Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, Rahm's Brother, Tapped For White House Health Care Policy Role

Chicago Sun-Times:

While the Obama White House is searching for a replacement for health czar Tom Daschle, policy work on health care reform--a priority for the administration--Is ongoing with one key advisor especially well connected.

The brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, a noted bioethicist, is advising the Obama administration on health care reform.

Read the whole story: Chicago Sun-Times

Comments

[victoria38]

09:23 PM on 02/16/2009

gotta keep the gra*t & corru*tion in the family ...CHANGE ...

[zanzig]

11:08 PM on 02/15/2009

He has to be better than the people Bush and Rumsfeld sent to Iraq in the days of the CPA, to create a Health Administration. Their ONLY qualification was either membership of the Republican Party, friendship with a Republican, or total blind adherence to Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld policies. At least this man has qualifications that might be appropriate.

[Mediated]

11:04 PM on 02/15/2009

OMG- these people have no shame- this will be his undoing- Nepotism was supposed to be taboo -or is this a JFK thing- If a republican administration tried this liberals would howl in righteousness- how can anyone be OK with this. Obama must own stock in Limbaugh's media company- he better rethink this and stop going down this road if re-election is a concern for him. Granted he is a shoo in for 8 years- but even NYT and WaPo can only give cover to a point. unecessary risk if you ask me.

[SPQR1775]

05:59 PM on 02/15/2009

First, Second and Third at least these people are qualified and yes Dean would be good. I am sure we will all get energized for healthcare and part of it is having a genuine progressive and someone to fight back with the GOP and rally the base, that is DEAN! HEALTHCARE FOR ALL, CHANGE HAPPEN FROM THE BOTTOM UP. For Healthcare and Employee Free Choice we will March across American and on Congress to shut down the GOP obstrutionist!

[Luvial]

04:55 PM on 02/15/2009

Rahm screws up with the Dashle nomination and now he appoints his own brother? Jeez, Louise.

"bioethicist"? Is it ethnical or moral to spend billions of tax dollars on EMR software when ten of millions of Americans do not have access to healthcare? This means that people who do have access to healthcare are paying to improve the system for those who do. What happened to universal healthcare? The Democrats are selfish elitists.

[Luvial]

05:34 PM on 02/15/2009

Correction: This means that people who do NOT have access to healthcare are paying to improve the system for those who do.

[schatsie]

08:00 AM on 02/17/2009

I kind of agree with you... We had another healthcare fiasco years ago where they tried to do a single system and spent almost 100 million before pulling the plug on it...

I would be very interested in seeing exactly savings are realizable from this EHR, I am afraid not much....

[zanzig]

11:05 PM on 02/15/2009

You really need to rediscover the meaning of "selfish" and "elitist".

[Carolab]

04:42 PM on 02/15/2009

First, this is nepotism.

Second, this man advocates euthanasia.

Third, what about Dr. Dean?

[Luvial]

05:39 PM on 02/15/2009

Howard Dean is a progressive and a reformer, therefore he is not on President Rahm Emmanuel's speed dial.

[jayes]

09:48 PM on 02/15/2009

ditto
euthanasia is dangerous, but worth considering
ditto

[meede]

03:37 PM on 02/15/2009

Question as this article references in the health part of the administration.
What ever happened with the leaks from CNN that Sanja Gupta had been considered for Surgeon General? I know I don't want him as I don't like him and don't believe he is right for the job, but, it seems it was blown out there and now had dropped off the radar.

[PoliticalAmazon]

02:45 PM on 02/15/2009

Oh, for crying out loud.

Rahm Emmanuel has not exactly been a shining star in this first four weeks of Obama's presidency.

So now they are bringing on another Emmanuel?

I guess Obama and his staff STILL have not learned from their last four-week debacle.

[BeasleysMom]

03:56 PM on 02/15/2009

What are you talking about? What is it that Emanuel has done to to make Obama "learn?" And what "four week debacle" might you be referring too? You sound like you have been on the moon since the inaugural. Try some facts. They actually feel good!

[PoliticalAmazon]

04:14 PM on 02/15/2009

Perhaps you might like to try sticking to debating and can the personal attacks.

It appears you haven't been following current events, so I will lay them out for you.

1) Rahm Emmanuel is Obama's COS. He also serves as an advisor.

2) Dr. Emmanuel is Rahm Emmanuel's brother. Please refer to my above post as to why I believe one should be warry of Rahm's siblings unless one is pleased with Rahm's work to date in the Obama administration.

3) Since Obama assumed office, his obsession with appearing the uniter has led him to repeatedly offer bipartisanship to the GOP, which has repeatedly used those attempts to humiliate him.

