NOW pushing Debbie Stabenow as HHS Secretary

[Thrill]

NOW Urges Nomination of Sen. Debbie Stabenow as Secretary of Health and Human Services

February 3, 2009

With the withdrawal of Sen. Tom Daschle from consideration, the National Organization for Women urges President Barack Obama to nominate another strong and consistent advocate for universal health care to the position of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) has long focused on health care as a priority, and with her background as a social worker she is well positioned to take the helm of this agency that is so critical to women and families.

Sen. Stabenow's first bill in the Senate was the Medical Equity and Drug Savings Act to lower prescription drug prices by encouraging competition, and she has been a stalwart champion of full health coverage. The National Association for Home Care named her a Home Health Hero, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare bestowed on Stabenow their highest award.

With the nomination of Sen. Judd Gregg, the fourteen filled cabinet departments will be headed by eleven men and three women. Adding a highly-qualified woman, such as Sen. Stabenow, would increase the representation of half the population at the cabinet table, while adding health care and human needs expertise to HHS.

[David Dunham]

1. We will lose the Mich senate seat in 2010 if she is picked.

[Still Sensible]

3. Why do you believe that?

At this point I would expect Michigan to be predisposed to elect democrats for a while.

[Bozita]

8. The GOP will not elect a US senator in Michigan for a generation.

Even Brooks Patterson stated that if GOP was a brand name dog food, they'd have to pull it from the shelves here in Michigan.

Term-limited Gov. Jennifer Granholm would make a terrific senator and would have little trouble defeating either of the state's two Republican right wing parties.

[Alexander]

10. To whom? Show me a Republican who could win that seat.

[Captain Hilts]

2. The bench warmers comprise a falopian forest. nt

[Windy]

4. absolutely not. She voted for the Military Commissions act

and I don't find her to be that bright. I live in Michigan.

[Bozita]

11. ... and Bushco's bankruptcy bill.

[democrattotheend]

14. What does the Military Commission Act have to do with healthcare?

If her voting record on healthcare and human services issues is good why does it matter how she voted on other issues? If anything, that's an argument for giving her HHS, if she is good on those issues but not on some other things, because then maybe we can get a Senator from Michigan who is better on those other issues, although I think Stabenow is on the more liberal end of the Democratic caucus.

[bluestateguy]

5. How about all Senate Democrats just resign and take jobs in the Obama Administration?

This is getting ridiculous.

If NOW wants a good woman for the job, I would suggest bringing Donna Shalala back.

[firedupdem]

6. No...I'm sure the media would have fun with her husband's whore

problem....I mean that's there job right? Democrats have to be perfect.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

7. Pleaase! NO MORE DEMS FROM THE SENATE!!!

[Clear Blue Sky]

9. Can anyone besides a present or former Senator serve in the cabinet? nt

[Seen the light]

12. NOT ANOTHER F'ING SENATOR!

GET SOMEBODY ELSE TO DO THE DAMN JOB.

[book_worm]

13. Stop taking Democratic Senators. We certainly can find other people can't we?

[eridani]

15. AMEN!! No more sitting Dem senators or governors! n/t