In his recent book Critical, HHS secretary-nominee Tom Daschle proposes to create a federal health care rationing board empowered to deny medical care to patients in government health care programs and, ultimately, private health plans.

The stimulus bill moving through Congress gives Daschle his wish. It provides $400 million for HHS to launch a 15-member “Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research” that would conduct research intended to help government bureaucrats overrule your doctor.

Here are my nominations for Daschle’s rationing board: