Starting the penalty small is so stupid. Whenever a system is new, you want to set expectations immediately. When a new highway opens, the police don't ignore it the first week. They flood the road with speed traps, so people know they have to follow the rules.
I'd agree with this as well.
Considering the many travails the ACA went through to get through congress by the skin of its ass (and losing the public option and 50 state medicare expansion along the way) was a higher penalty remotely feasable politically?
Of course not. Instead they rendered it largely toothless, and something of a joke. As I was saying ... damn it stop it Torie, you have been told that you say too much, too often, about the ACA, like a broken record, and basically you are full of sh*t about it, and clueless to boot, so damn it, "we" want you to just stop it, and stop it now, you trolling spam artist you.