"Americans" into one cohesive group.
Nowadays, the screams would just be ignored. Although, nowadays, no president would propose such a progressive thing in the first place.

Some details would be useful.

I do recall he had some language about the high costs of catastrophic care insurance, but I have never heard anything like that which you are speaking of, something which got repealed by Congress. Democrats controlled the House during Reagan's entire terms.

they don't want their "hard-earned money" to pay for black and brown people to get medical attention.

an extensive explanation:

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/09/us/retreat-congress-catastrophic-care-debacle-special-report-new-medicare-law-fell.html

We are to strive for the American dream; have better things, do better in school, make more money, the best car, the best house....

Most people, if they think they're being cheated in some way, or someone else may get something for nothing, they'll scream. The ruling class uses this programmed competition to manipulate us.

And although I know 'St. Ronnie' wouldn't stand a chance of getting elected in today's even more radical right, I'm having a hard time imagining him even trying to. That would certainly be a welcome addition to the ACA.

At any rate, the country has been cursed with an 'every man for himself' attitude pretty much since it came into existence. Part of that was a feeling of alienation from the countries the founders left, and part from the sense that as each new 'settler' ventured farther into what they viewed as a hostile land, full of wild animals and 'savages' (ie, people who looked different.) they were 'boldly forging a new country'. So an American mythology grew up that celebrated 'risk takers' and people who 'went their own way'. In reality, many wound up dead, but those who got lucky enough to survive were viewed in a heroic light. Another common theme was the 'rags to riches' path, in which someone was born into poverty, but somehow, through "hard work" wound up rich.

These sorts of stories helped indoctrinate many Americans into believing it is somehow shameful to ask for help or to be given help, and that you should ignore all of the benefits of social cooperation, and instead 'go it alone'. Indeed, in modern society, there really isn't much you can do that doesn't rely on public infrastructure, but because of the myth of Americanism, those who strongly believe in 'going it alone' conveniently ignore the fact that whatever they are doing, they're able to do because of public streets, public fire protection, public police, teachers, librarians, clean water, etc, etc, etc. That modern living, in fact, depends upon a remarkable degree of cooperation, and when we eschew that for 'privatization', the quality of life becomes entirely dependent upon the amount of wealth you have.

Here are some facts. and there is NO rational answer to your question.

Reagan Backs Catastrophic Health Plan for the Elderly : Would Put $2,000 Lid on Expenses.

http://articles.latimes.com/1987-02-12/news/mn-2917_1_medicare-beneficiaries

protecting people.

The majority of those who hold power and control over the U.S. are against protecting people.

People in the United States have no representation.

All branches of the U.S. government represent the needs and wants of the corporations.

People don't matter when it comes to decisions in congress.

Reagan, and those who came after him, have played class resentment like a fiddle, ensuring that the resentments of teh middle class were always directed downward. So Bubba Smith isn't pissed at the Wall Street fatcat who stole his pension, he's pissed at the poor slob getting a couple of hundred dollars a month to keep body and soul together. The Tory party in my country (UK) are currently doing the same thing, encouraging a view of those on benefits (which includes me) as "scroungers".

The US has also always had a culture of "rugged individualism" which means, very often, that not only are you responsible for making it, you're on your own if you don't.

And quite a lo of the rich, who bankroll the right, are still of a kin with Scrooge: "Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?". They would rather the poor starve to death in the gutter than pay a single penny to save them.

-Laelth

I will check the links later. I was young and military and overseas
so much of this I didn't understand. a limit on expenses is outstanding
and coming from RR .. wow ... just wow ...