Lansing-based politics analyst Susan J. Demas praises Gov. Rick Snyder for becoming "the sixth Republican governor to embrace the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare." Yet her latest MLive column focuses on possible opposition from a familiar corner.
What do you suppose the odds are of [Tea Party Republicans] going along with a program to help a half-million poor people get health care? . . . It's not exactly off to a promising start.
Demas senses trouble because of what House Speaker Jase Bolger's spokesman says:
"Speaker Bolger remains cautious and concerned on behalf of taxpayers about the expansion of Medicaid. The speaker's goal is to determine how to provide long-term accessibility and long-term affordability for healthcare to Michigan’s hard-working taxpayers. The federal government has a history of working with states to start long-term programs while providing only short-term funding, and then sticking state taxpayers with the future financial liability that program creates. House Republicans aren't raising questions as a way to object, we simply want to make sure we have the answers we need before making any decisions."
By framing the expansion issue this way, what other conclusion could good, god-fearing, Tea Party-abiding Republicans come to but that it's just another big-government, Washington swindle? . . .
Maybe we'll all happily surprised and Republicans will decide that $200 million more [from Washington in next year's] budget is a pretty good deal.
Earlier coverage
Snyder Announces Support for Medical Coverage for Michigan's Uninsured Poor, Feb. 7
