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THE NEW YORK TIMES.
Bradley Seeking Hispanic Support
by Somini Sengupta
February 22, 2000
Copyright © 2000 THE NEW YORK TIMES. All Rights Reserved.
Courting the Hispanic vote, former Senator Bill Bradley stopped
at a Brooklyn elementary school yesterday morning and spoke about
the need for universal health insurance, noting the disproportionate
numbers of Latinos among the uninsured and questioning Vice President
Al Gore's commitment on the issue.
Mr. Bradley said Mr. Gore's attacks against his plan "have
cast doubt on his commitment to a basic plank of Democratic platform,
which is national health insurance."
Mr. Bradley quoted figures from a recent Census Bureau study
that found that despite a strong economy, the numbers of uninsured
Americans grew to 44 million in 1998, including 11 million children.
Hispanics, the study found, were least likely to have health coverage.
More than a third of Hispanics were uninsured, compared with 22.2
percent of blacks, 21.1 percent of Asian-Americans and 11.9 percent
of non-Hispanic whites.
"They work, sometimes two jobs," Mr. Bradley said
of the uninsured. "Their employers just don't provide health
insurance."
Speaking to a small audience at Public School 24, a new Spanish-English,
dual-language elementary school in the working-class neighborhood
of Sunset Park, Mr. Bradley also outlined his proposals to double
federal Title I financing for schools in poor neighborhoods, require
teachers to prove their expertise and offer incentives to recruit
teachers to needy rural and urban schools.
Repeatedly, he called for the need to spread the benefits of
a booming economy to the working poor.
"We should be fixing our roof when the sun is shining,"
he said, "and the sun is shining now. There's a difference
between economic growth and broad-based prosperity."
Responding to questions, Mr. Bradley expressed his support
for bilingual education programs and pledged to double a federal
block grant for affordable child care. He also said he would end
weapons testing by the United States Navy on the island of Vieques
in Puerto Rico. Mr. Gore has adopted the same position.
"Bombing in Vieques should end," Mr. Bradley said.
"We should not use it for live fire."
Last April, President Clinton ordered a moratorium on all training
on Vieques after a Puerto Rican was killed in a bombing accident.
In an agreement last month, Puerto Rico agreed to allow limited
training, with nonexploding bombs, until the people of Vieques
vote on the future of the training range.
Edmundo Quinones, 53, a social worker from Sunset Park who
asked Mr. Bradley about Vieques, said he was gladdened by the
vehemence of the candidate's reply.
"I just hope he follows through," Mr. Quinones said.
Mr. Bradley picked up the endorsement of Angel Rodriguez, the
city councilman from Sunset Park who described Mr. Bradley's priorities
on health care, education and economic development as the priorities
of the Latino community.
"Our issues are the nation's issues," Mr. Rodriguez
said.
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