Kathleen Sebelius Confirmed As Secretary of Health and Human Services

Republicans have been coming under increasing pressure to stop their frivolous and useless sandbagging of President Obama's nomination of Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services, particularly in the midst of the swine flu epidemic. Late today Reid called for a vote and she was confirmed 65-31, five votes more than was needed in the toxic, obstructionist atmosphere the Republican Party has created in the formerly collegial Senate. Republicans were whining because she's pro-choice and because they oppose health care reform. They view her as too much on the side of consumers and not deferential enough to their campaign contributors at the big insurance companies and HMOs.

In his first vote as a Democrat, Arlen Specter voted to confirm, as did Swine Flu Sue (R-ME), Kit Bond (R-MO), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Judd Gregg (R-NH), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and George Voinovich (R-OH). The rest of the GOP extremists and obstructionists voted no, as they do on everything. Sebelius was the last cabinet member who the Senate Republicans were holding hostage to their sore loser insanity.