Joe Rogan has never shied away from talking about where he stands politically, even when it cuts against what people assume. On a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” he made it apparent that he holds some deeply progressive values, especially when it comes to healthcare and the social safety net.
“Some People Don't Have Boots”
While talking to Chris Williamson, host of the “Modern Wisdom” podcast, Rogan explained why he rejects the popular idea that anyone can just pull themselves up by their bootstraps.
“This idea of ‘pull them up by their bootstraps’ is horseshit,” Rogan said. “Some people don’t have boots. They don’t have straps. They don’t have nothing. They’re f***** from the moment they were born, and they were born into a bad family environment in a bad neighborhood.”
Don't Miss:
- ‘Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. You can invest today for just $0.26/share with a $1000 minimum.
- The $1.3 billion startup investment boom: How this company's explosive growth is opening doors for everyday investors with a new $500 minimum
He pointed to his own upbringing as an example. “I was on welfare when I was a kid. My family was on food stamps. We were f****** poor as s***. And I remember that helping us a lot. We had food. I don’t know what we would’ve been doing if we didn’t. We were in a bad place.”
Rogan stressed that having safety nets helped his family climb out of poverty. His stepfather and mother eventually did well for themselves, but they needed support to get there. “Social safety nets are very important for people. It’s very important for society,” he said. “If you care about people, you care about the whole society.”
Healthcare Shouldn’t Bankrupt You
Rogan also made a passionate case for healthcare reform. He supports publicly funded healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
“I think healthcare 100% should be socially funded,” he said. “Society should chip in money for what people would think of as socialist positions.”
He compared it to the fire department: “You give your tax dollars… and the fire department fairly puts out fires for everybody. They don’t not put out your fire because you don’t have any money.”
Still, Rogan said he wants a healthcare system with room for excellence and competition. “I want my doctor to be a bad motherf***er who drives a Mercedes,” he joked, explaining that reward and competition drive quality. But that shouldn’t come at the cost of access.
See Also: Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — invest pre-IPO from $0.55 per share now.
A Messy Road Ahead
In a previous podcast, Rogan agreed with his guest Josh Waitzkin, a retired chess champion, that AI could result in massive job losses, and society isn't ready for the fallout. They said it will take more than just new jobs—people will need emotional and psychological support as well.
Rogan said it plainly: “There’s nothing wrong with wanting a good job, being able to take care of your family, and having a place where you enjoy working.”
Read Next:
- This platform is reshaping how you invest in private companies — and you can be a part of it for $0.18 per share
- Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets – with $1,000 you can invest at just $0.26/share!
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
