A POLITICAL STUNNER: Gov. Bredesen on short list to become new HHS secretary; God save this nation and good people needing health care

Each day brings more shocking revelations from Washington.

This one stuns the imagination and hopes for this nation:

Gov. Bredesen is under serious consideration to be the next head of the Department of Health and Human Services. The news comes from national health care sources who have communicated this disturbing information to advocate and friend Tony Garr, executive director of The Tennessee Health Care Campaign.

President Obama, after staggering through his first three weeks in office, now is looking the Right and Republicans for credibility and political survival. And Bredesen, although a Democrat by name, is about as Right as it comes when it has to do with health care -- and devastating Tennessee families in need with life-taking cuts to TennCare.

Yes, people died in Tennessee bcause of Bredesen's cuts. I know. I covered the tragedy he unnecessarily unleashed. I was a political columnist with The Tennessean newspaper until I came down with leukemia. I interviewed the families and clinic directors.

Here is Garr's report and his call for you to act now:

Scary - It appears that Governor Bredesen is on the short list for Secretary for Health and Human Services since Tom Daschle has dropped out. When I saw this I could not believe it. It would be horrible for this country. I believe that we can tell what a person will do by seeing what they have done in the past.

Since July 2005, the Governor cut, cut, and cut TennCare. More than 250,000 low-income working adults lost their health insurance. The safety-net that was there which helped some is now gone. And his Cover Tennessee program is now helping only about 20,000 low-income working adults. Tennesseans died because of these cuts. He acted like the CEO of the managed care company where he made his millions and protected his bottom line.

Governor Bredesen is the wrong choice for this country. We need leadership to expand coverage. Governor Bredesen does not know how to do this.

You need to email the White House today and tell President Obama how you, your friend, or family members were treated when you lost your TennCare. You need to do this for your country. Governor Bredesen has caused serious harm to thousands of people. We don't want him doing this to the country. Go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

You can also call, write, or fax President Obama:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
FAX: 202-456-2461

Tony Garr, Executive Director, tgarr@thcc2.org