[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000-2001, Book III)]
[November 4, 2000]
[Pages 2456-2457]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's Radio Address
November 4, 2000

    Good morning. In just 3 days now, the American people will perform 
the most profound act of our democracy. They'll step into the voting 
booths all across America and, with the power guaranteed them by the 
Constitution, decide the future direction of our great Nation. It's an 
awesome responsibility, especially at this remarkable moment in history, 
when our ability to build the future of our dreams for our children has 
never been greater.
    Look at what we've already accomplished together. Eight years ago, 
interest rates were high, and 10 million of our people were out of work. 
Deficits and debt were skyrocketing; so were the welfare rolls, crime, 
teen pregnancy, and income inequality.
    But the American people made a choice to follow a new path, guided 
by old values of opportunity for all, responsibility from all, in a 
community of all Americans. And today, we're a Nation transformed, with 
the longest economic expansion in our history, more than 22 million new 
jobs, the lowest unemployment in 30 years, wages rising at all income 
levels, the highest homeownership in history. Just yesterday we learned 
that unemployment remains at 3.9 percent, and Hispanic unemployment has 
dropped to 5 percent, the lowest level on record. African-American 
unemployment has also been cut in half over the last 8 years to its 
lowest level ever recorded.

[[Page 2457]]

    This turnaround is about more than economics. We've also got the 
lowest welfare rolls in 32 years, the lowest crime rates in 26 years. 
Teen pregnancy and drug abuse are down. Student test scores are up. 
There are fewer people without health insurance, for the first time in a 
dozen years.
    Now, how do we keep this remarkable progress going? That's the 
question America must decide on Tuesday, because the best is still out 
there waiting for us.
    Let me give you just one example. We all know that medical decisions 
should be made by doctors and nurses, not accountants, and that health 
plans too often do deny vital care and do delay appeals for months on 
end. There is now a bipartisan majority in Congress ready to pass a 
real, enforceable Patients' Bill of Rights to deal with problems like 
these. But the Republican leaders in Congress, under pressure from the 
HMO lobby, won't bring it up for a vote. That's not how democracy should 
work.
    As President, there are steps I can take to move us forward, and 
today I am taking an important one. I'm directing the Labor Department 
to issue final rules within 2 weeks requiring private health plans 
covering 130 million Americans to provide a fair and unbiased process 
for patients to appeal when coverage has been denied or delayed.
    Under this new rule, for the very first time, health plans would be 
required to make coverage decisions quickly and to provide consumers 
with reliable information on their rights and benefits. This new rule is 
an important step toward providing Americans the health care protections 
they need and deserve. But the only way to give every American in every 
health plan the right to see a specialist, to go to the nearest 
emergency room--not the cheapest--and to hold a health care plan 
accountable when it causes harm, the only way to do those things is to 
pass a real, enforceable Patients' Bill of Rights. The American people 
can make sure that will happen by voting on Tuesday.
    Now, you know my choice. But what's important is your choice. A lot 
is at stake. Your vote will decide whether we're going to use the budget 
surplus to make America debt-free and keep interest rates low and the 
economy growing, or go back to an age of deficits. Your vote will decide 
whether we strengthen Social Security and Medicare and add affordable 
prescription drug benefits to Medicare.
    Your vote will decide whether we invest in education and new 
classrooms and smaller class sizes, in improving teacher quality and 
turning around failing schools. Your vote will decide whether we bring 
prosperity to people and places left behind in our recovery. Your vote 
will decide whether we stand up to hate crimes and racial profiling, 
provide equal pay for equal work, and protect a woman's right to choose.
    Franklin Roosevelt once said, the ultimate rulers of our democracy 
are not a President or Senators or Congressmen or Government officials 
but the voters of this country. From Lexington and Concord to the 
beaches of Normandy to the streets of Selma, brave Americans fought and 
died for the rights we enjoy today. Now, with 8 years of great progress 
behind us, we know we have the power to build the future of our dreams 
for our children.
    Let's start on Tuesday by going to the polls and exercising our 
fundamental American freedom.
    Thanks for listening.

 Note:  The address was recorded at 12:35 p.m. on November 3 in the 
Green Room at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, CA, for 
broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on November 4. The transcript was made available 
by the Office of the Press Secretary on November 3 but was embargoed for 
release until the broadcast.