--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I talk about democratic socialist, I…" description: "\"When I talk about democratic socialist, I am talking about Medicare, a single payer health care system for the elderly. And in my view, we should expan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/bernie-sanders-233_believe_when-i-talk-about-democratic-socialist-i_363429.jpg" --- # When I talk about democratic socialist, I am talking about… ![“When I talk about democratic socialist, I am talking about Medicare, a single payer health care system for the elderly. And in my view, we should expand that concept to all people. I believe that everybody in this country should be entitled to health care as a right.” quote by Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/bernie-sanders-233_believe_when-i-talk-about-democratic-socialist-i_363429.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/bernie-sanders-233_believe_when-i-talk-about-democratic-socialist-i_363429.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3d/bernie-sanders-233_believe_when-i-talk-about-democratic-socialist-i_363429.jpg) > “When I talk about democratic socialist, I am talking about Medicare, a single payer health care system for the elderly. And in my view, we should expand that concept to all people. I believe that everybody in this country should be entitled to health care as a right.” [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Universal health care is a fundamental right; the system should cover everyone, not just seniors, ensuring equitable access. **In simple terms:** Health care should be a right for all. Key Takeaway Advocate for single‑payer health care for everyone. Themes healthcare rights equality policy socialism Mood determined hopeful Type political inspirational When to use this quote - legislative debates - community health programs - insurance reform - public opinion Key Concepts universal coverage public financing social justice Questions to Reflect On - What would universal health care cost? - How can we address concerns about quality of care? A Different Perspective Political opposition and funding challenges exist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Health care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-care/) [Health care system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-care-system/) [Socialist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socialist/) ## Related quotes > [When I talk about democratic socialist, I'm not looking at Venezuela. I'm not looking at Cuba. I'm looking at countries like Denmark and Sweden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/when-i-talk-about-democratic-socialist-i-m-not-looking-at-venezuela-i/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [It used to be that I was known as 'the longest-serving independent in the history of the United States Congress,' which is true. Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/it-used-to-be-that-i-was-known-as-the-longest-serving-independent-in/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I think that one can live within the other, meaning that I am both a democratic socialist and I'm also a Democrat. One is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zohran-mamdani/i-think-that-one-can-live-within-the-other-meaning-that-i-am-both-a/) [Zohran Mamdani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zohran-mamdani/) > [As a democratic Socialist profoundly committed to the rule of law, I could not condone, let alone encourage, defiance of the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-crosland/as-a-democratic-socialist-profoundly-committed-to-the-rule-of-law-i/) [Anthony Crosland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-crosland/) > [I don't have a problem talking about Medicare or Medicaid or some other very important issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-chaffetz/i-don-t-have-a-problem-talking-about-medicare-or-medicaid-or-some/) [Jason Chaffetz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-chaffetz/) > [Bill Clinton is a moderate Democrat. I'm a democratic socialist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/bill-clinton-is-a-moderate-democrat-i-m-a-democratic-socialist/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [In comparison to the U.S. health care system, the German system is clearly better, because the German health care system works for everyone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lauterbach/in-comparison-to-the-u-s-health-care-system-the-german-system-is/) [Karl Lauterbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lauterbach/) > [The German health care system is unique in its attempt to combine competition among sickness funds on the one hand and a universal coverage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lauterbach/the-german-health-care-system-is-unique-in-its-attempt-to-combine/) [Karl Lauterbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lauterbach/) > [The United States remains the only major country on earth that doesn't guarantee health care to all of our people. And yet we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-united-states-remains-the-only-major-country-on-earth-that-doesn/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [If we were to build a health care system from scratch, single-payer would be the way to go. But we have a very complex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/if-we-were-to-build-a-health-care-system-from-scratch-single-payer/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [Illinois needs a single-payer health care system, and as governor, I will take the steps to get us there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-pritzker/illinois-needs-a-single-payer-health-care-system-and-as-governor-i/) [J. B. Pritzker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-pritzker/) > [Progressive activists are angry that a Medicare-for-all single-payer approach was totally ignored during the health care debate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/progressive-activists-are-angry-that-a-medicare-for-all-single-payer/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [If the goal of health-care reform is to provide comprehensive, universal health care in a cost-effective way, the only honest approach is a single-payer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/if-the-goal-of-health-care-reform-is-to-provide-comprehensive/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I happen to believe that we should move to a Medicare-for-all single-payer system, similar to what other countries around the world have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-happen-to-believe-that-we-should-move-to-a-medicare-for-all-single/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I am sure that there are some single payer advocates who think the only thing worth fighting for is single payer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-am-sure-that-there-are-some-single-payer-advocates-who-think-the/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) ## More by Bernie Sanders > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [As the longest serving Independent in the history of the United States Congress, as somebody who came into office by defeating an incumbent Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-the-longest-serving-independent-in-the-history-of-the-united/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [What Wall Street and credit card companies are doing is really not much different from what gangsters and loan sharks do who make predatory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/what-wall-street-and-credit-card-companies-are-doing-is-really-not/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [What we have got to do immediately is to say that racism and xenophobia is totally unacceptable and we will stand with the 1…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/what-we-have-got-to-do-immediately-is-to-say-that-racism-and/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [In 1999, Hoffmann-LaRoche paid a $500 million criminal fine for leading a worldwide conspiracy to fix prices for certain vitamins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/in-1999-hoffmann-laroche-paid-a-500-million-criminal-fine-for-leading/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [We need a strategy. And the goal is to bring millions of people together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/we-need-a-strategy-and-the-goal-is-to-bring-millions-of-people/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [We are living at a time where a handful of people have wealth beyond comprehension - huge yachts, jet planes, tens of billions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/we-are-living-at-a-time-where-a-handful-of-people-have-wealth-beyond/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The deficit crisis is real and must be addressed. But it cannot be solved on the backs of the weak and vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-deficit-crisis-is-real-and-must-be-addressed-but-it-cannot-be/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I want to break up the Wall Street banks. Hillary Clinton doesn't. I want to raise the minimum wage to 15 bucks an hour.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-want-to-break-up-the-wall-street-banks-hillary-clinton-doesn-t-i/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The Palestinian people's needs must be respected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-palestinian-people-s-needs-must-be-respected/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Hillary Clinton wants to see that all Americans have the right to choose a public option in their health care exchange.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/hillary-clinton-wants-to-see-that-all-americans-have-the-right-to/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [If you want to know if your food contains gluten, aspartame, high fructose corn syrup, trans-fats or MSG, you simply read the ingredients listed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/if-you-want-to-know-if-your-food-contains-gluten-aspartame-high/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [It reminds me in some ways of the debate taking place in this country and around the world in the late 1930s. There were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/it-reminds-me-in-some-ways-of-the-debate-taking-place-in-this-country/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I am sure that there are some single payer advocates who think the only thing worth fighting for is single payer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-am-sure-that-there-are-some-single-payer-advocates-who-think-the/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [The case to be made is that we have got to get people involved - continue to get people involved in the political process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-case-to-be-made-is-that-we-have-got-to-get-people-involved/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) [Explore all 853 Bernie Sanders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I talk about democratic socialist, I am talking about Medicare, a single payer health care system for the elderly. And in my view, we should expand that concept to all people. 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