Sebelius reportedly chosen as HHS secretary

[proud2BlibKansan]

Source: KC Star




WASHINGTON | President Obama has settled on Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, a key ally with a record of working across party lines, as his top choice for secretary of health and human services, advisers said Wednesday.

Should she be nominated, Ms. Sebelius would bring eight years of experience as her state’s insurance commissioner as well as six years as a governor running a state Medicaid program. But with Mr. Obama about to begin a drive to expand health coverage — an issue on which the parties have deep ideological divisions — her strongest asset in the White House view may be her record of navigating partisan politics as a Democrat in one of the country’s most Republican states.

Ms. Sebelius resolved a state budget crisis on Tuesday and plans to be in Washington from Saturday through Tuesday for a meeting of the National Governors’ Association. Asked about the cabinet job, her spokeswoman, Beth Martino, said the governor “is focused on the economic challenges currently facing Kansas, including our state budget and the impacts of the federal stimulus package.”

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It remained unclear whether the White House would finish vetting Ms. Sebelius in time to finalize her nomination by next week. Advisers described her as “the leading candidate” and said there were no others to mention, although they emphasized no final decision has been made. After the troubles with Mr. Daschle and other recent nominees, the White House has intensified its vetting to make sure it thoroughly scrubs its choices before Mr. Obama gives the final signoff.

Ms. Sebelius’s family and her administration have both been notably bipartisan. Her father was a Democratic governor of Ohio and her father-in-law was a longtime Republican member of Congress in Kansas. She won her first term with a Republican businessman as her running mate and a second term with the Republican state party chairman on her ticket.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/837/story/1041429.html

[FrenchieCat]

1. Great! Kansas doesn't deserve her!

and I like her immensely!

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Excuse me??

Kansas loves our governor. She has great bipartisanship support. The only Kansans happy about this would be the idiots on the far right.

[FrenchieCat]

7. Sorry.....

I was talking about the fact that Kansans didn't see it fit to vote for one close to their own, and voted for John McCain instead of Barack Obama....who's maternal side hailed from that state!

Wassa matter with Kansas? :shrug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. Lots of Kansans did not vote for McCain

:grr:

[aquart]

2. Is this good?

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. I don't think so, at least not for Kansas

But she will be a great cabinet member. Obama will be lucky to have her.

[TheDebbieDee]

20. I'm afraid that everytime she attempts to discuss

single-payer healthcare, her audience will just fall asleep!

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. No they won't

She is a very charming and popular lady. And she is an outstanding administrator. There is a good reason she is the 3rd most popular governor in the country.

[FrenchieCat]

6. Her 2nd term ends in 2010 anyways......

and she leaves Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson, a Republican asshole.......who made this announcement just last month:

Kansas Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson will not run for any political office in 2010

Democratic Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson announced Friday he would not run for governor or any office in two years, opting instead to return to the private sector.

The announcement added another shakeup to Kansas politics before the 2010 election.
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/jan/02/kansas-lt-gov-mark-parkinson-will-not-run-any-poli/

Either he would have to renige on his promise and face what comes with that, or the seat becomes totally open, which is about what you would wish for Kansas at this time.

[GregD]

9. Which is it - is he a Dem or a Rep?

your post says both.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. He is a Dem

He was a Rep until a couple years ago.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. What is it with you wishing ill on Kansas?!

[FrenchieCat]

19. I'm really not.

I just wish they'd see the light on the national scene.

Is this guy still Senator? -->


and this one? --->

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. So do you think the Democrats in Kansas are sitting on their hands doing nothing?

We ran a GREAT candidate against Roberts but all the national Dem groups ignored him. I can't even remember how many letters and petitions we sent to DSCC asking for help. I posted a ton here asking for people to spread the word and help our candidate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Slattery

Roberts is a monster and a horrible representative. But he is a machine and isn't easily defeated.

Now Brownback wants to be our next governor. :puke:

It's not like no one in Kansas cares that these 2 idiots represent us.

[FrenchieCat]

30. I understand, and can say that you guys have had good taste in Governors,

as of relatively recently. :)

[RayOfHope]

40. Its kinda like when you beat up on SWMO

;)

We're not all ignorant redneck fundie repubs ;)

[proud2BlibKansan]

47. I don't beat up on southern MO

Just telling the truth about the racists in that region.

