Politics, ideology clash over expanding Medicaid

If the political rhetoric that accompanied last week's Supreme Court ruling on health care reform was any indication, Texans can expect a raucous few months ahead as politicians consider whether to accept billions of federal dollars to expand Medicaid coverage to as many as 2 million low-income Texans.
-snip-

The Legislature could take up the issue when it meets in January.

"I'm not holding my breath," said Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, a San Antonio Democrat who is head of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus. "It almost seems to me the Republican leaders are still in denial about what happened at the Supreme Court."

At the least, they are waiting for the results of the upcoming election between President Barack Obama and presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney.

"If Romney wins, it takes a lot of pressure off the Legislature," said state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston. "If Obama wins, then we're going to have to deal with a complex and somewhat confusing decision."
-snip-