My point is that Romney’s plan was NOT identical or even close to Obamacare.
I’m kind of chuckling because some folks on FR are/have-been very vehement that they are the same... even our own Jim Rob.
They have a similar idea behind them, but the constitutional issues are vastly different for the state as for Federal scope.
Both have state exchanges, both have an individual mandate, both have business mandates, and both have subsidies.
The biggest difference between Obamacare and Romneycare that I’m aware of is the size of the penalties and the severity of lack of compliance. Romneycare penalties are huge. They were not delayed, and there is only about a .0009 chance of receiving a hardship exemption. (I.e.: if you an illegal alien, under Romneycare your exemption is automatic. But if you are a working joe that just cannot afford the sky high Romneycare costs, then you are fined a whopping penalty, and CANNOT get out of owing/paying it.)
It that sense, Romneycare was worse at first. But if Obamacare is not dismantled, it will probably get to the same point eventually.