[RayOfHope]

49. You don't like the broad brush for Kansas, and I don't like it for SWMO is my point

and I'm pretty sure you get it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

50. Frenchie doesn't live here so her criticism is a slam

On the other hand, MO is as much my home state as KS is. Pointing out the racism is not a broad brush. It's like pointing out that KS is home to religious nuts. Both true statements.

[Phoenix-Risen]

5. A key ally with a record of working across party lines?

Isn't Kansas delaying state income tax refunds because she is in a fight with the GOP? That's working across party lines?

Good luck with that.

[FrenchieCat]

8. Wasn't that just resolved ?

Kansas budget cash crunch averted, refunds resume
By JOHN HANNA –

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas resumed paying income tax refunds Wednesday after state officials averted a cash crunch that also had threatened to delay state workers' next paychecks.

Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius received the approval from Republican legislative leaders to move $225 million into the state's main bank account from other funds around state government. Electronic transfers began within minutes, providing funds needed to pay bills on time.

GOP leaders, who control majorities in both the House and Senate, had blocked the internal borrowing, saying it was illegal because the state still projected a deficit in its budget for the fiscal year that ends June 30. On Tuesday, Sebelius signed a budget-balancing bill to eliminate the shortfall, and Republicans said they would consent to the borrowing.

The transfer required a special certificate issued by the State Finance Council, which voted unanimously Wednesday for the certificate.

Sebelius and Budget Director Duane Goossen said they believe the state can avoid additional internal borrowing this fiscal year because of the federal stimulus legislation, from which the state expects to receive almost $1.7 billion.



http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hGIgMQ6KdGHUR7mOjWMM9ZXRgUFQD96EA63O0

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. No they settled that yesterday

The pukes caved.

[iandhr]

12. I like her

She was a supporter of Obama in the Primary.

The good news is she very qualified and would to great

The bad news is that she is likely the only Democrat in Kansas that would be able to win a Senate seat in 2010.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. And Brownback is probably running for governor in 2010

This sucks for Kansas.

[Nite Owl]

18. Are there any dems

looking to fill the governor's seat in 2010? We lost Napolitano in AZ and got a real right wing looney there. Goverernors are important to keeping our majority.

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. Not so far

Our Lt Gov who will become gov if Sebelius goes to HHS has already announced he won't run again in 2010.

[derby378]

16. Two questions...

1. If Sebelius is confirmed, how likely is it that a Republican will replace her as Governor?

2. Medicare negotiations aside, how much practical knowledge does she have on medical matters? I mean, Howard Dean is a bona fide MD, after all.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. 1. She will be replaced by our Lt Gov who is a Democrat

2. She was KS Insurance Commissioner before she was governor and has a lot of expertise in health care. This is not a concern at all.

But yes, Howard is my first choice as well.

[w4rma]

29. In other words she doesn't have experience in health care. She has experience in health insurance.nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

34. No you are wrong

In her eight years as Kansas Insurance Commissioner, Kathleen Sebelius became a nationally recognized leader on health care.

Named one of America's "100 Most Powerful People in Health Care" by Modern Healthcare magazine, she turned her department into a steadfast advocate for Kansas consumers: standing up to HMOs when they played doctor and interfered with private medical decisions, helping senior citizens save more than $7 million on prescription drugs, and becoming the first Insurance Commissioner in America to deny a takeover of her state's Blue Cross/Blue Shield program by an out-of-state, for-profit health care conglomerate.

And in four years as Governor, Kathleen Sebelius' commitment to protecting Kansans' health has been unwavering.

Under Governor Sebelius' innovative leadership, the State of Kansas streamlined and consolidated its health care purchasing into a single division, all under one roof - allowing Kansas to secure the most competitive prices for state-provided health insurance by maximizing the state's purchasing power.

In an effort to rein in skyrocketing health care costs, Governor Sebelius organized a Cost Containment Commission of business leaders, health care providers, private insurers, and patient advocates. The Commission has recommended ways to increase modern health care technology such as a transition to electronic medical records, which would reduce the cost of copying forms, as well as promote consistency in care and reduce the burdensome administrative costs that currently eat up more than thirty cents of every health care dollar.

