Ronald Reagan speaks out on Socialized Medicine - Audio

Ronald Reagan speaks out on Socialized Medicine, circa 1961. Audio file.
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[@jennilee1311]

I would like to point out that having affordable health care linked to my employer is the complete antithesis of freedom. As a result of having a "pre-existing condition" I have lost my freedom. I cannot leave. If I lose my job, and cannot afford to pay the COBRA fee of, I believe, $800 per month, and it is very unlikely that I will be able to find any other source for health insurance.

[@SDALWeller]

Forget the two party system...fight the corruption that has Washington by the throat. Switch to independent and force the politicians the EARN your vote rather than count on Ohio. I agree that we may not be far from a revolution but not the likes of Boston Harbor. Times have changed and so must we, (as I am so often reminded of when I speak to great grandpa who longs for the good ol' days).

[@tadamson67]

"Nothing in our Constitution suggests that government is a GRANTOR of rights. Instead, government is the PROTECTOR of rights". - Walter E. Williams.

[@mbell1220]

Health insurance in 1961 cost a fraction of what it does now, That takes into account adjustment for inflation. Nobody thought about healthcare reform because it wasn't an issue.

[@johndevlin]

Medicare is an untouchable third rail in Canadian politics--all of the major parties, including the Conservatives, support the current system (look up their party platform). If politicians do one thing well, it's pandering to their base. So the fact that none of them preach against Medicare is pretty strong evidence that there's no base out there that doesn't like Medicare. Canadians like the health care system--that's why Tommy Douglas was voted "greatest Canadian".

[@triplucid3563]

If only Healthcare, actually had more Care instead it's the UnHealthy "Health Industry" as a side effect

[@db528]

He was speaking out against Medicare.

[@coltsrule5150]

+Diane H Yeah, and not only did he support Medicare when he became president, by not repealing it. But he actually made it better.

[@Dystopian_Reality]

I'm not a fan of hardcore socialism, but then I'm not a fan of corrupt, robber baron capitalism either. The best system is somewhere in the middle, in my opinion. You can take the best of both & leave the worst behind.

[@baltarstar]

And what would you call what George Bush 46 and Cheney did to the Constitution? How many elements of the Constitution did they trample on? Remember the right to privacy?

[@MikeSuth4040]

I am Democrat and I am here to listen to my republican colleagues thoughts about socialized medicine.

[@promontorium]

The morality and intent of obligatory universal health insurance are not different.

[@martianshoes]

If we want good HEALTH care in America and not just an insurance fine-and-take scheme, we need to start with Tort reform, do away with the extraneous legal costs of medicine, then do what the French do, pay Doctors based on performance. The French health care model, when examined by REAL experts...is the most succcesful in the world, in terms of cost, sustainablity and mortality rates. Go look for yourself.

[@hectortorres278]

He is the person that started the American dystopia.

[@whatsupwiththename]

It is amazing how benighted our nation has become in such short order. While ignorance is a curable condition it, like any other disease, requires firstly the recognition that something is wrong which must be corrected. Absent this recognition our nation has little hope.

[@Lomotilian]

Wow. Did you even listen to it?

[@nfapiper1]

I hope Chief Justice Roberts listens to this and resigns from the court.

[@DefenderTIM]

If only the American people could understand this today.

[@regondi]

@MrTabby5000 I think God has become misunderstood to mean the Judeo-Christian God. God means a power higher than ones self. By saying God gave us our rights should be translated as, Something or Someone granted us our rights. because no man has given them to us, no man can take them away. this howevver means that even though they can not be taken it doean't mean we can not give them away! Unfortunately the scarey trend is to give them away for a sense of "security".

[@elizabethstadler2775]

❤this is my president

[@regondi]

@TheWasssssuppp Some of our founding Fathers were Christian. Most were Deists and they are two different things. This does not mean that Christians did not have a say in the matter, because they did but they were not the only voice.

[@Nationofhonor]

@Eggyrocks1 Congress tripled the debt, The president really has no say in it. Democrats always had a strong grip on congress during his presidency.

[@Sinsteel]

Plenty of other countries have full free (public) medical insurance for all citizens, and have for decades. If your medicare system is running out of money it's cos they're using it somewhere else. Medical insurance of ANY kind enables preventative medicine that in the long run, reduces cost on society.

[@wiedep]

We have been warned.

[@fishguru73]

@BenDoverPls It's wrong that the right to life is the being sold as government goodies from your neighbor's table undertaken by the sole beneficiaries of a system who don't realize the right to life when it comes to their personal obligations and the ability to extenguish their own responsibilities in the womb. How is it that we have slipped so far from morality that a child is no longer a blessing but a decision to be funded by the earnings of our neighbors?

