Orshe

Tom Daschle /a> the secretary of Health and Human Services, but he’s still voicing his opinions on the push for health reform.

In a lengthy /a> with Politico, the former senator put the odds of passing a health-reform bill “of breadth” this year at 50-50.

Daschle, who was the majority leader of Senate Democrats until 2005, said he’s become “slightly more optimistic” about passage of a health bill in the past month or so, because of Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter’s decision to become a Democrat; the processes in congressional committees; and by the option that Dems have called budget /a>, which allow them to roll health reform into a bill that’s not subject to filibuster. Daschle also said he’s “impressed” by President Barack Obama’s public and private “commitment” to the issue.

The hurdles: The economy’s problems may be to overwhelming to get something as big as health reform passed. Then there’s the cost of reform, as well as ideological debates, including “what the role of government should be.” As we’ve noted, there’s already been plenty of /a>.

The striking thing is how much the chances of reform fall if it doesn’t happen this year. Daschle didn’t use numbers, but he noted that “this is the only non-political year we’ve got.” Next year there will be congressional elections, and by 2011, the presidential campaign gets started again, he said. “It’s imperative that we get as far to completion as we possibly can, ideally completed and signed before the end of the year.”

Photo: Associated Press

img src=”http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Dyaz4139m61lAaKxGviS8TvMS44/0/di” border=”0″ ismap=”true”>
img src=”http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Dyaz4139m61lAaKxGviS8TvMS44/1/di” border=”0″ ismap=”true”>

See the rest here: 
/a>