Operation Coffeecup

In 1961, while a private citizen and a registered democrat, Ronald Reagan recorded a message titled, Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine. The record was produced and distributed by the Women's Auxiliary of the American Medical Association as part of a campaign named "Operation Coffeecup." The record came with an informational packet encouraging members to listen to the record with their friends, and then write letters to their congressmen urging them to oppose the current socialized healthcare bill.

Michael Moore mocked Operation Coffeecup in his 2007 film SiCKO, selecting potentially conspiratorial-sounding excerpts and conveniently omitting that many democrats promoted the campaign.

This past week, the complete recording has been going viral on YouTube, promoted in e-mails by CURE and the American Family Association, among others.

TexasBestGrok has the story on the record plus the complete recording in MP3 format, including Reagan's introduction omitted on YouTube. Kudos to The Lonely Conservative for transcribing the complete text.

Reagan's message here as clear and insightful as his presidential speeches, and it is almost haunting how much of it could have just as well been written this year. In his history of socialized medicine campaigns, he cites the Truman plan referenced by President Obama during his campaign. And he addresses the argument I've heard most often this past week:

Now the advocates of this bill, when you try to oppose it, challenge you on an emotional basis. They say “What would you do, throw these poor old people out to die with no medical attention?” That’s ridiculous and of course no one’s has advocated it.

Then, as now, proponents of the bill would not entertain alternative proposals, as Reagan points out:

As a matter of fact, in the last session of Congress a bill was adopted known as the Kerr-Mills Bill. Now without even allowing this bill to be tried, to see if it works, they have introduced this [socialized health care bill]

What is the Kerr-Mills Bill? It is a frank recognition of the medical need or problem of the senior citizens that I have mentioned. And it is provided from the federal government money to the states and the local communities that can be used at the discretion of the state to help those people who need it.

Reagan advocated local administration and local distribution of government health care funds for those who need it, rather than a sweeping socialized health care system for all. Above all, he warned that socialized medicine would be a foot in the door to more advanced forms of socialism, adding that, "Governments don’t tax to get the money the need; governments will always find a need for the money they get."

I think this is as good a time as any to revive Operation Coffeecup. Download the complete recording (intro, part A, and part B), or listen on YouTube, and follow along with The Lonely Conservative's complete text.