[@fundude4566]

under the name of liberalism the American people would adopt every fragment of the socialist program." Hmm sounds like something Bernie sanders is trying to do.

[@vieraalacarte]

@Mal3volution change your name to malcontent, and start reading, you obviously have a complete lack of understanding of the US constitution.

[@danmcmartin]

xalysta13, way to pick a hole. That;s like saying I'll take a little dark and a little light. "corrupt, robber baron capitalism" and socialism are opposites. By the way, I doubt you would want a little of both anyway based on your description of each system.

[@SuperPoliceState]

it's actually not that much of a slippery slope. In Europe if you don't pass an exam by a certain amount you can NEVER become a doctor. NEVER!

[@kimmieanne1]

Are you talking about George Clooney?

[@mowriter]

Is the Gipper commenting on what would later be MEDICARE, passed under Lyndon B. Johnson? Any Octogenarians here want to dismantle Medicare? Octogenarians in mind if not in body?

[@twillbanks]

We were warned. People didn't listen, and now we all must pay. It's infuriating.

[@AirmanJH]

RTWPimpmachine Guess you tuned out most of the speech. Sure he was talking about Medicare, but he was specifically stating it was a foot in the door for future expansion. Obamacare is the leg. Wait until the body gets in. That's what he is talking about.

[@AirmanJH]

You got me. I didn't realize you were being sarcastic. Now it's obvious. Good day, sir.

[@danieldougan269]

Tom Willbanks He was a spokesman hired by the American Medical Association because they were scared Medicare might cause them to lose income. Boy, were they wrong. Reagan was crazy (at best) and perhaps maniacally evil (at worst). He spoke in racist code words like "welfare queens," "young bucks," and "states' rights," which is what allowed him to pick up those "Reagan Democrats" in the South. These were the old Dixiecrats. Do you think it's a coincidence that Reagan switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican right about the time that the Civil Rights Act passed? Of course not. Good riddance to Reagan.

[@danieldougan269]

+rockribbed rushy content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894529_1894528_1894518,00.html

[@danieldougan269]

+rockribbed rushy Yes, he became a Republican before the Civil Rights Act was PASSED, but it had already come up a couple of times in Congress, and JFK pushed for it even though he did not live to see it enacted.

[@gargamel55]

This is from 1961 Yea? If he was so against socialism back then. Why didn't he try to repeal Medicare when he became president?

[@rockribbedrushy7705]

+gargamel55 Medicare is a law passed by Congress. Only Congress can 'repeal' it.

[@bbro3]

+gargamel55 ***The More You Know***

[@kauboy9816]

Show me where in the Constitution that the government has any authority to handle your health. He is pressing this. That's a clear indication of how he is subverting it.

[@SDALWeller]

Boycott and remain ignorant. -OR- Read and educate yourself on all positions...

[@Lexicologist71]

If you'd actually listen to the speach you'd have your enlightenment. We don't want the government to control any more than they already do.

[@ironsikes23]

I would give up my Medicare if it was voluntary. But guess what, it is compulsory. Have you seen any option to opt out of paying into it or opting out of Medicare?

[@wiedep]

PLEASE INCLUDE - "...AND MANUFACTURED MEDICAL EMERGENCIES"

[@tirdadgharib2431]

Good day! Thank you to our wonderful ReaganFoundation for sharing! President Ronald Reagan was the greatest U.S.President in U.S.history! We Love President Ronald Reagan from all of our hearts! very sincerlly! with my Deep Respect! T.G.

[@carlguyer]

Ronald Reagan proven wrong again by history. Nothing else to say, except, did you hear Ron Paul at the debate going after Ronald for talking a good story, but not delivering. Ha, Ha... So much for what Ronald says.

[@laportama]

Just to clarify,, agree or disagree, read ATLAS SHRUGGED and then get back to me. The entire argument -- both sides -- is specious. The answer to contradiction/paradox is to re-examine the premises.

[@Haoleplumber94]

Why

[@Lawdog920]

@hondamoco ever been to birmingham? perfect example

[@zzzzzz522002]

@avncamargo Me too

[@soadj28]

I live in mass, our insurance rates are the highest in the nation and our budget is being destroyed by our system. They're going to start rationing.

[@belmont4511]

I have tried to tell people about Socialized Medicine. So, I stop trying because people will not listen to me.

[@BenDoverPls]

@01joydivision NO. Right to life does not equate to free health care. Just as pursuit of happiness does not mean that it is the governments job to ensure your happiness.

