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Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has been offered the position of secretary of Health and Human Services by President Elect Barack Obama, and has accepted. Daschle has been a vocal supporter of health care reform, authoring a book about it earlier this year called “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.” Obama’s campaign position on health care reform, “builds on the existing health care system, and uses existing providers, doctors, and plans.” The President elect often stated his plan plainly during debates and speeches: “Under the plan, if you like your current health insurance, nothing changes, except your costs will go down by as much as $2,500 per year. If you don’t have health insurance, you will have a choice of new, affordable health insurance options.” While he promises to take health insurance companies to task, he has also shied away from single-payer government-run health care. Universal health care, a corner stone of former President Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign, failed to make progress. With a majority of Americans unhappy with the current health care system, it remains to be seen what Obama and Daschle may be able to achieve.

GUEST: Michael Lighty, Director of Administration and Public Policy at California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee. For more information, visit www.guaranteedhealthcare.org, www.calnurses.org.