President John F. Kennedy in 1962 on the need for Medicare

 This video is a short clip from a speech given in 1962 by President Kennedy, at a huge public rally in support of his proposal, later known as Medicare, to provide health care insurance for the elderly, as part of the Social Security system. Here, the President explains the need for the Medicare program, and also defends it against false attacks by opponents. Medicare was not enacted into law until 1965, during the term of President Lyndon Johnson, approximately two years after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963. The arguments made by President Kennedy are also pretty good reasons why our country should have a program of universal health care, by expanding Medicare to cover all citizens of all ages.

FDR: "I welcome their hatred."

JFK on the Separation of Church and State

FDR’s premonitions about the ways Republicans would treat Social Security, saving homes, and work for the unemployed