--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: America is the only advanced industrial…" description: "\"America is the only advanced industrial democracy where people can get sick and languish because they can't afford care. Or where people are blocked in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/758/glenn-loury-40213_blocked_america-is-the-only-advanced-industrial_2543294.jpg" --- # America is the only advanced industrial democracy where… ![“America is the only advanced industrial democracy where people can get sick and languish because they can't afford care. Or where people are blocked in access to the system because they don't have access to insurance, which is only available through certain narrow portals and under certain very…” quote by Glenn Loury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/758/glenn-loury-40213_blocked_america-is-the-only-advanced-industrial_2543294.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/758/glenn-loury-40213_blocked_america-is-the-only-advanced-industrial_2543294.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/758/glenn-loury-40213_blocked_america-is-the-only-advanced-industrial_2543294.jpg) > “America is the only advanced industrial democracy where people can get sick and languish because they can't afford care. Or where people are blocked in access to the system because they don't have access to insurance, which is only available through certain narrow portals and under certain very restricted conditions. We're the only society that hasn't embraced this idea that no one should go without access to these services, regardless of their financial condition. And no one should be saddled with a lifetime of debt because they have the misfortune of falling ill.” [Glenn Loury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The U.S. uniquely fails to provide universal health care, leading to suffering and debt for many. **In simple terms:** America lacks universal health care, causing hardship. Key Takeaway Advocate for universal health coverage. Themes healthcare inequality policy economics Mood concerned urgent Type political ethical When to use this quote - policy debates - community health initiatives - legislative reform Key Concepts social safety net public health financial burden Questions to Reflect On - How can universal care be funded? - What reforms could reduce barriers? A Different Perspective Implementation faces political and financial obstacles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Access Insurance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access-insurance-392411/) [Afford Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afford-care-1453520/) [Blocked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blocked/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Conditions Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conditions-society-1453521/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Financial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/financial/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Misfortunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortunes/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-sick-625768/) [Portal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portal/) [Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick/) [Society Hasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-hasn-1453522/) ## Related quotes > [People have a tendency to become elite rather than to care about the general conditions of the society, which makes me sick. It's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/people-have-a-tendency-to-become-elite-rather-than-to-care-about-the/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [The time after college and before music was really rough. I couldn't afford food. I was eating bread and butter for five months. Living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-booker/the-time-after-college-and-before-music-was-really-rough-i-couldn-t/) [Benjamin Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-booker/) > [If you can't afford to take care of your # veterans , then don't go to war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/if-you-can-t-afford-to-take-care-of-your-veterans-then-don-t-go-to-war/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Science is given almost no visibility in the media. If a Martian came down to Earth and watched television, he'd come to the conclusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/science-is-given-almost-no-visibility-in-the-media-if-a-martian-came/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [I think basically becoming famous has taken the place of going to Heaven in modern society, hasn't it? That's the place where your dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarvis-cocker/i-think-basically-becoming-famous-has-taken-the-place-of-going-to/) [Jarvis Cocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarvis-cocker/) > [If a Martian came down to Earth and watched television, he'd come to conclusion that all the world's society is based on Britney Spears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/if-a-martian-came-down-to-earth-and-watched-television-he-d-come-to/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [Americans need access to affordable, reliable health insurance. They want President Trump to take responsibility and work to ensure their continued access to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-schakowsky/americans-need-access-to-affordable-reliable-health-insurance-they/) [Jan Schakowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-schakowsky/) > [We have a plan that creates universal access programs at the state level which allows folks to access insurance if they're denied by their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantor/we-have-a-plan-that-creates-universal-access-programs-at-the-state/) [Eric Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantor/) > [I think if we're going to have a requirement that everyone have equal access to insurance, you really have to have a way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-williams/i-think-if-we-re-going-to-have-a-requirement-that-everyone-have-equal/) [Ron Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-williams/) > [In the field of health care, we are giving people access to insurance who have not had it before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-gregoire/in-the-field-of-health-care-we-are-giving-people-access-to-insurance/) [Christine Gregoire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-gregoire/) > [According to a lot of people I am in everything and they're sick of the sight of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bonnar/according-to-a-lot-of-people-i-am-in-everything-and-they-re-sick-of/) [Mark Bonnar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bonnar/) > [There's nothing worse than walking into a hospital and seeing people sick and miserable and having a horrible treatment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-wojcicki/there-s-nothing-worse-than-walking-into-a-hospital-and-seeing-people/) [Anne Wojcicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-wojcicki/) > [“When things don't happen, people get Sick. They see time Tick and they want it Quick. They forget that Success happens brick by brick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/when-things-don-t-happen-people-get-sick-they-see-time-tick-and-they/) [RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rvm/) > [“People get sick from ''not wanting to see''.