Republican Senate candidate Terri Lynn Land continues tododge straightforward questions about basic issues.
During her first conference call with reporters statewide since
declaring her candidacy 10 months ago, Land was certainly on-message with
regard to the Affordable Care Act. “Obamacare does not work …” she said
repeatedly.
declaring her candidacy 10 months ago, Land was certainly on-message with
regard to the Affordable Care Act. “Obamacare does not work …” she said
repeatedly.
But when reporters asked about specifics, or queried
the former Michigan secretary of state about other issues, the answers were
pretty thin.
the former Michigan secretary of state about other issues, the answers were
pretty thin.
What is her position on the so-called Hobby Lobby case, a
legal battle over a private company’s ability to deny contraception coverage
for employees based on religious grounds? Well the case has been in the news for days as the
U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments today. But Land said it’s a complex
issue and “I’ll get back to you on that.”
legal battle over a private company’s ability to deny contraception coverage
for employees based on religious grounds? Well the case has been in the news for days as the
U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments today. But Land said it’s a complex
issue and “I’ll get back to you on that.”
Asked about the state’s new “abortion insurance” law that
requires women to purchase a separate rider policy to receive abortion
coverage, Land denounced her Democratic opponent, Congressman Gary Peters, for
using inflammatory rhetoric when discussing the matter. “Taxpayer money should
not be used to pay for abortions,” she said, without saying whether she
supports the statute.
requires women to purchase a separate rider policy to receive abortion
coverage, Land denounced her Democratic opponent, Congressman Gary Peters, for
using inflammatory rhetoric when discussing the matter. “Taxpayer money should
not be used to pay for abortions,” she said, without saying whether she
supports the statute.
As the former Kent County clerk, the candidate was asked
what would have been her response on Friday and Saturday when a court ruling
briefly made same-sex marriage legal in Michigan. Would she have opened up her
office after hours, as some county clerks did, to grant marriage licenses to gay couples?
what would have been her response on Friday and Saturday when a court ruling
briefly made same-sex marriage legal in Michigan. Would she have opened up her
office after hours, as some county clerks did, to grant marriage licenses to gay couples?
“When a judge issues a ruling on a Friday at five to 5
(p.m.), the first thing you do is meet with your attorneys and find out the situation,”
Land said, without adding any details.
(p.m.), the first thing you do is meet with your attorneys and find out the situation,”
Land said, without adding any details.
On the issue of Medicaid expansion, Land said, “I applaud
Gov. Snyder for doing what he thinks is necessary for Michigan families …” But
she clearly never said whether she supports or opposes the expansion that
eventually passed the GOP-led Legislature.
Gov. Snyder for doing what he thinks is necessary for Michigan families …” But
she clearly never said whether she supports or opposes the expansion that
eventually passed the GOP-led Legislature.
The presumptive Republican nominee repeated her support
for the repeal of Obamacare. She wants to replace the ACA with a program that:
allows people to shop for health insurance across state lines; expands the viability of individual health savings accounts; makes employer-provided health care
benefits portable; and guarantees coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.
for the repeal of Obamacare. She wants to replace the ACA with a program that:
allows people to shop for health insurance across state lines; expands the viability of individual health savings accounts; makes employer-provided health care
benefits portable; and guarantees coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.
Does that mean she would end the ACA provision that
allows parents to keep their kids on the family’s policy until age 26? “We need
to consider the effects of that.”
allows parents to keep their kids on the family’s policy until age 26? “We need
to consider the effects of that.”
Would she eliminate the ACA’s added prescription drug
benefits for seniors, reviving the “donut hole” in coverage that existed prior
to Obamacare? She did not say she would bring back the donut hole in Medicare.
But she did say this: “As I said, Obamacare is not working …”
benefits for seniors, reviving the “donut hole” in coverage that existed prior
to Obamacare? She did not say she would bring back the donut hole in Medicare.
But she did say this: “As I said, Obamacare is not working …”
The strangest moment of the 24-minute press conference
call came when campaign aide Heather Swift interrupted to answer a question aimed at Land about
pre-existing conditions and then asserted that the response was “off the
record.”
call came when campaign aide Heather Swift interrupted to answer a question aimed at Land about
pre-existing conditions and then asserted that the response was “off the
record.”
Brian Buetler over at Salon quickly pounced, claiming that
Swift was out of line – and inaccurate.
Swift was out of line – and inaccurate.
