Terry McAuliffe chose McDonnell's Dr. Bill Hazel for HHS...bodes ill for women.

[madfloridian]

Why would he do this? He ran on a platform of womens' choice, and now he appoints one of the major advocates of the Transvaginal Ultrasound Before An Abortion



From ABC7 yesterday:

McAuliffe to retain Hazel as HHR secretary

HE’S A KEEPER: Another holdover for Terry, per the Richmond Times-Dispatch, “Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe today will retain Dr. William A. Hazel Jr. as Virginia’s Secretary of Health and Human Resources, according to sources close to the decision. Hazel, an orthopedic surgeon from Northern Virginia, has served as health secretary during the administration of Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell and become a crucial player in the debate over whether to expand Virginia’s Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act.

His reappointment, to be announced today in Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Medicine, reaffirms McAuliffe’s commitment to expand Medicaid to serve as many as 400,000 uninsured Virginians. Hazel enjoys bipartisan support in the General Assembly, and is seen as the incoming administration’s best chance of selling Medicaid expansion to reluctant conservative Republicans, especially in the House of Delegates.” http://bit.ly/1czXWSv

More about Bill Hazel:

Virginia Gov.-elect McAuliffe reappoints anti-choice health director

Hazel, an orthopedic surgeon, is a documented opponent of women’s rights. Just a couple of examples should suffice:

* Hazel helped shepard of a law through the Virginia legislature that mandates an ultrasound be done on each and every pregnant woman seeking an abortion. And get this: The ultrasound would be done regardless of medical necessity, and the woman must pay for it.

* And, as the Richmond Times-Dispatch has reported, Hazel was the guiding light in ramming through the Virginia health and human resources department's draconian new abortion clinic restrictions and regulations.

One more for good measure:

* Hazel also spoke at uber-conservative Liberty University in opposition to the Affordable Care Act. That's the former Lynchburg Baptist College and now “university” that was founded by the late Jerry Falwell in 1971. Liberty U features a code of conduct which levies a $500 fine and 30 hours of disciplinary community service for any student who has an abortion – for any reason.

Why, Terry? Women are fighting for their rights everywhere, so you need a good explanation for this.

[Rex]

1. Well the good news - if Hell exists he will be rotting there for near eternity.

Eternity seems so much longer than 70 or 80 years.

[madfloridian]

2. I think women need an explanation for this treacherous act.

[Rex]

3. I think women need to take up pitchforks and torches at this point.

Long past due imo.

[NuclearDem]

4. So, basically a gigantic middle finger to the women voters who even made him electable at all.

Well, fuck you too, McAuliffe.

[Jefferson23]

5. Ok, so what's in it for Terry? There has to be something..it is hard to believe this doctor

reflects his pov. I don't get it.

[politichew]

6. Faux outrage.

“Of all the people who have held that position, probably no one is more knowledgable,” said state Sen. Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax). “He got up before a joint committee and stepped through the whole Affordable Care Act with no notes. This is a super, super bright guy. He’s Terry’s best shot at the Medicaid expansion by far.”

Some abortion rights activists blame Hazel for standing by as those policies were considered, even if he did not publicly champion them.

“He was not responsible for that” anti-abortion legislation, Saslaw said. “In fact, when you had [governors James S.] Gilmore and [George F.] Allen, their secretaries were over there all the time whooping it up for all these abortion bills. He did not appear [before legislative committees] in support of any of those anti-abortion bills.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/mcauliffe-to-reappoint-mcdonnells-health-secretary-bill-hazel/2013/12/17/bcd73358-677f-11e3-ae56-22de072140a2_story.html

[NuclearDem]

10. The guy who belittled the same Medicaid expansion and implied it would make the poor irresponsible?

Yeah, sure.

http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/ppi/health-care/0411_transcript_exchange.pdf

[politichew]

12. Doesn't seem to be a very ideological person to me.

He'll do whatever he's told to do under any governor, including McAuliffe.

He might be a smarmy, unscrupulous spineless bag of flesh, but as long as he gets the job done I won't pick a bone with McAuliffe.

[NuclearDem]

14. I hope he does.

But I still don't trust the guy at all.

[Are_grits_groceries]

18. McAuliffe is an effing fool and liar if he

says he couldn't find anybody else knowledgeable about Medicaid and the ACA.
NoVA alone has to have somebody who is capable.

Why appoint somebody tied to the corrupt and insensitive McDonnell coven? Start with a clean slate of Democrats not a rat-assed Republican who can't be trusted.

[Rex]

19. So easy to cherry pick the news when you want to cry wolf.

“I have a lot of respect for Secretary Hazel and the work he has done over the last four years, but I don’t think his appointment changes much of anything on Medicaid expansion,” said House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford).

Said Del. S. Chris Jones (R-Suffolk), the incoming chairman of the House Appropriations Committee: “It’s certainly fantastic news, but it doesn’t change my position on Medicaid expansion, which is reforms first.”

