This could well be one of the happiest days I have ever spent in organized medicine. That seven of the nation's largest medical societies could coalesce around clear principles for universal health coverage highlights, for me, the crucial role physicians play in public life through our professional societies. I want to take pay a special tribute to my colleague, Dr. Nancy Dickey, president of the American Medical Association, who has played an indispensable role in this process. We organized this event today because we are at an important crossroads in our nation's history. Our country is heading into a presidential election at the same time our economy is performing in a fashion that seems almost miraculous.
Jobs are plentiful, the economy is booming, and inflation is almost nonexistent.
Unfortunately, these happy blessings have collided with the deplorable fact that more than 43 million Americans now live without health insurance, and that number grows every day. The 2000 election gives us the opportunity to promote universal coverage as an issue, and the booming economy gives us the means to turn this wish into a reality. There is no reason to delay any longer. To this end, we have decided to launch this campaign to make sure all Americans have health insurance. At the outset we decided we needed a set of principles to guide our efforts.