Was national healthcare originally a Republican issue?

Question

An except from a former Republican President's Inaugual Address;

In public health the discoveries of science have opened a new era. Many sections of our country and many groups of our citizens suffer from diseases the eradication of which are mere matters of administration and moderate expenditure. Public health service should be as fully organized and as universally incorporated into our governmental system as is public education. The returns are a thousand fold in economic benefits, and infinitely more in reduction of suffering and promotion of human happiness.

Care to guess which Republican president stated this to the nation?

Answer 1

I'll hazard a guess - Eisenhower

ahh Herbert Hoover

But but this sentence:

"Public health service should be as fully organized and as universally incorporated into our governmental system as is public education."

He meant the formation of a body like the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) which was established in 1946 under a Democrat president and not universal healthcare

READ

Answer 2

Good Day, P.B.,
A few years before my time, just after WW l , about 1919 -1920, there was some discussion on this subject, in conjunction with the medical care of the WW l Veterans.

Sorry I have very little additional info available, as I remember very little of what my Paternal Grandfather, and a Great Grand Uncle, got into a rather heated "discussion", over a Thanksgiving Day Dinner, about 1945.
Apparently some 'civilian' factory workers were injured building military equipment, and felt that they too, should have 'Public Medical Care', the same as the WW l veterans.

Answer 3

Did you know, five US Presidents have tried to have some sort of Universal Health Insurance ?

In all five cases, a Democratic Controlled Congress refused to allow the bills out of committee to be voted on.

Truman, Johnson, Nixon, Carter and Clinton all tried, the Democratic Party blocked each of them.

Nixon was the first President to say health care, is a " Right " not a privilege.

Answer 4

Sounds like a president from a different era.

The parties are not of the same makeup as they were even 40 years ago.

To claim that the current Democrats are the same as the party of Jefferson or that the Republicans are the same as the party of Lincoln, is to deny the truth. Over the course of time, they've changed and shifted.

Change is inevitable.

Answer 5

Hmm just as a guess without looking it up. Nixon had a lot to do with healthcare. I'd guess him but, public health service is the opposite of what he ended up doing. Before him, I don't recall anyone really talking about national health care.

I'm gonna go with Nixon because I can't think of anyone else who was concerned about it.

Answer 6

Healthcare was in fact a Republican issue, back in the day when the word "Republican" meant things like fiscal responsibility, small government and opposing preemptive wars.

The new meaning of a Republican is pandering to the Religious right, starting wars, engaging in sex and ethics scandals and record spending.

Who are these people and how can America support them?

Answer 7

I'm going to say Nixon, since he was the one who got us into the current healthcare mess by publically endorsing the Kaiser Healthcare (HMO) system.

Answer 8

Hoover

Answer 9

Nixon?

That is ok. I will give him a mulligan for that. Just like Dems give mulligans for their segregationist counterparts that ruled the south. Kinda like Robert Byrd.

Answer 10

I'm perplexed Bob, give us a hint