The time is at hand this year to bring comprehensive, high quality health care within the reach of every American. I shall propose a sweeping new program that will assure comprehensive health insurance protection to millions of Americans who cannot now obtain it or afford it, with vastly improved protection against catastrophic illnesses.

Barack Obama in 2009?

Hillary Clinton 1994?

Ted Kennedy 1969?

That was actually Richard Nixon in 1974 proposing a national health care plan that looks, in some key respects, like the American Affordable Care Act of 2009.

The more recent plan has been nicknamed ObamaCare and is adored by some, despised by many others, and sometimes labeled as either a socialist, Marxist or communist idea, with, of course, a few Nazi references for good measure.

That would no doubt surprise Nixon, who fought in World War II and was one of the most ardent Cold Warriors of his era.

Its really not news that the Republican Party has traveled some distance from the sort of plan Nixon once suggested.

But it is interesting to read Nixons speech and see how we are dealing with the same problems in 2012 as we faced in 1974.

Only some have greatly worsened.

Link:

A stroll down health care’s memory lane