[@MeInTheCornfield]

Did you receive those statistics from the British media, my friend? ☺

[@biggrigga]

You're an example of why pissed off leftists call us conservatives stupid and the likes...All you did was insult that user. By the way, learn up on political theory. Liberalism--both economic and social--and socialism are two very different things.

[@ethericboy]

Your "socialized medicine" is actually Corporatism right?

[@martianshoes]

ethericboy Well since the ACA has literally NOTHING to do with actual medicine but is just an redistribution scheme using insurance as a shell game....there is more than a kernal of truth in your assertion. Insurance does NOT equal healthcare.

[@ethericboy]

Many People in my country(norway) now consider the US to be a rogue state more or less,a state run by the allmighty military industrial complex along With the Wallstreet "gang".Presidents like Lincoln warned about corporatism a long time ago and president Andrew Jackson was attempted assassinated no less than 16 times because he refused to let a large private bank establish itself in Your country and Obama is the biggest puppet and liar of them all,prepared and groomed for years and put him up against an old guy like Mc cain to make sure he won,and Obama fooled you all initially With his charm,intelligence and persuasive talk but the mask is now off and the full extent of the Obama Deception has yet to be revealed;anyway he"s busy shredding the constitution and taking Your rights away thru executive orders little by little until its too late to reverse it, a well known strategy to Control aa People and Control them utterly.The People need to revolt because you have no obligation to obey these criminals.

[@ethericboy]

More and more People are considering you to an extent a rogue state With Your country in effect being run by the mighty industrialized military complex along With the Wall street "gang"and the Federal government is BROKEN in every way. They"ve used the term "New world order" because it sounds slightly optimistic so People in countries like India and others think that "Well maybe there"s a Place in there for us too" but that is not what it is.The so called "New world order" is just a New Version of the old order-the old British Empire in a New package With Britain playing second fiddle this time; its the Anglo/American alliance With you guys at the head of a world "Government" and if anyone thinks for even a minute that this New "order" will bring an age of Peace and prosperity they"re in for the biggest shock of their lives.This "New world order" must not be allowed to materialize and People should do everything they can to prevent it!

[@martianshoes]

ethericboy I was being sarcastic. The US is not a nation anymore, it is a corporation where a professional political class is in power (oligarchy) and the citizens are NOT on the board of directors. The opposite of what the founders had in mind. It is because of the Globalists...or the "the new world order" that this has occurred. The US would not be at the head of a world government....just the supplier of a few thousand serfs and a lot of food.

[@ethericboy]

martianshoes No,some politicians have at times spoken of this so called "New world order" and many People in poorer countries think "Well maybe theres a Place in there for us too" but thats not what this is.The "New world order"is just the old order in a new package, the old British empire With Britain playing second fiddle this time; its the Anglo/American alliance With you Control freaks at the helm and if anybody thinks that this "New world order" will bring a New age of Peace and prosperity they"re in for a shock.

[@toodles9363]

This is so true. It is a shame that many Americans are asleep at the wheel and are not speaking out against what is happening. WAKE UP!

[@pwgr2000]

Sorry, I'm an Australian and I don't get it. I watched Sicko recently and it sure did appear that Americans generally just don't care about the poor and destitute in their own country. Obama appears to be attempting to correct this imbalance. Why does the right wing of US politics oppose policies based on caring and sharing? Please enlighten me.

[@prezrr]

You can thank governmnent wage caps during WWII for that one.

[@mainestategop]

Well Reagan sadly compromised throughout his two terms. he DID raise taxes in his 2nd term and it lead to an economic crash.

[@MelMelsNRich]

Mr or Mrs. Austrailian, we here in america were raised under the belief that America is a republic, meaning that you and you alone are responsible for your yourselves, and in the process of providing for yourselves, you and you alone should benefit from the fruit of your labor! Americans are not responsible for other peoples livelyhoods and this includes healthcare, welfare, and education, in general this means that the government is only responsible for providing a free and secure state !

[@TheWasssssuppp]

@phoenixbornagain this country was founded by white christians and just becuase we were founded on christian ideals the u.s. has changed and now theres alot more jewish buddhist muslim etc. the whole point of the u.s. is that we welcome people in and that we give people a chance to live i dont think a country should follow one religion

[@papatire]

Do you Americans ever watch the show 'Parking Wars?' You know when all the people are at the office trying to get their cars back and the parking authority treat them like children? THATS what your socialized health care will be like!

[@Celestializeable]

You can go to any other insurance program you want with any other employer that you want as long as you can show that your insurance never lapsed.

