Now it's time to explore our candidates for the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Anyone interested in health care should understand the importance of this position. If we do get to some form of Universal Health Care, the HHS secretary will likely the the key player implementing such a plan.
As I continue my research, let me again give credit to Sven from My Silver State, who did an excellent similar series back in May. I apologize to the devotees of anyone I've left out - I can't manage an unlimited list. The poll includes an option for "Someone Else," plus a request to specify in the comments.
Once again, poll and brief description of each candidate on the flip. I evaluate each option as best I can. (I had to research the credentials of a few.) I trust others will add more data, including why others would be great or awful. I may have missed a few excellent candidates, so please feel free to add your own. Previous diaries on other cabinet positions on the flip.
(And I haven't gotten a lot of feedback. If anyone has some substantive of stylistic suggestions, I'd welcome them.)
Pimping previous diaries on the topic:
Cabinet Diary 1 - Secretary of State (with poll)
Cabinet Diary 2 - Secretary of the Treasury (with poll)
Cabinet Diary 3 - Secretary of Defense (with poll)
Cabinet Diary 4 - Attorney General (with poll)
Cabinet Diary 5 - Secretary of Homeland Security (with poll)
There aren't currently a lot of names in the speculation from the MSM - the focus seems to be on Dean and Daschle, with brief mentions of a few others. I've added a couple of favorites of my own. Hillary seems to be a favorite as well, but if she and Obama wouldn't consider each other for VP, then why as the HHS Secretary?
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Thanks to jrchicago for some excellent criteria - of which he doesn't believe that any of these candidates meet:
1. Experience in both the healtcare and social-work settings. This includes active involvement in organizations concerned with medical care, social services, disaster relief, disadvantaged populations, etc.
2. I think this should be broader than "he wor she was a doctor, therefore they are qualified and are familiar with healthcare". I'm thinking more of Red Cross or similar organizations.
3. Executive experience in these fields is key I think. And I don't mean CEO of an insurance company, but someone who can truly lead that size agency with such a broad task.
4. I think that someone who relates to the population of underserved is also key. This position is for the health of EVERYONE in America, not just the insured. That should be understood from the beginning. <end edit>
Thus perhaps I'd want to consider the chiefs of some major teaching hospitals, e.g. Mass General, Mayo.
Tom Daschle - Former Senate Majority Leader, early Obama supporter. Per http://www.nationaljournal.com/...
"sources say he is interested in universal health care and might relish serving as HHS secretary."
Rosa DeLauro - Entering her 10th term. Married to Stanley Greenberg, the pollster. Member, Appropriations Committee. Per Wikipedia, "She has urged politicians to be "big thinkers" on the issue of universal health care."
Mary Jo Bane - Assistant Sec, Children and Families, HHS. Professor, Kennedy School of Gov't, Harvard. Author, "Welfare Realities: From Rhetoric to Reform"; "Lifting up the Poor". Progressive who ended up administering welfare reform.
Hillary Clinton - No introduction needed.
John Kitzhaber - MD. former Governor, Oregon. Prime mover behind the Oregon Health Plan. http://en.wikipedia.org/... . Would he be Howard Dean without the baggage?
Kathleen Sebelius - KS Governor, early Obama supporter.
Deval Patrick - MA Governor, has experience with the Massachusetts Universal Health Plan.
Howard Dean - MD. Retiring chair, DNC. Leading advocate of Universal Health Benefits program - from his time as Governor of VT back in the '90s.
Dennis Kucinich - Congressman from Cleveland, perhaps the leading congressional advocate of a "single payer" Universal Health Insurance.
Henry Waxman - Long time advocate of Universal Health Insurance. Currently challenging John Dingell for the chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce committee.