In Editorial, New York Times asks Daschle to step aside

[snowsman]

Excerpt:

Mr. Daschle’s financial ties to major players in the health care industry may prove to be even more troublesome as health reform efforts proceed. Like many former power players in Washington, Mr. Daschle cashed in on his political savvy and influence to earn $5 million in recent years, including more than $2 million from Alston & Bird, a law and lobbying firm; more than $2 million from the private equity firm, InterMedia Advisors, which provided the car and driver; and hundreds of thousands of dollars for speeches to interest groups, including those representing health insurance plans, medical equipment distributors and pharmacy boards.

Although Mr. Daschle was not a registered lobbyist, he offered policy advice to the UnitedHealth Group, a huge insurance conglomerate. He was also a trustee of the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, on whose behalf he voiced opposition to a federal loan for a freight rail line near the clinic’s headquarters in Rochester, Minn. The loan was subsequently denied by the Federal Railroad Administration.

Mr. Daschle is another in a long line of politicians who move cozily between government and industry. We don’t know that his industry ties would influence his judgments on health issues, but they could potentially throw a cloud over health care reform. Mr. Daschle could clear the atmosphere by withdrawing his name.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/opinion/03tue1.html

[DURHAM D]

1. Honestly - this appointment seems more in the style of Bush than Obama.

Bush loved to place the foxes in charge of the hen house.

[laugle]

2. Thank you NY Times.............now let's get that old fox out of the hen house! TIME TO WITHDRAW!

[avaistheone1]

3. Good job, NYT.

Let's hope Daschle and the admin take the hint and Daschle bows out.

[leftstreet]

4. Did the Times go after Rubin, Geithner et al for their ties to Wall Street?

(I really don't remember.)

[avaistheone1]

7. I don't think they did, but they sure the hell should have done so.

[karynnj]

13. Here is the NYT editorial endorsing Geitner's then impending confirmation

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/opinion/22thu1.html?_r=1

It does mention the tax problems, but, if anything the wall street ties are seen as credentials.

[WildEyedLiberal]

5. He took money from United Healthcare?

They're my HMO, and they called me *four days* after I had open heart surgery to "see how I was doing" - aka, ask me a bunch of bullshit questions about my operation that would be easily obtained from the medical records to which they will have access anyway, just to see if they could trip me up and find a reason to deny paying for any part of it.

They're complete scum, and honestly, if this is the kind of company Daschle keeps, so is he.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

12. I think it may be his Achilles heel because he already said he would recuse himself in matters

concerning former clients. I posted about this yesterday

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4962806&mesg_id=4962806

I just don't see how this is possible if one of his former clients was United. I think he has painted himself into a corner on this

[tilsammans]

14. Scum, indeed

A friend had a stillborn baby. An awful tragedy, and she and her family suffered horribly.

A month later, UHC called her to ask her how the baby was doing!!! :grr:

[WildEyedLiberal]

15. Yeah they are really big on corporate "concern"

I had not even been home 24 hours when they called me. I'd just had my fucking sternum opened up, so obviously I didn't leap up to answer the phone. My mom answered and was *very* upset that they were calling to bother us, and told them so, but they insisted on speaking directly to me. It was an "on call nurse" from United "seeing how I was doing." She asked me if I'd had open heart surgery on Thursday, was this correct? I have never been so rude with anyone in my entire life. She then had the temerity to say "Look, I understand you aren't feeling very well, but..." NO I AM NOT FEELING "WELL" I JUST HAD FUCKING MAJOR SURGERY LEAVE ME ALONE YOU FUCKING VULTURE.

I'm so sorry about your friend's baby, and sorry she had to put up with their parasitic bloodsucking. We need single payer universal health care in this country right now.

[AtomicKitten]

16. Healing wishes to you, WEL.

I hope you are on mend quickly.

Cheers.

[WildEyedLiberal]

17. Thank you

It's been almost two years and I've never been better.

[laugle]

19. Hi WEL, it's been a long time.............

You are so young to have been through that kind of surgery. I hope you are doing well and make a complete recovery. Best to you, keep you blood pressure down............

[WildEyedLiberal]

22. Hi laugle, good to see you

You know, I think my elevated blood pressure prior to my surgery didn't help matters...

But, all is well now, the operation went perfectly, it's been two years, and I've never felt better. I've managed to distance myself a bit from the passions of politics, which has been great for my stress levels, too. Life's too short to get all worked up over things you can't change. :)

Peace to you!

[laugle]

23. Hi again!

So glad everything went well........

My dad had heart surgery 30 years ago, and he's still kicking at 87!

Things can get toxic around here sometimes, best to take breaks. I always remember that I can't choose what people say, but I can choose how I respond. I take plenty of breaks.

I see you are still a die-hard Kerry supporter, that kind of tenacity will serve you well in life.

Take care of yourself, don't party too much and get plenty of sleep...............

[gmoney]

6. Cheat on your taxes, get an Obama cabinet appointment...

I'm hoping to get Secretary of Energy by filing fraudulent deductions and requesting a steep unearned refund. :)

[avaistheone1]

8. Make it very steep. It looks like the stakes are getting higher

if you want to be considered for a seat in this admin cabinet. You have to cheat well pover $100k plus for consideration. It doesn't hurt either if you and your spouse have seriously compromised your integrity by lobbying on behalf of special interests that you can then curry interest for once you join the president's cabinet.

[biopowertoday]

9. K and R. THANK YOU.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

10. Sometimes I think they're going after Daschle because they are afraid of him

I know that his ties look bad, but there seems to be such a vigorous effort to pursue Daschle that I wonder why the naysayers are so ardent in their quest.

[wisteria]

20. Bingo! n/t

[Thrill]

11. I love Obama. But he has to start getting tough

They sound like fools saying Daschle is too important to be removed. After saying the same thing about Geitner. They're beginning to sound like elitist. Its ok to not pay taxes because you're so special. Wake the hell up. This is the type of crap Obama ran against.

[ProSense]

18. Did you read the

update?

[Cha]

21. Yeah, the NYT..exemplary

in every way.

Who knew so many had tax problems?