Kucinich Delivers State of the Nation Address
The following is a press release from January 20, 2004, by the Kucinich campaign
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Kucinich Delivers State of the Nation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2004
Today in Bedford, NH, Democratic Presidential Candidate Dennis Kucinich delivered a State of the Nation address. The full audio file is being uploaded to www.kucinich.us and written excerpts will also be available there or in a Word document available immediately on request.
Kucinich said our nation was "in a perilous condition due to fear, war, tax cuts to wealthy Americans, and trade policies leading to widespread unemployment in manufacturing and high tech industries." The rising cost of health care, he said "threatens the financial stability of all Americans. The retirement security of tens of millions of Americans is in doubt. Social Security is under attack with another privatization scheme."
Kucinich called for the creation of "a job creation program patterned after the WPA of the Administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt." (more details: http://www.kucinich.us/issues/jobs.php )
Kucinich spoke at length about the crisis in health care in this country, and said, " It is time for a universal, single payer, not-for-profit system, extended Medicare for All. Such an approach is contemplated in HR 676, a bill I have cosponsored in the House of Representatives, which will phase in a full coverage plan over a ten year period. This approach to health care emphasizes patient choice and puts doctors and patients in control of the system, not insurance companies."
The Ohio Congressman, who co-chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, also focused on housing, calling for the preservation of public housing and housing assistance programs and the investigation of and elimination of predatory lending.
Kucinich ended his address on the topic of Social Security, which he said "is essentially sound. The Social Security Trust Fund, according to an analysis by the fund's trustees, is solvent through the year 2042, without any congressional action being necessary."
"Social Security is solid," Kucinich told his supporters in New Hampshire. "But the same is not true for the private pension plans of tens of millions of Americans…Corporate executives and board members ought to be accountable under both civil and criminal law for under-funding pensions."
For more information: http://www.kucinich.us
For Congressman Kucinich's Schedule: http://www.kucinich.us/schedule.htm.
Campaign Press Secretary: David Swanson 301-772-0210, cell 202-329-7847, fax 301-772-7293, swanson@kucinich.us
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