This afternoon Dr. Quentin Young, national coordinator of Physicians for a National Health Program, made the following statement:

It’s entirely heartening to fight for a just cause and, with remarkable speed, win.

Yesterday, I and others called for Tom Daschle’s nomination to the position of Health and Human Services secretary to be withdrawn, given his tax problems and his compromising financial links to the health care profiteers. In view of these links, we now understand why nominee Daschle claimed that single-payer reform was, in effect, “off the table.”

Today, Mr. Daschle has withdrawn his nomination, and now the possibility of a progressive replacement looms.

To those who helped win this victory: congratulations all around.

Those concerned about the prospects for fundamental health reform should inform President Obama of the importance of appointing an unblemished civil servant to the HHS post.

Cordially,

Quentin Young, MD, MACP

Chicago