In Arizona, Gov. Jan Brewer bested opponents by calling a special legislative session and threatening to veto everything else that crossed her desk until she received a Medicaid expansion bill two months ago. Here in Michigan, Rick Snyder's approach to winning approval for his own Medicaid expansion plan has been more like a kid asking bullies not to steal his lunch money: Hey, come on guys...
Today, we'll likely find out if Snyder's nice guy pleading paid off as the Michigan Senate, refreshed by a summer recess, is expected to vote on the fully federally-funded plan designed to provide medical care to 470,000 working poor Michiganders.
Lansing State Journal: “I’ve been getting lots of e-mails,” said state Sen. Mike Kowall, R-White Lake, who didn’t say how he was going to vote. “They’re running about 60-40 in favor of the expansion.”
The issue has been bubbling in the Legislature since the spring when Gov. Rick Snyder backed the expansion. The House approved the plan in June, but the Senate decided to take up the matter when lawmakers return from their two-month summer break this week.
No really, they actually take a two-month summer break. The Michigan Senate is apparently stocked with Frenchmen and fourth graders.
The Medicaid expansion is expected to will the support of all 12 Senate Democrats. Snyder allies, like Majority Leader Randy Richardville, will need to cobble together just seven GOP votes to win approval for the governor's bill over right-wing objections. In the event of a 19-19 deadlock, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley can cast a tie-breaking vote
