It’s time for Governor Snyder to prove the “tough” part of his self-proclaimed “one tough nerd” persona.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has famously done her share of finger-pointing at President Obama and his policies. But despite her vocal opposition to nearly everything the President stands for, Gov. Brewer has fully embraced Medicaid expansion. It’s the right thing to do for the uninsured people in her state it would benefit.

Now, with the Arizona legislature stalling on Medicaid expansion, she’s forcing their hand. As reported at The Maddow Blog, Gov. Brewer threatened to veto every bill the state legislature passes until they agree to accept Medicaid expansion.

If the Arizona legislature didn’t think Gov. Brewer would stick to her guns, they’ve since learned she’s as serious as a heart attack. She’s vetoed enough bills to get the state Senate on board with Medicaid expansion. What will happen with the state House remains to be seen.

But one thing’s for sure: If Gov. Rick Snyder is truly committed to making Medicaid expansion happen in Michigan, perhaps he should take a page from Gov. Brewer’s book. It’s time for him to stand up to the extremist factions of the Michigan Republican Party and tell them they need to stop playing politics and do what’s right for the people of Michigan.

Maybe Gov. Snyder won’t even have to block other legislation as a negotiating tactic. Just pointing fingers at the Michigan legislators who are threatening to prevent hundreds of thousands of Michiganders from getting access to health insurance would do the trick.

[Photo by Pete Souza | White House]