortion when the fetus has died. You criminalize women who have a baby die in utero when the fetus just did not survive for no fault of the mother.

The abortion laws have no compassion for such loss during pregnancy.

Looks like either would be an excellent choice, selise, thank you for putting that ‘up’.

DW

Abortionists do not “get it”

Should read:

anti-abortionists

My sincere regrets. It’s a painful memory…

Of course not — just venting a little spleen ; ) Good to see you selise, how are you this morning?

Reading back along the thread, it appears the Democratic Party suffers from an embarrassingly high level of rich talent. If that’s a problem, I’ll take it, gladly, compared to the sorry mess that is the repubble pary.

With total control of the Government for most of the Decider’s two terms and with the Decider more than happy to pretend to be a Christian, somehow the Republics never got around to banning abortion. Yet, the forced birth crowd remains solidly Republic. Why do they never notice that they are being used?

Ah, Phill Kline. Panty-sniffing Phill Kline. After being voted out of the Attorney General position, he accepted an appointment as a District Attorney in Johnson County, Kansas. Well, it so happened that district attorneys in Johnson County are required by law to live in the community they serve. However, Kline lived in Topeka (not in Johnson County), and rented a local $400/month slum apartment to give the false appearance that he lives there. Oops!

He is now a “visiting associate professor of law” at Liberty University. Another rightwing loon saved from living under a bridge by wingnut welfare!

Nominate me..

I will stand in front of cameras in a sling and discuss what that is like with no health care coverage at all.

Propose we outlaw healthcare profiteering.

Propose we teach masturbation and hand out free contraceptives in public and private schools!

Propose free weed for all who want to consider it a preventative glaucoma treatment.

And that’s just a start.

By the time I’m through a Dr Dean type would be a shoe-in.

Respectfully, this is another case of ‘inside the beltway’ thinking.

I find it hard to believe most people outside the beltway find this of real significance.

I’m a Dean fan like many others here, but if this is who he wants, so be it.

It’s an appointed position, serving at the pleasure of the POTUS, and most people whose shorts will bunch over this didn’t vote for Obama anyway.

are there no competent administrators with health care or public health experience?

Well, yeah, Selise, there is one, at least, that I can think of off the top of my head. He has considerable knowledge of the health care industry and has been an administrator, in fact, the administrator in two very large organizations, and has excelled in each position from all reports. His name is Howard Dean, and I hear his chances are slim because he doesn’t suck up enough to the right people. But, gee, isn’t that exactly what we want?

New names to me. Will check them out, thank you.

venting here too.

I’d sincerely appreciate you and/or mods editing your main remarks at #60, so that it reads precisely as you had wanted it to. You speak wisdom to a very very important issue right there. It’d be very helpful to have a “clean” post to express your points.

Mods? Is that possible???

Well, now he HAS to appoint her, or he will be at the mercy of those doodads for the next eight years.

oooh. thanks for the background info. heh.

ah, someone who remembers the overton window! woo hoo!!!

and a great platform…

You, sir, should be the shoe-in.

Dayam, that’s the ’spirit’ I’d truly love to see.

Would bring us right into the twenty-first century, incredible!

…want the shortest answer to that unresolved question “What’s the matter with Kansas”?

“Phill Kline.”

The silent majority in Kansas are progressives afraid they will lose their jobs if their boss finds out.

Oklahoma and Nebraska are similar, even confessing to being a Democrat can be hazardous to your career health in these parts. Outright admission of Progressive sympathies garners blacklisting honors in many counties.

Peer pressure is overwhelming when those peers own most every business and you depend on them for a paycheck. Thus the Phill Klines seem to get popular support, when they really represent a strange minority consortium confused wingnuts and fiscal bullies.

The point is, the majority has been intimidated into staying out of the process altogether.

Second this, in every particular.

Oh, he can do whatever he wants. Who are we to box him in. Can’t be done. THIS President has a brain and true courage, I do believe.

Two positives can be attained by Sebilius’ being considered for this position. One is that she is qualified and would be exceptionally effective in the position. The other is that going ahead would make a statement that the Obama administration is not intimidated by thuggery and threats. That lack of intimidation is something we haven’t seen much of yet from Obama and his administration. Just telling someone, “I won” is not enough. You have to act like you won.

Thanks for the company. Your comment pre-agreed-to upthread ;->

I prefer the “limited right to life crowd”. Limited to before birth.

You wrote:

“This administration needs to follow their gut and do whats right for all of us.”

That’s my first reaction too. My second thought is we are being warned of what the fight will look like. Typical GOP strategy against doing the right thing is to confabulate that it is something else that is hateful if only it were true. One of their favorite rants is that national health care will take away the right to choose doctors and treatments. When that fails, then they move on to turning health care into a “morality play” and try to strip women’s reproductive rights to zero. They exaggerate the rights of unborn and unwanted foetuses to inflate them into Presidents of the Uterus. While all the fighting is going on over that, we are completely distracted. Thousands of people are dying every year from lack of health care, and thousands more are going bankrupt trying to pay for medical operations and treatments in an overpriced system.

So we are being warned here not to drop our guard and to be ready to fight.

Wonk Room had a good write up on Sebelius
http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/

I’d say a governor of a Midwestern state is qualified to administer a federal agency.

Also, a duel was fought on the Capitol’s steps between the President-Elect and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, nothing metaphorical or symbolic, only about language, what it means, and how it’s used.

See also Abortion Politics: Agenda in Search of a State

The anti-abortion industry is active and aggressive in more than just Kansas. The pushback has to be strong everywhere.

Leavitt – politician, governor, Mormon
Thompson – politician, governor
Shalala – university administrator, served in Carter administration
Sullivan – physician, dean of Morehouse College School of Medecine
Bowen – physician and politician
Heckler – politician
Schweiker – politician
Harris – lawyer, university lecturer, ambassador, etc.

Only two previous Scy of HHS have had clear credentials on the health side, both under Reagan. What are the essential requirements for the post?

However, there are concerns that there will be a backlash by the anti-abortion community if she is nominated, and that’s not a battle the White House wants to have right now

Stop it!

You’re making me sound like a loser who abandons my agenda and he betrays good of the nation at the slightest obstacle because I’m afraid of the Repbublicans being mean to me.

Other than the facts, evidence, and all of my actual actions as President, there is no basis whatsoever for your implication, and I resent it!

And so how do you think that’s going so far?

IMHO, not so well, 40% tax cuts and Republicans cheering about their success at reigning in the tax-and-spend Democrats with the aid of the MSM who miss no chance to label the stimulus package gigantic, monsterous, immense, and so on.

At some point the democrats are going to have to take the gloves off.

I hear the lone Republican backing tax increases in the California legislature was just stripped of his leadership position by his party.

I think Obama would be wise to publically define his expectations as to the depth of bi-partisanship necessary to fight the economic crisis, and not allow republican foot-dragging to be sold as fiscal responsibility.

I suspect Obama has had his attention pulled in a thousand directions. But, now is the time to get HHS in order. He should pick the person he thinks is best for the job and let ‘er rip.