Dr. Donald Berwick first entered the public spotlight in April 2010, when President Obama nominated him for the CMS post. But Berwick never went through the regular confirmation process. Instead, the president granted him a surprise recess appointment that July.
The president renominated him in January 2011, but it became apparent that he could not garner enough votes for Senate confirmation. That December, Berwick resigned.
Berwicks short tenure at CMS was defined by a series of controversial statements he made before his appointment. He defended both Britains National Health Service and government rationing of health care. Most famously, in a June 2009 interview, he stated that the decision is not whether or not we will ration care the decision is whether we will ration with our eyes open.
After leaving CMS, Berwick said his comments were merely an attempt to argue for greater transparency in decision-making. Someone, like your health-insurance company, is going to limit what you can get. Thats the way its set up, he told the New York Times. The government, unlike many private health-insurance plans, is working in the daylight, he insisted. Thats a strength.
Unfortunately, Berwick himself, while head of CMS, went to great lengths to avoid transparency. He ducked reporters, in one instance even exit[ing] behind a stage to avoid press queries. Another time he went so far as to request a security escort to avoid questions.
Today, Berwick concedes his lack of transparency. According to a Politico report, he now regrets listening to White House orders to avoid reaching out to congressional Republicans.
The lack of transparency is endemic in the Obama administration. Case in point: the enactment of Obamacare. During his 2008 campaign, Barack Obama promised health-care negotiations televised on C-SPAN. Instead, we got a series of notorious backroom deals: the Cornhusker Kickback, the Louisiana Purchase, the Gator Aid.
Its an ugly process, and it looks like there are a bunch of backroom deals, Obama feebly admitted in January 2010 only to retreat again to the smoke-filled rooms two months later, where he cut the final deals to ram the legislation through Congress.
As usual, special interests had their day both before and after Obamacares passage. While Berwick wouldnt talk to reporters, he gladly met with insurance-industry executives, even if it meant ignoring journalists in the process. Likewise, the administrator who wouldnt speak to Republican lawmakers happily addressed a closed-door meeting of industry stakeholders in December 2010. The Hill noted: The meeting comes as a number of lobbyists say theyve noticed more White House outreach toward K Street.
So government transparency is possible provided youre a high-priced K Street lobbyist.
Obamacare is premised on the belief that government knows best. And those who share that belief all too often regard transparency and public accountability as inconveniences.
So to summarize, Obama brought into his inner circle - and appointed to one of the highest government healthcare positions - man who not only defends government rationing of healthcare (ie death panels) but also said government should intentionally create a shortage of healthcare!!!! You can't make this stuff up folks. These are the people that idiot Dumbocrat voters will claim "care" about the American people.
Then he called for "transparency" while going out of his way to avoid transparency (Dumbocrats - the party of hypocrisy).
Donald Berwick's Rationed Transparency
The 1:40 mark will make your jaw drop if you are not a communist:
[ame=http://youtu.be/eBJv6IlDkSw]Donald Berwick, Redistribution and Rationing - YouTube[/ame]