[factsarenotfair]

7. Apparently this is about getting the Medicaid expansion.

From the link:

His reappointment, to be announced today in Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Medicine, reaffirms McAuliffe’s commitment to expand Medicaid to serve as many as 400,000 uninsured Virginians. Hazel enjoys bipartisan support in the General Assembly, and is seen as the incoming administration’s best chance of selling Medicaid expansion to reluctant conservative Republicans, especially in the House of Delegates.”

[madfloridian]

20. No one else at all would work with the governor?

So he had to choose Bill Hazel?

[factsarenotfair]

23. I don't know, but I hope this doesn't backfire.

Republicans are impossible to work with in D.C. but perhaps not in Virginia.

[elehhhhna]

8. Terry's a fucking crooked corporatist bribeable fuck

has anybody been paying attention they'd know he's like the Clintons on fucking steroids and he makes Obama look like a cross between FDR and Gandhi.

[DURHAM D]

9. I don't have a problem with this

if it leads to the expansion of Medicaid in Virginia. As soon as that is accomplished he will fire his ass.

Meanwhile Hazel will not be allowed to do a damn thing that restricts women's rights any further. In fact, the new Governor and his staff will be working hard to reverse the prior damage while Hazel sits on the sideline completely impotent.

[madfloridian]

11. So he trusts Hazel to obey him?

That is risky.

I sure hope they get the medicaid expansion through. I do hope he then fires his ass.

[DURHAM D]

15. I have no doubt that the doctor will be constantly shadowed by a

McAuliffe Minder.

[madfloridian]

17. Oh, good. Nice to know that. I don't feel that confident.

But then I am not from VA, I just happen to care about womens' rights.

[Are_grits_groceries]

16. I have a problem with it.

There has to be another person in Virginia who is as knowledgeable about Medicaid and the ACA. The NoVA area is full of people who have worked on it.

This is a giant FU to women, especially those who voted for McAuliffe.
Even if he was only peripherally involved in the ultrasound bill, it is a really bad choice.

McAuliffe can GTH!

[DURHAM D]

21. You seem to have missed the political strategy behind

the move plus from reading up thread it looks like he was not really much involved in the bad bills. McAuliffe is ruthless and if Harvey can't contribute to the new administration's medicaid fight he would not be kept on. And if he screws up he will be sent packing. This rage is silly given that Hazel has no power except what the new Governor allows to him.

I became a member of NARAL within weeks of its inception back in the 60s so I think I am well qualified to understand what a real fuck you to women looks like and this ain't it. Your rage should be leveled at the current Governor and his teabagger associates in the legislature.

Just for the record many of the people who desperately need the Medicaid expansion are women and many have children.

[Are_grits_groceries]

22. Don't tell me where my rage should go!

I have my settings on full blast for teabaggers and their shite. I have enough left over for others.

And WTF kind of political strategy is this? Why appoint someone associated with the corrupt and anti-woman McDonnell coven? He won't win any points from anybody on the right. They hate him.

I'll say it again. He could find someone who is knowledgeable about Medicaid. Harvey doesn't have a monopoly on this. There are Dems who could handle it.

Why waste any slot for the likes of Harvey especially when a lot of women voted for TMc. Anybody who is connected to McDonnell at all is a slap in the face.

[madfloridian]

24. And I am outraged to be accused of faux outrage.

I always expect discussions here, but I never expected this kind of excuse when a Democatic governor appoints a well-known anti-choice advocate for such a powerful position.

Glad I am not the only one upset over this denial.

[Are_grits_groceries]

25. It makes NO sense.

And I don't even know what faux outrage is. If i'm outraged, I mean it. I mean it because I know something about an issue that pisses me off.

[madfloridian]

26. No sense at all.

In fact I have noticed people tend to avoid something that makes them feel uncomfortable or like they need a ready excuse.

There should not be a need for anyone to excuse such an appointment, not after VA has been so close to the edge on womens' rights.

[madfloridian]

13. So..I am accused of faux outrage?

I certainly hope VA gets all they expect from this appointment, and I hope McAuliffe has weighed the risks.

Faux outrage????

I never expected to be accused of that at a Democratic forum when the post is about women's rights.

[Egalitarian Thug]

28. Consider the source. n/t

[Blanket Statements]

27. I wish he hadn't. Hazel did my knee surgeries

And I need to have my other knee fixed

[KG]

29. Terry McAuliffe LOL n/t

[madfloridian]

30. I guess I just plain forgot.

Criticism of Democrats is frowned upon. Even if one thinks they are in the wrong on an issue.

Even if we have been a Democrat nearly all our lives. It's easy to forget that when something like this happens.

[Egnever]

31. Was there ever any doubt this clown would be a train wreck?

I mean seriously.

Quite possibly the biggest slime in the democratic party.