Here’s a portion of what he wrote:
“… Confronted with the question of
what happens to people with preexisting medical conditions if the GOP repeals
the law (and thus eliminates the individual mandate), Land’s press aide,
Heather Swift, commandeered the call, and tried to take the whole thing off the
record.
what happens to people with preexisting medical conditions if the GOP repeals
the law (and thus eliminates the individual mandate), Land’s press aide,
Heather Swift, commandeered the call, and tried to take the whole thing off the
record.
“I wasn’t on the line, but Michigan
Information and Research Service posted the audio here. (The call starts at 19:20 of the MIRS podcast and the
preexisting conditions question at 39:15.) I think the biggest tell of all is
that Land doesn’t seem remotely prepared to address the real human consequences
of repealing the law in any meaningful or substantive way. But almost as big is
that her staff can’t either. The aide who leapt to Land’s defense made a
glaring error after attempting to take the call off the record.
Information and Research Service posted the audio here. (The call starts at 19:20 of the MIRS podcast and the
preexisting conditions question at 39:15.) I think the biggest tell of all is
that Land doesn’t seem remotely prepared to address the real human consequences
of repealing the law in any meaningful or substantive way. But almost as big is
that her staff can’t either. The aide who leapt to Land’s defense made a
glaring error after attempting to take the call off the record.
“’I can follow up with you more on
this with a little bit more policy research, but just off the record the
characterization of this question is incorrect,” she said. ‘It’s not the
individual mandate but it’s the guaranteed provision that prohibits the denial
of coverage from preexisting conditions. The problem with Obamacare is that it allows people to wait until they’re
very sick to purchase insurance, which creates significant and unknown
risks to insurers and then the insurance companies would pass that cost on to
consumers. So the way that Terri’s plan, and then this can be on the record,
the way that Terri’s plan addresses preexisting conditions is continuous
coverage and portability.’
this with a little bit more policy research, but just off the record the
characterization of this question is incorrect,” she said. ‘It’s not the
individual mandate but it’s the guaranteed provision that prohibits the denial
of coverage from preexisting conditions. The problem with Obamacare is that it allows people to wait until they’re
very sick to purchase insurance, which creates significant and unknown
risks to insurers and then the insurance companies would pass that cost on to
consumers. So the way that Terri’s plan, and then this can be on the record,
the way that Terri’s plan addresses preexisting conditions is continuous
coverage and portability.’
“I don’t know if that was
intentional or not, but it’s wrong, and actually potentially dangerous. … Unless
you happen to get sick during an open enrollment period, you can’t just wait to
get sick to enroll. Anyone who decides to skip Obamacare, and then gets sick or
injured in April, will be on the hook until Nov. 15, when the open enrollment
period for coverage starting in 2015 begins.
intentional or not, but it’s wrong, and actually potentially dangerous. … Unless
you happen to get sick during an open enrollment period, you can’t just wait to
get sick to enroll. Anyone who decides to skip Obamacare, and then gets sick or
injured in April, will be on the hook until Nov. 15, when the open enrollment
period for coverage starting in 2015 begins.
“Land’s ideas, by contrast, would
guarantee coverage for people who have insurance and sick people who can afford
it, but would lock people who allow their coverage to lapse, even if for
financial reasons, and those who can’t afford it in the first place, out of the
system permanently.”
guarantee coverage for people who have insurance and sick people who can afford
it, but would lock people who allow their coverage to lapse, even if for
financial reasons, and those who can’t afford it in the first place, out of the
system permanently.”
I’m not so sure Buetler has all his
facts straight either, but it appears that the Land campaign does not.
facts straight either, but it appears that the Land campaign does not.
"Does that mean she would end the ACA provision that allows parents to keep their kids on the family’s policy until age 26? 'We need to consider the effects of that.'”
I have two stepsons, 20 and 18, who pre-ACA would have been completely out of luck coming out of college, with their first jobs not likely to include employer-paid health coverage. The ACA gives them breathing room by allowing their mother and I to cover them on a "family" plan until 2020 and beyond. This peace of mind this gives all of us in case something bad happens is an ABSOLUTE benefit of Obamacare.
"Would she eliminate the ACA’s added prescription drug benefits for seniors, reviving the “donut hole” in coverage that existed prior to Obamacare? She did not say she would bring back the donut hole in Medicare."
I know many older people, including my mother on Medicare, who are EXTREMELY happy for the ACA's expanded prescription drug benefits. Depending on the medications involved, this is literally saving lives all over the country.
The number of positive outcomes from the ACA grows every day. Eventually, inevitably, the Republican and conservative narrative will be seen as more and more foolish, more and more counterproductive — and by then, there won't be any time to come up with any other issue to run on.