At Governor Sebelius' urging, Kansas now participates in the I-Save-Rx initiative, which opens the door for Kansans to buy safe, lower cost prescription drugs from state-approved pharmacies in Canada and Europe.

http://www.ksgovernor.com/ShowPage.asp?page=HealthCare.asp

[derby378]

45. Okey-dokey!

Saw post #34 below. Thanks for the additional info! :hi:

[Zhade]

17. The words "a record of working across party lines" scare the crap out of me.

NT!

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. It's really important in a state like Kansas

But in DC, I hear ya.

[Myrina]

26. ... after the last 6 weeks? YES INDEED!!

:hide:

[KoKo]

27. I hope Dr. Dean wil then be named as "Health Czar" which is Position #2 that Daschle was given

as head of HHS.

:shrug: I do believe Dr. Howard Dean deserves a place in Obama's Cabinet...since we are forced to take so much of the "Old Administrations" Financial Czars who led America into WAR, DEBT and RUIN.

I think we Dems who voted Obama in should have some respect? No? :shrug:

[w4rma]

28. Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. Bad for Kansas, bad for everyone. Idiots. (nt)

[FrenchieCat]

32. How's that?

She is term limited, and her terms ends in 2010.

What are you speaking of? Who are the idiots and why? :shrug:

[w4rma]

33. How's that? She is the only statewide elected Democrat in Kansas & she should be running for Senate

in 2010, not sitting in a temporary position in a Cabinet. She'll be unelectable as Senator after this cabinet position. Idiots just handed over Kansas to the Repukes. AND, they turned down much better choices to do it. This is one of the dumbest moves I've seen Obama make.

[proud2BlibKansan]

35. A freakin men

Well said!

[FrenchieCat]

37. The Senators there are already Repukes.....

You wanted Howard Dean, I gather?

[w4rma]

38. True.

Both Dr. Howard Dean and Sen. Bill Bradley would be better choices. Of the two, I would prefer Dr. Howard Dean as he has the most experience of most anyone in politics with health care. And, more importantly, he has one of the best work ethics I've ever seen.

[Telly Savalas]

39. Brownback isn't running in 2010.

She's by far the best hope the Democratic Party has of winning that seat in 2010 -- probably our only hope.

[proud2BlibKansan]

36. Comments on our local blog:

Good hit the road !!!
new
Submitted by blade757 on February 18, 2009 - 7:54pm.

Thank god, hit the road with Tax and Spend Osama !!!
Maybe you can spend another Trillion like that goofball did and put us more in debt.



Palin/Sebelius
new
Submitted by jeetzwillager on February 18, 2009 - 7:17pm.

One is pretty and the other one is pretty old.



Good
Submitted by jeetzwillager on February 18, 2009 - 7:00pm.

Go.

[KamaAina]

31. Yes! That means NO Phil Bredesen!

I'd have gone for Dean myself, but here's what we've (apparently) avoided:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5015036&mesg_id=5015036

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5023611&mesg_id=5023611

Plus, to my knowledge, she isn't tied into big industry bucks like Daschle, either.

edit: spelling

[Pastiche423]

41. This sucks!

Another Bilderberg DLCer.

:eyes:

[blue_onyx]

42. I was hoping for Dean

First Janet Napolitano and now Selebius. That's the second female governor who probably could have defeated a GOP Senator in 2010 that Obama has added to his cabinet. Dean isn't doing anything...why not him?

[pjt7]

43. This is a very important post

& i hope this lady has what it takes to make health care afforable & reasonable.

We are not going to make it as a super-power unless we fix this industry.

[madfloridian]

44. Just what is that?

"Reaching across the aisle"

Quite frankly it is possible to praise Sebelius without putting down the man who helped us win back all of it.

Very much resented, and not going to be silent about it anymore.

[avaistheone1]

46. We don't need Siebellus to "expand" insurance coverage. We need single-payer universal health care

insurance. No more handouts to the health care insurance industry = mandatory insurance.

We should go with HR676.

[exboyfil]

48. This selection could very well make her the heir apparent to

President Obama. Executive experience at both the state and federal level. Secretary of one of the three or four most powerful cabinet positions.

If she can pull off working out the Health Care issue, then she will have done something that Secretary Clinton was not able to accomplish.

Obama's V.P. selection in four years will be really interesting.

[Larkspur]

51. She'll be 68 in 2016

assuming Obama wins reelection in 2012. She'll be too old to run in 2016. I've heard her speak and she can put a crowd of sympathizers to sleep and I don't think that will change in 8 years.