Topic: One Flew Over The Cuckoo S Nest

The modern homelessness crisis is traced back to the 1970s "de-institutionalization" movement, which closed state mental hospitals in favor of civil rights for the mentally ill. While Ronald Reagan is often blamed for these closures as Governor of California, the policy was a "buy-one-get-one-free" for politicians who could appear as social justice heroes while saving hundreds of millions in state funding.

The decline of inpatient psychiatric beds in the U.S. is traced back to a 1950s liberal movement to close mental hospitals, which was later accelerated by Ronald Reagan. This de-institutionalization has left few resources for the mentally ill, a situation now being used as political leverage in debates over public safety.

Bette Midler and other public figures have blamed Ronald Reagan for the current mental health crisis, citing the closure of state hospitals. However, the hosts point out that the deinstitutionalization movement began in the 1960s as a liberal initiative, fueled by cultural touchstones like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Reagan, as Governor of California, simply followed the prevailing legislative trend of the time.