LSJ Blogs: Capitol Journal by Scott Davis

Michigan docs can now dispense the medicine of sympathy

Being a doctor means never having to say you’re sorry.

 But now in Michigan, if a doctor wishes to apologize for a patient suddenly lying cold and lifeless on a gurney, those kind words won’t count against him or her in a court of law.

On Tuesday, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has signed legislation designed to legally protect medical providers who express sympathy or compassion to patients or their families. Those statements now can’t be used against medical providers in a medical malpractice lawsuit.

 Proponents say such “I’m sorry” laws, which have been enacted in other states are intended to encourage more dialogue between doctors and patients and more information related to diagnosis.

Arthurhultz story: Readers upset over muzzle

The Lansing State Journal has been taking heat lately for a couple of stories I’ve written about former state senator Phillip Arthurhultz, who is accused of several sex-related offenses involving four children, ages 12 to 15.

In both cases, readers were upset that story chat was turned off for the online versions of the stories; readers felt they were unfairly prohibited from making comments in the story, and a reader felt I had a clear anti-Arthurhultz bias, because the paper would not allow his supporters to come to his defense in story chat.

For the record, I have no bias on this story; I have no idea whether he is guilty or innocent; he deserves his day in court. I have tried to reach both Arthurhultz and his attorney to provide his side of the story – so far to no avail.

According to LSJ editors, story chat was turned off for these stories, as they are for most stories involving charges of child molestation, because they tend to draw highly charged, sexually degrading comments from posters that can be both unfair and emotionally damaging to both the alleged victims and perpetrator.

"I made the decision to turn off comments on the Arthurhultz story after determining that there were a large number of comments violating our terms of service," said Elaine Kulhanek, the State Journal's community conversations editor. "Stories involving criminal allegations of sexual misconduct with children usually attract a high volume of inappropriate comments and we frequently have to turn them off."

If Arthurhultz supporters out there wish to come to his defense, I suggest they write a letter to the editor of the State Journal.

Will Hoekstra try to unseat Stabenow?

Potential GOP contenders are waiting to see whether U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra will challenge U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow in 2012 before they plunge into the race themselves.

Republican sources told Gongwer News that Hoekstra is still talking to several people about a run to replace Stabenow, a Democrat who is considered vulnerable because she is polling at 45 percent

Because Hoekstra is considered a Republican favorite, other potential contenders – which may include former Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land – are waiting to see what Hoekstra’s plans are before they dive in.

Indeed, this week, Land said she’d defer to Hoekstra, saying he would make a “great senator."  Land said Stabenow’s seat was ripe for a Republican victory.

"As an incumbent, she's at 45 percent. That's not good,” she said. “The other thing is, the mood of the country has changed," she said. "They want somebody who's going to vote conservative, watch the constitution and make sure every vote is looked at and you're going to represent the state.”

Other potential candidates include U.S. Rep. Candice Miller and U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers.