In a contentious debate with Democratic candidate Brandon Presley (Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) defends his record, which includes his controversial decision to not accept federal funding to expand Medicaid.
The question of whether Mississippi should join the 40 other states that have accepted federal support made available by the Affordable Care Act has dominated Public Service Commissioner Presley’s bid to unseat Reeves Next Tuesday, there will be a general election.
The debate moderators of WAPT-TV Jackson asked Reeves It was first said that this was the most frequently asked question by viewers.
“Where do you stand on the expansion of Medicaid in Mississippi?” Troy Johnson, the co-moderator asked:
The question was phrased so as to leave the reader feeling confused. Reeves His answer was not a sign that he would be open to changing.
“At the end of the day, what we have determined is it does not make sense for the people of Mississippi,” Reeves said. “It does not make sense for the people in Mississippi because if you were to add 300,000 people to the Medicaid rolls, about 100,000 of those individuals would actually be currently on private insurance.”
Reeves On the other hand, he suggested that some of those individuals who were privately insured would be forced to leave their private coverage for the public. Medicaid rolls. The fact is that Mississippi’s state economist found that thousands of people who currently get coverage from their employer or purchase health insurance on the ACA’s exchanges would enroll in MedicaidBut it doesn’t say if that is because they have been dropped from private coverage.
“It’s much like what President Obama said when he passed the Affordable Care Act: He said, ‘If you like your doctor, you can keep it,’” Reeves said. “That didn’t turn out to be true. And the fact is, if you’re out there on private insurance, you might lose yours if my opponent’s proposal goes into effect.”
Reeves The same was said in Arkansas and Louisiana, two neighboring states. MedicaidThe financial health of rural hospitals is poor.
“We’re not talking about Arkansas. We’re not talking about Louisiana. We’re talking about Mississippi,” Presley fired back. “I want to be governor of the state of Mississippi. I’m not running in Arkansas and Louisiana.”
Presley, who regulates state utility companies, instead highlighted Oklahoma’s and South Dakota’s decisions to expand Medicaid As evidence, states where Donald Trump easily won have warmed up to the idea that expanding health care for low-income residents. Presley noted also that Mississippi’s state economist Find that Medicaid Even if only 90% of costs are covered by the federal government, the state would still make money.
Commonwealth Fund estimate that there are 230,000 uninsured adult adults who could be covered. Medicaid Presley’s comments about expansion were expanded. “These are folks who are sacking groceries, folks who are out roofing houses, people who are working in hotels and out scrubbing toilets and changing sheets on beds ― people that are taking jobs that Tate Reeves would never take, that are working every day, that deserve health care.”
“If he had quit lying on me, I’d quit telling the truth on him.”
Brandon Presley, Democratic Candidate for Governor of Mississippi
“It is an idea that’s time has come. It’s past time to do it,” he added. “And as governor, I will take steps on Day One to expand Medicaid.”
The debate Reeves’ and Presley’s only in-person matchup, was not a genteel affair. The televised matchup was more of an offensive brawl, with Presley putting his feisty self on the attack from the beginning.
Presley spoke about taxes: “I’m glad you use the word ‘scheme,’ because Tate Reeves’ tax plan is such a scheme he couldn’t get it passed in a majority ― supermajority ― House and Senate made up of his own party.”
On dueling attack ads, Presley said: “If he had quit lying on me, I’d quit telling the truth on him.”
On the need to eliminate the state’s sales tax on groceries, Presley said: “If you go out tonight and buy feed for a hog or feed for a cow, you pay zero sales tax to feed that hog or that cow, but if you want to feed your baby or you want to feed your family, you pay the highest sales tax in America.”
Presely, the former mayor of Nettleton in a small town, added weight to his jabs. Reeves Rural aphorisms sounded simultaneously folksy, and merciless.
You can also find out more about Reeves Presley reacted furiously when he was told that Presley would give in to local Democratic leaders like the mayor Jackson who are less committed to combating crime.
“Let me say this, the governor needs to clean out his ears, because I didn’t say I would take orders from local officials ― clean your ears out!” As he turned back to his original topic, he said: Reeves directly. “What I said was you should work with local officials.”
A calmer Reeves Presley was accused of lying, breaking corruption laws, and unfairly defaming his brother.
Asked to respond to Presley’s charges that he was involved in either committing or covering up crimes related to the state’s public corruption scandal over the misuse of $77 million in cash welfare funds, Reeves replied, “You would have to believe in time travel to believe that I was involved in the [Department of Human Services] scandal. The fact of the matter is I was sworn in as governor in January of 2020. It all happened before I was governor.”
But Presley pressed Reeves He must answer for his decision of firing an independent lawyer who investigated the scandal and sought to claw back money.
“You fired the independent investigator in this case when he got a little too close to your buddies, a little too close to your campaign contributors, a little too close to those who finance your way of life, and, guess what, then you fired him. Then you fired him,” He was adamant. Reeves He refused to look at him while he was speaking. “Look at me! I’m talking.”
Reeves, who eventually complied, to Presley’s satisfaction, insisted that the termination was based solely on the need to hire a law firm with greater resources.
“The person that was doing it was an individual sole practitioner and just didn’t have the resources available,” Reeves said. “He was also a big campaign donor to my opponent.”
Race between Reeves and Presley is likely to be determined in significant part by whether enough voters in the conservative state find Presley’s plans to expand Medicaid Clean up corruption is compelling enough to make you look past his political affiliation.
ReevesFormer spokespersons have been vilified President Donald Trump’s endorsement On Wednesday, he tried to link Presley with President Joe Biden and to the National Democratic Party.
“He’s gonna govern like Joe Biden has governed America,” Reeves In his closing remarks, he said: “And so if you believe in your heart that Joe Biden has done a good job as president, with inflation up by 20% on groceries, all prices up far greater than that ― if you believe Joe Biden’s done a good job, then he’s your man.”
