Coal-battling Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) is reportedly the top choice to head the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. So if Obama taps her for the Cabinet post, what exactly does this means for the coal fight in her home state, since as a few weeks ago we mentioned that Kansas’ coal lovers are still putting up a fight (more info here).
A departure by Sebelius would make her lieutenant governor, Mark Parkinson, the new guv. From his official bio, we learn that Parkinson entered Kansas politics as a Republican in 1990, served in the state House from 1991 to 1992, and the state Senate from 1993 to 1997. He was chairman of the Kansas Republican Party from 1999 to 2003. In May 2006, Parkinson switched to the Democratic Party, and the following day Sebelius announced that would serve as her running-mate.
Parkinson is the the co-chair of the Kansas Energy Council, sometimes referred to as the state’s “energy czar,” and it appears that Parkinson has stood with her in the coal fight.
“You cannot say that you are an environmentalist, that you support the environment, that you are part of the green movement, and vote for coal-fired plants that are not needed for this state,” he said last year as the legislature prepared to vote on the issue. And here he is on Kansas public radio talking about the future of energy in the state and highlighting the potential for wind.
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Comments
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amazingdrx Posted 11:46 pm
18 Feb 2009
It seems like a backward step in the climate battle against coal to take her out of her state's anti-coal movement and into this unrelated area. What can HHS really do without national healthcare anyway?
BTW, everyone ought to watch "Sicko" once a week from now on for the next few months, not only to keep national healthcare front and center, but to compare reform here to how far we need to go to catch up to the rest of the civilized world on every front.
National healthcare would create a lot of jobs too, and save a lot of families from bankruptcy and foreclosure. If Sebelius could advance the national healthcare fight from her post at HHS, maybe it is not such a problem of diversion of forces from the climate battle.
Every day that "bank" and corporate bailout takes over the national focus without green jobs and national healthcare as major sources of stimulus, we lose progressive political momentum.
http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin
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tmullins Posted 6:33 am
19 Feb 2009
http://www.wisecountyissues.com
I think Sebelius will be a good HHS director but think she would be a better senator for Kansas, and Obama. She's very impressive, wish our "Kansan" Governor Tim Kaine would take some advise from her.
Hannity shut the fuck up !
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vbstenswick Posted 2:29 pm
19 Feb 2009
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