--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I became president with a commitment…" description: "\"When I became president with a commitment to reform health care, Hillary was a natural to head the health care task force. You all know we failed becau..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/william-j-clinton-302_commitment_when-i-became-president-with-a-commitmen_837913.jpg" --- # When I became president with a commitment to reform health… ![“When I became president with a commitment to reform health care, Hillary was a natural to head the health care task force. You all know we failed because we couldn't break a Senate filibuster. Hillary immediately went to work on solving the problems the bill sought to address one by one.” quote by William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/william-j-clinton-302_commitment_when-i-became-president-with-a-commitmen_837913.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/william-j-clinton-302_commitment_when-i-became-president-with-a-commitmen_837913.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d6/william-j-clinton-302_commitment_when-i-became-president-with-a-commitmen_837913.jpg) > “When I became president with a commitment to reform health care, Hillary was a natural to head the health care task force. You all know we failed because we couldn't break a Senate filibuster. Hillary immediately went to work on solving the problems the bill sought to address one by one.” [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on a missed opportunity to reform health care due to Senate obstruction, crediting a colleague’s dedication to tackling the issues piece by piece. **In simple terms:** Senate filibuster blocked health reform; a colleague kept working on solutions. Key Takeaway Persist with incremental solutions when big reforms stall. Themes politics policy health care legislative process Mood determined reflective Type political strategic When to use this quote - policy advocacy - legislative lobbying - grassroots health initiatives Key Concepts Governance strategic problem solving collaboration Questions to Reflect On - What small steps can advance health care today? - How can bipartisan effort overcome filibusters? A Different Perspective Political realities can impede ideal reforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care Hillary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care-hillary-617068/) [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Filibuster Hillary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filibuster-hillary-617067/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Health care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-care/) [Hillary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hillary/) [President Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-commitment-617069/) [Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems/) [Reform Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform-health-247039/) [Task](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/task/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I don't care much for Hillary Clinton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/i-don-t-care-much-for-hillary-clinton/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [“So what would make American health care better now? Since its failings lie more within the system than with the president’s attempt to reform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-what-would-make-american-health-care-better-now-since-its-failings/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The only way to truly reform health care is to reform the nature of competition itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-e-porter/the-only-way-to-truly-reform-health-care-is-to-reform-the-nature-of/) [Michael E. Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-e-porter/) > [In case we forgot, that was the change we believe in, that was the change we fought for, that was the change President Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/in-case-we-forgot-that-was-the-change-we-believe-in-that-was-the/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [If the states and territories do not sign up to fundamental reform, then my message is equally simple: we will take this reform plan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-rudd/if-the-states-and-territories-do-not-sign-up-to-fundamental-reform/) [Kevin Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-rudd/) > [“In a speech to the American Medical Association, President Obama reiterated a promise that he has made repeatedly since the 2008 presidential campaign: No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-f-cannon/in-a-speech-to-the-american-medical-association-president-obama/) [Michael F. Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-f-cannon/) > [I think we can see how blessed we are in America to have access to the kind of health care we do if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-think-we-can-see-how-blessed-we-are-in-america-to-have-access-to/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [In every industrialized nation, the movement to reform health care has begun with stories about cruelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/in-every-industrialized-nation-the-movement-to-reform-health-care-has/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [It is critical that we pass legislation to dramatically reform our health insurance system, and this reform should include a genuine public option, universal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerrold-nadler/it-is-critical-that-we-pass-legislation-to-dramatically-reform-our/) [Jerrold Nadler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerrold-nadler/) > [We need to reform the health code so that people are incentivized to buy their own health insurance rather than have to get it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/we-need-to-reform-the-health-code-so-that-people-are-incentivized-to/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [For Republicans, tort reform and its health care analogue, malpractice reform, speak to the goal of stronger economic growth and lower costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bradley/for-republicans-tort-reform-and-its-health-care-analogue-malpractice/) [Bill Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bradley/) > [I'm not optimistic about reform in many, if any, policy areas at all. I think we'll make further progress by inventing new things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/i-m-not-optimistic-about-reform-in-many-if-any-policy-areas-at-all-i/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [“A Harris/Harvard School of Public Health poll of 1989 showed that most Americans (61 percent) favored a Canadian-type health system, in which the government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/a-harris-harvard-school-of-public-health-poll-of-1989-showed-that/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [And that means that no matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise to the American people: If you like your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/and-that-means-that-no-matter-how-we-reform-health-care-we-will-keep/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More by William J. Clinton > [When personal freedom's being abused, you have to move to limit it. That's what we did in the announcement I made last weekend on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-personal-freedom-s-being-abused-you-have-to-move-to-limit-it/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Almost makes you want to go to jail out here, doesn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/almost-makes-you-want-to-go-to-jail-out-here-doesn-t-it/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [I take full responsability...for what we did. It was the right thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/i-take-full-responsability-for-what-we-did-it-was-the-right-thing-to/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Even as people take pride in their national independence, we know we are becoming more and more interdependent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/even-as-people-take-pride-in-their-national-independence-we-know-we/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [To build a twenty-first-century economy, America must revive a nineteenth-century habit--investing in the common, national economic resources that enable every person and every firm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/to-build-a-twenty-first-century-economy-america-must-revive-a/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [One of the things that I think we have learned is that we should all be very careful about making predictions about the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/one-of-the-things-that-i-think-we-have-learned-is-that-we-should-all/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Only astrophysicists new about the Internet 20 years ago. Today my cat has a website.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/only-astrophysicists-new-about-the-internet-20-years-ago-today-my-cat/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Our military superiority is so great - it's far greater than it was in the Gulf War, and the Gulf War was over in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/our-military-superiority-is-so-great-it-s-far-greater-than-it-was-in/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [You know, I've always been really interested in this stuff, and I'm going to read this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/you-know-i-ve-always-been-really-interested-in-this-stuff-and-i-m/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [If you believe in making change from the bottom up, if you believe the measure of change is how many people's lives are better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/if-you-believe-in-making-change-from-the-bottom-up-if-you-believe-the/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [ We \[Democrats\] have got to be strong. When we look weak in a time where people feel insecure, we lose. when people feel uncertain,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-democrats-have-got-to-be-strong-when-we-look-weak-in-a-time-where/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [It's the economy, stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/it-s-the-economy-stupid/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The Republicans could mess up a two car parade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-republicans-could-mess-up-a-two-car-parade/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [We're all in this together is a far better philosophy than you're on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-re-all-in-this-together-is-a-far-better-philosophy-than-you-re-on/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) [Explore all 712 William J. Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) ## More Commitment quotes > [Deepen your existing spiritual commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-buettner/deepen-your-existing-spiritual-commitment/) [Dan Buettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-buettner/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [“You make me believe in happiness... if I had my way, if anything were up to me, I’d never be without you. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-kirchoff/you-make-me-believe-in-happiness-if-i-had-my-way-if-anything-were-up/) [Courtney Kirchoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-kirchoff/) > [Golf is such a big commitment, and so is acting. Sometimes you have to give up something to do something else, although, when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-newton/golf-is-such-a-big-commitment-and-so-is-acting-sometimes-you-have-to/) [Kathryn Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-newton/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [When you make a commitment to a relationship, you invest your attention and energy in it more profoundly because you now experience ownership of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-de-angelis/when-you-make-a-commitment-to-a-relationship-you-invest-your/) [Barbara De Angelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-de-angelis/) > [ “For \[erotically intelligent couples\], love is a vessel that contains both security and adventure, and commitment offers one of the great luxuries of life:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-erotically-intelligent-couples-love-is-a-vessel-that-contains/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [Having a point to start is important. You know that when you decide to write something it's like a commitment. It's like falling in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/having-a-point-to-start-is-important-you-know-that-when-you-decide-to/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [A commitment to lifelong learning is a natural expression of the practice of living consciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/a-commitment-to-lifelong-learning-is-a-natural-expression-of-the/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [A lasting relationship consists of the 3 C's: Commitment. Communication. Compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/a-lasting-relationship-consists-of-the-3-c-s-commitment-communication/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I've developed a huge regard for Toyota for its environmental awareness, for its immense commitment to research and development in this field, and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-developed-a-huge-regard-for-toyota-for-its-environmental/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Browse all 4,004 Commitment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I became president with a commitment to reform health care, Hillary was a natural to head the health care task force. 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