Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle recently withdrew his nomination to become the secretary of Health and Human Services and head of the White House Office of Health Reform, citing a controversy regarding unpaid taxes. President Obama now faces the dual challenge of finding a suitable replacement and restoring public confidence in his promise to run a more ethical and special interest-free administration. For reasons technical, political and personal, I believe former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber would be an excellent choice for either or both of these positions. Read more…
I invite you to read the rest of my recent opinion piece in the Oregonian. I would very much appreciate comments with your thoughts or support. I had hoped for a title that reflected Dr. Kitzhaber’s appropriateness for either HHS or the Health Reform Czar position, but I am nonetheless grateful to the editorial staff at the Oregonian for publishing my piece.
If you would like to make your voice heard in this process, I urge you to send a note of support for Dr. Kitzhaber to President Obama at Whitehouse.gov, or read a succinct background and use a letter writing form provided by OnwardOregon.