> The ACA was basically the same as “RomneyCare” in MA, and was a style of healthcare reform supported by mainstream center-right Republicans Romneycare never

> The ACA was basically the same as “RomneyCare” in MA, and was a style of healthcare reform supported by mainstream center-right Republicans Romneycare never really had widespread support of Republicans at the national level. Or, really, the support of Republicans in general. It was passed by a governor in a state where almost every single elected state legislator is a Democrat, so it's hardly a measure of what to expect Republicans to support when the population they represent is more moderate, conservative, or Republican-affiliated. Using Romney's actions as governor of MA as a yardstick is a really skewed perspective to try and apply to national politics. Massachusetts has a history of electing Republican governors as a way of placing a "check" on the legislature. Currently, Massachusetts has a Republican governor - but Baker would likely have run under the Democratic party if we were talking about Montana or Kansas instead of Massachusetts. > and some center-left Democrats (most Democrats wanted a single payer plan, or at least a public option, but took what they could get because the healthcare system was/is at a breaking point) It was never the case that "most" Democrats wanted a single-payer plan. The public option was more popular within the Democratic party, but even then was very controversial, and didn't have strong enough support from the Democrats. There was, incidentally, a proposal that did have bipartisan support (the Wyden-Bennett bill), but it fell short of 60 votes.