[@realhxq]

it is your same old speech , that we are told today , only if people would understand.

[@michaelterry377]

“Idealism does not represent a superfluous expression of emotion, but in truth it has been, is, and will be, the premise for what we designate as human culture...Without his idealistic attitude all, even the most dazzling faculties of the intellect, would remain mere intellect just like outward appearance without inner value, and never creative force....The purest idealism is unconsciously equivalent to the deepest knowledge...”

[@wobbitt]

From a B movie actor to the best thing to happen to America in over a hundred years...Period.

[@rikelprice]

And whose policies toppled the Berlin wall and re-united the people of Germany.

[@sciencemunk]

that's deep

[@JQ10KA]

How I miss this great man.

[@victoriaduke1035]

One of our greatest presidents ever. We sure can use him today.

[@hooahayes]

@EswareinKrieg No person under capitalism is a slave. You have those who tried and suceeded and those who didn't. Or those who chose to not try at all, who feel enslaved, but are truly only held down by their lack of initiative. The beauty of America is that anyone can make it and you don't need the government to tell you how it's done. There are literally millions of self made millionaires in this country, more than anywhere else that I know of on Earth.

[@Peter-V_00]

$17 trillion debt, sure thing.

[@davekeays]

In real life haven't heard anything endearing about Canada's programs by a Canadian. I did hear complaints that they couldn't get their hands on medicine that was available to me.

[@bunsie2]

Where have all the great leaders gone? We need this type of leader! Where are they? We are on the path to Socialism & in danger of losing the freedoms we have enjoyed! We must stop Obamanomics!

[@Gregroa]

Please tell all the senior citizens that they must give up their medicare. That's what Reagan was talking about.

[@AgentKimB]

Wow! What a wake up call!

[@UTubercle]

Ronald Reagan stated in this speech that Socialism will come about disguised as Liberalism. That is what Obama is bringing us now.

[@BucFan3027]

You people that are propents of universal health care just don't get it. A good friend of mine who lives in Canada experienced first hand what universal health care was about. After waiting 6 months for treatment for cancer, she finally ended up coming to the U.S. and paying out of pocket to get the care she needed that saved her life. It almost bankrupted her, but she is alive & doing well.

[@3dgeek2009]

everyone is against "socialism" unless it involves public schooling (socialized education) or unless they lose their own health care and have to fork over $900/month for family healthcare...

[@TheSmartLawyer]

Reagan must be looking down on us now, shaking his head in disgust at Obama's sinister plan to socialize American medicine.

[@dan2009]

Sinister plan? Lol look up the NHS

[@jaimymoore]

Article One. Interstate commerce clause. Promoting the general welfare. But if you were an American, you'd know all this.

[@Lukyo1984]

A celebrity that opposes universal health care? He would be virtually alone in today's Hollywood.

[@realhxq]

wow! i did not Know you commented .

[@quickboat22]

Bravo! God I miss Ronnie.

[@PoliticalWeekly]

@phoenixbornagain Where do you live! the usps is so inefficient. its called snail mail. Plus, give me a good efficient government service. blackwater is actually pretty good and even better than the us army.

[@realhxq]

00:55 - 1:14 must be heard by every one in America every must know liberalism is in fact socialism .

[@chuckwright3754]

I miss Reagan.

[@hobbes223]

Its still so true!!!

[@spaceman1979]

Thanks Ronnie to you and your friends for the capitalist utopia for which we live in today and perfectly reasonable medical costs for which the average person has no problem to pay for.

[@Mynamesalexa]

Says you.I like my benefits the way they are. Not watered down or taxed to carry someone else. My responsibility is myself and my family PERIOD!

[@MrOscarSalo]

LEGEND

[@Rensune]

@phoenixbornagain I am of the L'nu people, the first (What you would call Native Americans). We are still confined to third world living conditions because we are forced to rely on the government and you call this improvement?

[@robertbrooks7160]

He was spot on....happening just as he predicted & warned us about.

[@Betrix5060]

what about canada?

[@rjbjr68]

Its not really about caring for people its truly about controlling the government and ensuring that the principals that out founding fathers gave us continue to guide us. Every single person in this country by law has guaranteed major medical health care. Emergency rooms cant turn you away. The real issue is our country was founded on freedom and trying to promote self reliance. 300+yrs ago in Jamestown we saw what happens with socialism thats why we have a republic! Hope this helps...

