--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is my judgment that had I spent the…" description: "\"It is my judgment that had I spent the first two years trying to get a single-payer system, all those folks who now have health insurance that didn't h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/barack-obama-17_firsts_it-is-my-judgment-that-had-i-spent-the-f_2399217.jpg" --- # It is my judgment that had I spent the first two years… ![“It is my judgment that had I spent the first two years trying to get a single-payer system, all those folks who now have health insurance that didn't have it would still be uninsured. And those are millions of people whose lives are impacted right now.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/barack-obama-17_firsts_it-is-my-judgment-that-had-i-spent-the-f_2399217.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/barack-obama-17_firsts_it-is-my-judgment-that-had-i-spent-the-f_2399217.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/barack-obama-17_firsts_it-is-my-judgment-that-had-i-spent-the-f_2399217.jpg) > “It is my judgment that had I spent the first two years trying to get a single-payer system, all those folks who now have health insurance that didn't have it would still be uninsured. And those are millions of people whose lives are impacted right now.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting single‑payer reform earlier would have left many still uninsured; the urgency is to protect millions now. **In simple terms:** Delays in health reform cost lives. Key Takeaway Act now to expand coverage. Themes policy healthcare urgency Mood determined urgent Type political inspirational When to use this quote - legislative advocacy - community outreach - patient assistance - policy planning Key Concepts public health political strategy Questions to Reflect On - What immediate steps can improve coverage? - How can bipartisan support be built? A Different Perspective Political opposition can stall reforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Didn Uninsured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-uninsured-5397151/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Folks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folks/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Insurance Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insurance-didn-2592053/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Single Payer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/single-payer/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-years/) [Uninsured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uninsured/) [Uninsured Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uninsured-millions-235809/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I think that the risk to all the progress we've made was at stake in the election because not just the president-elect but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-that-the-risk-to-all-the-progress-we-ve-made-was-at-stake-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Since 1994, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have considered it politically risky to offer a plan to fix America's broken health care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-wyden/since-1994-lawmakers-on-both-sides-of-the-aisle-have-considered-it/) [Ron Wyden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-wyden/) > [You look at something like health care, the Affordable Care Act. And for all the controversy, we now have 20 million people who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/you-look-at-something-like-health-care-the-affordable-care-act-and/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody's safe. Health insurance? That didn't protect 1 million Americans who were financially ruined by illness or medical bills last year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/nobody-s-safe-health-insurance-that-didn-t-protect-1-million/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [It requires enormous energy for us to cut the African American uninsured rate by a third. A lot of scars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-requires-enormous-energy-for-us-to-cut-the-african-american/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [In the past year alone, about 10 million uninsured Americans finally gained the security of health coverage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/in-the-past-year-alone-about-10-million-uninsured-americans-finally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [In the past yearabout 10 million uninsured Americans finally gained the security of health coverage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/in-the-past-yearabout-10-million-uninsured-americans-finally-gained/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Bernie Sanders would say, "You still have millions of African Americans who aren't insured, and if we had a single-payer system, that wouldn't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/bernie-sanders-would-say-you-still-have-millions-of-african-americans/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I happen to be a proponent of a single-payer, universal health care plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-happen-to-be-a-proponent-of-a-single-payer-universal-health-care/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Insure the uninsured. 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You can go back to school or get extra training without fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-sebelius/if-you-re-under-26-you-can-stay-on-your-parents-plan-you-can-go-back/) [Kathleen Sebelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-sebelius/) > [The number of those 19 to 25 with private insurance increased from 51 to 55.8 percent, and the percentage of uninsured fell from 33.9…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-singletary/the-number-of-those-19-to-25-with-private-insurance-increased-from-51/) [Michelle Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-singletary/) > [If there is a risk in a bank, our first question should be 'Okay, what are you in the bank going to do about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeroen-dijsselbloem/if-there-is-a-risk-in-a-bank-our-first-question-should-be-okay-what/) [Jeroen Dijsselbloem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeroen-dijsselbloem/) > [I think that we have a number of different health care challenges in our country, and certainly addressing the uninsured is one, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-stabenow/i-think-that-we-have-a-number-of-different-health-care-challenges-in/) [Debbie Stabenow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-stabenow/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [You sort of can't talk about the post production unless you talk about what comes first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-greengrass/you-sort-of-can-t-talk-about-the-post-production-unless-you-talk/) [Paul Greengrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-greengrass/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. 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Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) [Browse all 32,432 Firsts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is my judgment that had I spent the first two years trying to get a single-payer system, all those folks who now have health insurance that didn't have it would still be uninsured. 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