Daily Archives: April 12, 2009

That’s what Brownback gets for being practical

April 12, 20096:04 a.m.

brownbackhand5Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., has been getting hammered by pro-life groups for not opposing Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ nomination as secretary of Health and Human Services. But Brownback told the Topeka Capital-Journal that there is a “practicality” to his decision, saying that anyone President Obama nominates for that job will be pro-choice. “If you’re going to have a pro-choice person in that position, it’s better to have a Kansan,” Brownback said. But pro-life activists don’t seem to care much about practicality or national health issues besides abortion. “It leaves us to scratch our head and wonder if he’s with us,” said Troy Newman of Operation Rescue in Wichita. Maybe Brownback should wonder the same thing about some pro-life groups.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Abortion, Kansas delegation | Comments (42)

Open thread 4/12

April 12, 20096:03 a.m.

eastereggs

By The Editors | Filed under Open thread | Comments (232)

Bush, U.S. saved lives in Africa

April 12, 20096:02 a.m.

bushaidsFormer President Bush has had invective and even shoes hurled at him for making decisions that cost lives in Iraq and elsewhere. But he saved many lives in Africa, according to an impressive assessment of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief begun in 2003. Though the $15 billion program did not lead to fewer infections, it cut the AIDS death toll in the targeted dozen African countries from 2004 through 2007 by 1.2 million, or 10 percent a year. “We wanted to see if this program can have a palpable effect,” said study author Eran Bendavid of Stanford University. “The answer is: without a doubt. They spend a lot on treatment and treatment has worked.”

By Rhonda Holman | Filed under Foreign affairs, President Bush | Comments (18)

Some unconvinced about health IT

April 12, 20096:01 a.m.

healthitPresident Obama’s goal of moving the nation to electronic health records might seem a cost-effective no-brainer in this digital world. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, his nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, called the move “one of the linchpins” of health care reform. But like everything having to do with health care, it’s sparked a debate. Some warn that the $19.5 billion in the stimulus package for digital records won’t go very far, because it will cost the average physician $124,000 to upgrade. There also are concerns that the change will leave offices and hospitals unconnected, and that if they are connected, patients’ privacy rights will be violated. USA Today noted how 15 hospital workers recently were fired for going through the records of octuplet mom Nadya Suleman. “The more data you have out there, the more good things you can do,” said Ashley Katz of the group Patient Privacy Rights. “But also, the more bad things.” Really bad, according to some conservatives who predict federal surveillance via health records. “The government will have control of all of your medical records,” warned Fox News host Glenn Beck.

By Rhonda Holman | Filed under Health and safety, President Obama | Comments (5)

So they said

April 12, 20096:00 a.m.

dole5“People in Kansas don’t like to send single people to Congress.” — Former Sen. Bob Dole, in a US Banker profile of Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. chairwoman (and Independence native) Sheila Bair, who was single when she lost in the 1990 GOP primary for the old 5th Congressional District seat

“You can’t talk to Bill Self while you’re here.” — Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., chiding T. Boone Pickens about OSU’s past efforts to poach the KU coach

“It was much less traumatic than I anticipated it would be.” — Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, acknowledging that the federal stimulus bill staved off deep state budget cuts

“I’m a firm believer in seat belts. I’m a disbeliever in the fact that we send our tax dollars to the federal government and they use those dollars to blackmail us.” — Rep. Gary Hayzlett, R-Lakin, who opposes a primary seat-belt bill, despite the $11.2 million in federal funding that would come with its passage

By Rhonda Holman | Filed under Kansas delegation, Kansas government | Comments (3)