4) This has weakened Obama's presidency. As the weeks wore on, the more the GOP was able to humiliate Obama, the more the GOP acted disrespectfully to Obama, pulling krap they never would have pulled when Obama first assumed office.

5) This has embolened the GOP to the point where they act like they still control Congress and the Oval Office.

6) Through all of this, long-trusted advisor Rahm Emmanuel apparently did not point out to Obama the folly of putting his own need to be the uniter ahead of the needs of America.

7) Rahm Emmanuel has admitted that they lost control of the message and the process of getting the bill passed because of their overwhelming desire for bipartisanship.

[BeasleysMom]

02:12 PM on 02/15/2009

That will make the ant-semitic worms crawl out from the woodwork with their ugly rhetoric!

[FrozenNorthObserver]

03:53 PM on 02/15/2009

so nepotism now equals anti-semtism? Gee that works for just about anything huh.

[BeasleysMom]

04:04 PM on 02/15/2009

Only liars try to deny that is the reason some people don't like Rahm. There has been plenty of statements castigating him and some come right and talk about his relationship to Israel. If you notice, my comment did not agree with or condemn the right or wrong of Rahm's brother being appointed, just that it would anger ant-semites.

Nepotism is a legitimate criticism. Anti-semitism is not.

[morefromLA]

09:32 PM on 02/15/2009

Here's nepotism: You're the Governor of Florida and you steal the presidency for your brother. This is a non-starter.

[Luvial]

05:01 PM on 02/15/2009

Obamabots really take the cake.

[misty1]

01:56 PM on 02/15/2009

Great he took my advise the next time you want to give someone a job look within your own
circle of friends and not the republicans. Oh people will say its rahm brother but so what
can he do the job and will he do a good job does he have you back and most important
can you trust him. Good Pick

[pk4obama]

01:24 PM on 02/15/2009

To the republicans = I certainly do not believe that Obama would put this "advisor" in a government position....he is advising only while the post left by Dashcle is a work in progress. It's amazing that they would pound on this bit of news, yet PRAISE THEIR OWN PARTY for bringing in Steele, who basically stated republicans can't be trusted.

[Sonny50]

02:25 PM on 02/15/2009

Name a prominent repub who has even commented on this story, let alone "pound" on it.

[Luvial]

05:41 PM on 02/15/2009

Anyone who disagrees with President Rahm Emmanuel is a Republican.

[All57States]

12:54 PM on 02/15/2009

How's that for change?

[Independent voter]

12:34 PM on 02/15/2009

This is an outrage to all of the people who worked for change. This is no better than Bush would have done.

[pk4obama]

01:25 PM on 02/15/2009

YAWN

[BeasleysMom]

04:09 PM on 02/15/2009

To both All 57 and Independent: Have you a problem voicing your concerns about the Emanuels or is "change" just something you want to beat to de ath? That lack of change cr@ap is wearing thin. Maybe you could find a more legit complaint in the future.

[Carolab]

04:44 PM on 02/15/2009

For Pete's sake, is this the Obama administration or the Emanuel administration?

[learnsomething]

12:11 PM on 02/15/2009

No matter who president Obama chooses for ANY thing, some people will balk.

It is NOT nepotism, as Emanuel is not related to the president.

[Sonny50]

01:06 PM on 02/15/2009

Does not hve to be related to Obama to be nepotism.

Nepotism occurs when showing favoritism toward relatives based upon that relationship.

[pk4obama]

01:15 PM on 02/15/2009

This man is only a consultant as of now.....so many whining repubs on this site.....I agree, it doesn't matter what Obama does the repubs are going to twist it.....they can continue to twist themselves right out of their senate posts in 2010 and i will donate to every democrate that is campaigning in those states that can oust a repub.....they need a good slap in the face to remember they are representatives of the people, not SELF SERVING ASS-..OLES.

[PoliticalAmazon]

02:49 PM on 02/15/2009

The only reason Dr. Emmanuel's relationship to Rahm Emmanuel is important (IMO) is because Rahm Emmanuel has completely failed President Obama in the first four weeks of the Obama administration. How he could let Obama continue on with this bipartisanship madness I will never figure out.

I think we should call a moratorium on bringing on any more Emmaneuls until the current one shows he can do the job.

I know the two being brothers does not necessarily mean they will both screw up, but there is a greater chance because they were raised in the same environment, with the same value system, and same views about crucial elements in life, that they will react to things and approach things in a similar manner.

[gakabani]

12:01 PM on 02/15/2009

This is bad news, nepotism, cronyism, etc. We are getting a bad rap here. Wait to see full control of our lives by a mafia within the government.