It may have taken House Speaker Andy Tobin longer to realize, but eventually he came to the same conclusion that Senate President Andy Biggs reached months ago.

What a difference four years makes. In 2009, Gov. Jan Brewer sued the Legislature over its refusal to send her a package of budget bills that she was certain to veto, leading the Arizona Supreme Court to rule that lawmakers couldn’t hold back measures that were ready for the governor.

The battle over the Arizona expansion of Obamacare resembles the fight between David and Goliath. The pro-expansion team has millions of dollars, powerful lobbyists, support from all Democratic legislators, most if not all of the media and a few Republicans who have defected to their cause.

Building a budget that can gain support from the majority of lawmakers in both legislative chambers and get it signed by the governor takes a delicate balance.

The Arizona Senate’s passage of a budget plan that includes Medicaid expansion on May 16 was a tremendous victory for Gov. Jan Brewer, as well as the lawmakers who stuck their necks out for the governor — most notably Senate Majority Leader John McComish, who sponsored the amendment that added expansion to the budget plan.

Gov. Jan Brewer wasn’t kidding around when she told the Legislature to stop sending her bills.

A member of the coalition of Senate Republicans who broke away from the majority party and voted for Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion proposal is contemplating whether to run for office in 2014.

Sen. Bob Worsley, R-Mesa, said that while he intends to run at this point, the decision is one he must still mull over in the coming year – and any reservations he has to running have nothing to do with his vote on Medicaid.

The fever pitch for economic development legislation has died down somewhat following signs of recovery and passage of blockbuster bills in the past two sessions. But lawmakers are still pushing job-creating legislation, which has been stalled for months over the ongoing budget stalemate.

After weeks of discussions on possible pro-life language for her Medicaid expansion plan, Gov. Jan Brewer is through trying to find a way to bar abortion providers from participating in AHCCCS.

This week's most outstanding quips, gibes and utterances.