What exactly makes you think that Obama's plan will be any cheaper? In fact, by insuring only sicker people (with younger, healthier population opting out), it will be even more expensive and therefore further away from achieving true universal health care.
I never said his plan would be cheaper. I just said that mandates shouldn't be implemented until we can be certain that the burden imposed is affordable and fair. Presently, I see single-payer as the only fair way to ensure that everyone is covered. That is, the only progressive way to finance social insurance like this is through normal income tax collection; otherwise, the distributive burden is going to be regressive (at least partially).
THe problem is that the benefits will be hard to come by without eliminating issues like free riders from the mix. In other words, the very things you are requiring much like the conservatives approach to such discussions will help guarantee failure.