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-stekel/people-get-sick-from-not-wanting-to-see/) [Wilhelm Stekel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-stekel/) > [I think people are sick and tired of bailouts, domestically and internationally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-lance/i-think-people-are-sick-and-tired-of-bailouts-domestically-and/) [Leonard Lance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-lance/) ## More by Glenn Loury > [My mouth is no prayer book, but my view is, I'd view addiction to these substances as a medical problem and I would treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/my-mouth-is-no-prayer-book-but-my-view-is-i-d-view-addiction-to-these/) [Glenn Loury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/) > [The fact that we don't' talk about it, that we don't have a politics in which this question of war and peace can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/the-fact-that-we-don-t-talk-about-it-that-we-don-t-have-a-politics-in/) [Glenn Loury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/) > [I'm left. Okay. And sometimes radically, and sometimes I even shock myself with the degree of radicalness in my own - that I'm allowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/i-m-left-okay-and-sometimes-radically-and-sometimes-i-even-shock/) [Glenn Loury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/) > [You can put a person in jail for 5 years, for 10 years, or 20 years, for the same crime. We're deciding on 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/you-can-put-a-person-in-jail-for-5-years-for-10-years-or-20-years-for/) [Glenn Loury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/) > [My sermon for us Americans would be to construct the kind of institutions of mutuality and social cooperation that don't leave 15 or 20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/my-sermon-for-us-americans-would-be-to-construct-the-kind-of/) [Glenn Loury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/) > [The land of the free - we've got an army marching around the world under the banner of freedom, and yet, we are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/the-land-of-the-free-we-ve-got-an-army-marching-around-the-world/) [Glenn Loury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/) > [If you have a system that says everybody who needs healthcare gets it and we're going to make sure that it gets paid for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/if-you-have-a-system-that-says-everybody-who-needs-healthcare-gets-it/) [Glenn Loury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/) > [Racial problems can't be easily reconciled with a pat account about racism and discrimination that lets us sort of relax into saying when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/racial-problems-can-t-be-easily-reconciled-with-a-pat-account-about/) [Glenn Loury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/) > [We can see in retrospect that criminalizing the consumption of alcohol proves not to be the solution to the very real problem of drunkenness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/we-can-see-in-retrospect-that-criminalizing-the-consumption-of/) [Glenn Loury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/) > [Three strikes' laws make no sense as policy. They are more about the politicians responding to the people's desire to see their fury at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/three-strikes-laws-make-no-sense-as-policy-they-are-more-about-the/) [Glenn Loury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/) [Explore all 11 Glenn Loury quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/) ## More Blocked quotes > [ \[Sport officials\] blocked their support of us. But those individuals \[ Muhammad Ali, the Jim Browns, the Bill Russells, Kareem Abdul Jabbar \] were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/sport-officials-blocked-their-support-of-us-but-those-individuals/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [“You cannot block someone from your life who doesn't want to be blocked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamar-cohen/you-cannot-block-someone-from-your-life-who-doesn-t-want-to-be-blocked/) [Tamar Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamar-cohen/) > [Another mistake a director can make is not to be prepared, so you get there on the day to shoot the scene, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/another-mistake-a-director-can-make-is-not-to-be-prepared-so-you-get/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Your my Boo thang(;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/your-my-boo-thang/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [“I recommend reading #FourBloodMoons by @PastorJohnHagee // @worthypub” // #BloodMoons”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/i-recommend-reading-fourbloodmoons-by-pastorjohnhagee-worthypub/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [If you want to be a writer, write. Write and write and write. If you stop, start again. Save everything that you write. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/if-you-want-to-be-a-writer-write-write-and-write-and-write-if-you/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [Hillary Clinton has pledged to keep both of these illegal amnesty programs, including the 2014 amnesty which has been blocked by the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/hillary-clinton-has-pledged-to-keep-both-of-these-illegal-amnesty/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [There were probably about five games in my career where everything was moving in slow motion and you could be out there all day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/there-were-probably-about-five-games-in-my-career-where-everything/) [Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/) > [Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it. It is a corrective to the sluggishness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/protest-beyond-the-law-is-not-a-departure-from-democracy-it-is/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [At the drabber moments of my life (swilling some excrement from the steps, for instance, or rooting with a bent coat-hanger down a blocked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/at-the-drabber-moments-of-my-life-swilling-some-excrement-from-the/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [I remember secretly going off and crying. All of a sudden I'm being blocked and have to be intimate in a scene, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-rigby/i-remember-secretly-going-off-and-crying-all-of-a-sudden-i-m-being/) [Cathy Rigby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-rigby/) > [How it seemed like you could see everything, but certain things were blocked out, hidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/how-it-seemed-like-you-could-see-everything-but-certain-things-were/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I've always thought it was important not to attach too much superstition to the space where you're writing, because once you get into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadie-jones/i-ve-always-thought-it-was-important-not-to-attach-too-much/) [Sadie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadie-jones/) > [“Sometimes feeling blocked is simply a sign that we need to wait and let the natural course of events to unfold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-e-smith/sometimes-feeling-blocked-is-simply-a-sign-that-we-need-to-wait-and/) [Laurie E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-e-smith/) > [Luckily my fans are so lovely and I haven't really had to - what's the phrase? - "Clap back at the trolls?" Every now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-brooks/luckily-my-fans-are-so-lovely-and-i-haven-t-really-had-to-what-s-the/) [Danielle Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-brooks/) [Browse all 372 Blocked quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blocked/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "America is the only advanced industrial democracy where people can get sick and languish because they can't afford care. Or where people are blocked in access to the system because they don't have access to insurance, which is only available through certain narrow portals and under certain very restricted conditions. We're the only society that hasn't embraced this idea that no one should go without access to these services, regardless of their financial condition. And no one should be saddled with a lifetime of debt because they have the misfortune of falling ill.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Glenn Loury" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/america-is-the-only-advanced-industrial-democracy-where-people-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blocked" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/america-is-the-only-advanced-industrial-democracy-where-people-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/758/glenn-loury-40213_blocked_america-is-the-only-advanced-industrial_2543294.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/758/glenn-loury-40213_blocked_america-is-the-only-advanced-industrial_2543294.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/758/glenn-loury-40213_blocked_america-is-the-only-advanced-industrial_2543294.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“America is the only advanced industrial democracy where people can get sick and languish because they can't…” — Glenn Loury", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Glenn Loury", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-loury/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "America is the only advanced industrial...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/america-is-the-only-advanced-industrial-democracy-where-people-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-loury/america-is-the-only-advanced-industrial-democracy-where-people-can/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```