Comments on: Leavitt to HHS? http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2004/12/leavitt-to-hhs/ Truth Will Prevail Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:03:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: a random John http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2004/12/leavitt-to-hhs/#comment-35347 a random John Thu, 16 Dec 2004 16:03:01 +0000 /?p=1748#comment-35347 danithew, While I was asking the same question I came up with the answer that Leavitt has experience in the insurance industry, which is applicable. Seems like he might be more qualified for this than EPA. :) danithew,

While I was asking the same question I came up with the answer that Leavitt has experience in the insurance industry, which is applicable. Seems like he might be more qualified for this than EPA. :)

]]> By: danithew http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2004/12/leavitt-to-hhs/#comment-35337 danithew Thu, 16 Dec 2004 15:10:28 +0000 /?p=1748#comment-35337 Does anyone question Mr. Leavitt's qualifications for this job? Wouldn't it be better to have someone with a medical background in this position? I wouldn't have asked this but I heard an LDS medical student yesterday slamming Bush for making this decision. I guess that hadn't occurred to me. Does anyone question Mr. Leavitt’s qualifications for this job? Wouldn’t it be better to have someone with a medical background in this position?

I wouldn’t have asked this but I heard an LDS medical student yesterday slamming Bush for making this decision. I guess that hadn’t occurred to me.

]]> By: David Salmanson http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2004/12/leavitt-to-hhs/#comment-35336 David Salmanson Thu, 16 Dec 2004 15:06:37 +0000 /?p=1748#comment-35336 Hi, Gentile lurker here, but my next history project (many years away from starting) is looking at how Mormon practices relate to New Deal social policies thanks to Marriner Eccles. Hi,
Gentile lurker here, but my next history project (many years away from starting) is looking at how Mormon practices relate to New Deal social policies thanks to Marriner Eccles.

]]> By: Clark http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2004/12/leavitt-to-hhs/#comment-34884 Clark Tue, 14 Dec 2004 18:05:09 +0000 /?p=1748#comment-34884 Interesting they were talking about this this morning on NPR. They said that Hatch is making a concerted effort to get the Mormon position taken up by Bush and Leavitt. Of course Matt won't see this as the Mormon position (<i>grin</i>) Interesting they were talking about this this morning on NPR. They said that Hatch is making a concerted effort to get the Mormon position taken up by Bush and Leavitt. Of course Matt won’t see this as the Mormon position (grin)

]]> By: Melissa http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2004/12/leavitt-to-hhs/#comment-34868 Melissa Tue, 14 Dec 2004 16:31:58 +0000 /?p=1748#comment-34868 Nate: "thinking mainly consists in having stupid ideas and then figuring out why they are stupid." That's the best line I've heard in a long time. Sounds like an accurate description of graduate school. Nate:

“thinking mainly consists in having stupid ideas and then figuring out why they are stupid.”

That’s the best line I’ve heard in a long time. Sounds like an accurate description of graduate school.

]]> By: Nate Oman http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2004/12/leavitt-to-hhs/#comment-34862 Nate Oman Tue, 14 Dec 2004 15:52:02 +0000 /?p=1748#comment-34862 Russell: It is unreasonable to expect our chief bureacrats to also be our chief intellectuals. Furthermore, I don't think that we really want them to be. They are busy. Furthermore, thinking consists mainly in having stupid ideas and then figuring out why they are stupid. I would rather not have this happen with expensive government programs with potentially huge consequences. I think that policy makers should be engaged in intellectual debate, and I think that they should be consumers of carefully thought through theories on various issues. I neither expect nor really want them to be the primary producers of such theories. Russell: It is unreasonable to expect our chief bureacrats to also be our chief intellectuals. Furthermore, I don’t think that we really want them to be. They are busy. Furthermore, thinking consists mainly in having stupid ideas and then figuring out why they are stupid. I would rather not have this happen with expensive government programs with potentially huge consequences. I think that policy makers should be engaged in intellectual debate, and I think that they should be consumers of carefully thought through theories on various issues. I neither expect nor really want them to be the primary producers of such theories.

