Gov. Whitmer Vetoes A Bill That Would Protect Health Care Workers

Last month Michigan Governor Whitmer vetoed a bill that received absolutely no opposition votes in the Legislature and would have created protections for state employees who bring their concerns to lawmakers. The Michigan Senate approved the bill 37-0 on Feb. 26 and the Michigan House voted on June 24 108-0. That bill would have given an extra layer of protection for Whistle Blowers.

Yesterday Whitmer decided to veto a bill that would have given additional liability protections for health care workers and facilities during a state of emergency claiming the bill would unnecessarily endanger patients.

Do you see a pattern here?

You can certainly agree or disagree with what she did but realize that she says one thing about protecting people, then turns around and does the complete opposite. I have said for many years never listen to what a politician says and totally believe them, always look at what they do and how they vote. Whitmer is a perfect example of that axiom.

The Detroit News reported that the bill, sponsored by Sen. Michael MacDonald, R-Macomb Township, was developed after many discussions with a wide range of people in the health care community. This bill came from those discussions which recognize the extraordinary pressures and every changing guidance from Whitmer that the medical personnel in Michigan faced daily during this pandemic.

In a letter written for Whitmer explaining her decision, she believed the bill went "much further" than the protections established in her past executive orders. She was concerned that this bill would have given health care providers:

"broad immunity…regardless of whether the circumstances demand this extreme measure…A person receiving treatment at a hospital or a resident in a nursing home would be powerless to seek relief when they are harmed in any but the most egregious cases…Senate Bill 899 would endanger patients and workers unnecessarily, making it nearly impossible to obtain relief from injury during a state of emergency”

In a statement from State Senator MacDonald he said:

"By vetoing this measure, the governor is just making it harder for medical professionals to do their job…As this global pandemic continues, our doctors and nurses should be able to focus on providing the best care possible for their patients without worrying about possible lawsuits."

Michigan’s Speaker of the House Representative Lee Chatfield stated that Michigan workers:

"are working on the front lines under incredibly difficult conditions and doing the very best they can to protect lives and keep our families safe…They deserve to know we all have their back and that we support them as they focus their time on providing top notch care, instead of worrying about politics, evolving legal opinions and frivolous lawsuits,"

Let us review what she has done in about a months' time:

Whitmer does not want additional protections for state employees who see something wrong or illegal happening in our government and become Whistle-Blowers to expose those wrongs.

Also…

Whitmer does not want to give additional protections given to health care workers and their facilities during this “pandemic” and her often vague executive orders and guidance.

Yep, I definitely see a pattern here.

Do you?

The question is what are you going to do about it come this fall and when she is up for re-election.