[@Stiffroot]

Could we use The Gipper these days, or what? In our lifetimes, the face of the conservative movement in the United States became Ronald Reagan. Not simply because he was president and managed to get taxes cut, but because he spoke the simple truths of cause and effect that socialism would have on the freedoms we Americans have taken for granted for far too long. Around 1961, this audio was recorded containing future President Reagan's monologue on socialized medicine in the US. At that time, there had been multiple attempts to install a cradle to grave healthcare system as laid out in the Communist Manifesto, none of which succeeded. This eleven minutes is well worth hearing: Note that the Gipper says socialized medicine will invade every aspect of our lives (begins around 3:30 on the tape), and he was quoting a socialist who was kicked out of Congress by that time. For the left, the socialists, the Affordable Care Act - ObamaCare as it is unaffectionately known - is a triumph. It is the dream of the destruction of the American Experiment and after a hundred years of dumbing down the population and not giving up, they managed to pass a law that will accomplish that goal. Eventually. Maybe. That the rollout of the law has been such a disaster is a happy accident of no one having read the thing before it was passed, otherwise, they may have fixed the glitches before the people got to see them set in motion. At the same time, ObamaCare working as designed depends on the entire law remaining intact and everyone doing their part. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts, yes, let the personal mandate stand by calling it a tax which was a stretch, but removed the backbone of the law - forcing the states to expand medicare and each building a health insurance exchange. That is a violation of states' rights and Roberts declared that the fed could not force the states to play along. (How Ginsberg, Kagan, Breyer and Sotomayor didn't see the trap is beyond comprehension.) 36 states opted out, which is what brought on the disaster of the federal Healthcare.gov website going live. Roberts also did not change any part of the penalties for not complying for individuals, or lack thereof. More or less, if one arranges their personal income taxes so that there is no refund, there is no penalty under a certain income level. (Name one person who isn't going to take advantage of that.) John Roberts has taken a lot of abuse over that decision, and in the end, he may have accelerated the law's demise by removing key pieces that would make the whole thing viable, and leaving in place that which will make it fail...as long as he was making up what constitutes a tax. But that's not all. The ObamaCare system working depends on doctors practicing at a loss or close to margin, and that simply isn't going to happen. Also needed, are young, healthy people buying insurance they don't need or want. That's not happening. Additional income is needed from the medical device tax which has contracted the venture capital market in Silicon Valley, which eventually is going to dry up that stream of revenue. No new devices means no new cash into the system. Workers' hours have been cut to keep them from being considered full time, and thus making exchange plans unaffordable for the people, not that they ever would have been. ObamaCare's success as a healthcare system relies on the people playing along and they just aren't doing it. Thus, it is going to fail, and it is going to crash and burn so badly, that anyone of reasonable mind living at this time will not fall for the romantic notion of cradle to grave healthcare in the next 50 years. In the end, we are going to spend billions that we don't have to prove the Gipper's words in the video above to be true. Unfortunately, most people have to learn the hard way. That doesn't change that the Gipper was right, and very few people listened.

[@BigTibbs78]

I love Ronald!!! The GOP need to get back to the values he had!!!

[@charliesoroka2798]

You must listen to "Mr. Ed," as Mark Levin calls Ed Schultz on MSLSD, and/or his ilk.

[@mdbarnes21]

Statism. Levin calls it like it is in Liberty & Tyranny. A must read for the thinking man/woman.

[@mrlejones]

If I could only speak half as intelligent as this true American! I can only dream of a time where we have such a person back leading us. No one in my time has done more for the United States... no for the world, than Ronald Reagan. His brilliance and insight was fa nominal. He knew and never wavered in his thoughts and actions for what was and still is good for the people of the United States. He should be revered and emulated. He was defiantly loved.

[@JEREMY99218]

@01joydivision No one has a "right" to a commodity - food, housing, heathcare, etc. Having a right to a commodity means someone else has to pay for it.

[@queenlaurie]

Tommy Douglasssss!!!!!!!

[@tdeaconh]

James Pisano - well done!

[@BucFan3027]

Wow...EVERYONE needs to hear this. What a tremendous speech from Reagan. It could have been written in 2009. He was a great American.

[@szatanowska]

thanks also for audio files i love this picture he was so handsome :)))))))))))))!!!!! if i ever meet him i would fall in love with him for sureeeeee !!

[@Eric5923]

Reagan single handedly brought dow the USSR, and set people free all over this world. He was great because he was great, and nothing you can say or do will change the fact that Reagan was one of the greatest leaders of freedom in the history of the world. Was he perfect? nope. But you an always see how great a person was by those who do their best to deny their greatness and impugn their character. Seeing your words and your opinions, it is a great honor for Reagan to be insulted by you.

[@Sassey72]

Me too. :'(