]]> By: Adam Greenwood http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2004/12/leavitt-to-hhs/#comment-34857 Adam Greenwood Tue, 14 Dec 2004 15:03:09 +0000 /?p=1748#comment-34857 Thanks, R. Fox. I still think I need to take my thinskinometer in for a recalibration though. Thanks, R. Fox. I still think I need to take my thinskinometer in for a recalibration though.

]]> By: Russell Arben Fox http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2004/12/leavitt-to-hhs/#comment-34856 Russell Arben Fox Tue, 14 Dec 2004 14:59:18 +0000 /?p=1748#comment-34856 You're right Adam, it was a cheap shot. My apologies. Blame it on the compulsion to come up with some handy, provocative concluding sentence. I actually have few if any specific complaints with Mike Leavitt; I think many of his policy preferences are flawed, but no more or less than those of any number of other Bush appointees, and his virtues are many. Still, in general the question about moral theology and political practice is worth asking. As Matt, myself, and many others all strongly believe (though to a degree in completely different directions), Mormon theology arguably <i>ought</i> to suggest certain public preferences in regards to welfare, health, family and life-oriented issues, preferences that in some cases are in alignment with the Republican platform, and in other cases are in opposition to it. I don't think Leavitt is going to be any sort of Mormon Crusader in his office, which is something of a shame, because unlike the case of having an Mormon appointed any number of different positions (Secretary of Energy, for example), HHS is involved in these issues in a central way, and it would be good for us, in my view at least, to have the Mormon contribution to these issues thoroughly argued out in a serious and consequential way (as opposed to, well, just blogging about them as we do). You’re right Adam, it was a cheap shot. My apologies. Blame it on the compulsion to come up with some handy, provocative concluding sentence. I actually have few if any specific complaints with Mike Leavitt; I think many of his policy preferences are flawed, but no more or less than those of any number of other Bush appointees, and his virtues are many.

Still, in general the question about moral theology and political practice is worth asking. As Matt, myself, and many others all strongly believe (though to a degree in completely different directions), Mormon theology arguably ought to suggest certain public preferences in regards to welfare, health, family and life-oriented issues, preferences that in some cases are in alignment with the Republican platform, and in other cases are in opposition to it. I don’t think Leavitt is going to be any sort of Mormon Crusader in his office, which is something of a shame, because unlike the case of having an Mormon appointed any number of different positions (Secretary of Energy, for example), HHS is involved in these issues in a central way, and it would be good for us, in my view at least, to have the Mormon contribution to these issues thoroughly argued out in a serious and consequential way (as opposed to, well, just blogging about them as we do).

]]> By: danithew http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2004/12/leavitt-to-hhs/#comment-34854 danithew Tue, 14 Dec 2004 14:46:22 +0000 /?p=1748#comment-34854 Perhaps I should have been slightly more concrete in the way I said things. It's quite possible that Leavitt is himself opposed to stem-cell research. I have no idea. Perhaps I should have been slightly more concrete in the way I said things. It’s quite possible that Leavitt is himself opposed to stem-cell research. I have no idea.

]]> By: danithew http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2004/12/leavitt-to-hhs/#comment-34853 danithew Tue, 14 Dec 2004 14:45:02 +0000 /?p=1748#comment-34853 It truly will be interesting to see if Leavitt will approach the stem-cell question any differently than Bush. Bush does seem to have sincere principles on this matter so I'm guessing even if Leavitt had the disposition to encourage stem-cell research, he would be constrained from altering Bush's policies on the matter. It truly will be interesting to see if Leavitt will approach the stem-cell question any differently than Bush. Bush does seem to have sincere principles on this matter so I’m guessing even if Leavitt had the disposition to encourage stem-cell research, he would be constrained from altering Bush’s policies on the matter.

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