History Repeats Itself: The Health Care Debate

1 Comment03/16/10

“We are in the most serious situation, when thinking men and women do not propose reforms without having their patriotism attacked.”

“It is now evident that an ugly campaign is underway not merely to misrepresent the health insurance reform legislation, but to disrupt public meetings and prevent members of Congress and constituents from conducting a civil dialogue…. These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views—but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American.”

The Obama administration’s efforts to overhaul the nation’s health care system have generated a great deal of heated debate in recent months. Disagreements over health care policy are not new, however, and surrounded many earlier reform efforts. One of the statements above was made in 2009 and the other in 1919—can you tell which is which?

The first quotation above was uttered by a frustrated health care reformer, John B. Andrews of the American Association for Labor Legislation, in 1919. Ninety years later, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi expressed similar sentiments in an editorial entitled “Un-American Attacks Can’t Derail Health Care Debate,” which appeared in USA Today on August 10, 2009.

• What is it about health-care reform that arouses such passionate discourse? How does patriotism factor into the discussion?

• What has changed in terms of American health care during the ninety-year span between these statements? In what ways are the political and social circumstances in which they were voiced similar? How are they different?

• Do you feel that either of these quotations represent an accurate criticism? Why or why not?

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