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Este informe no está disponible en español. The Honorable Pedro Rossello, Governor of Puerto RicoRemarks Delivered Before The 2000 Democratic National ConventionAugust 15, 2000"Se Puede! Claro que se puede!" The Governor of Puerto Rico describes our spectacular progress over the last eight years…from a time when Americans were resigned to hopelessness to a time of regeneration and resilience. Governor Rossello believes it can get even better. "Ganamos con Gore!" MY FELLOW DEMOCRATS: EIGHT YEARS AGO, MANY CITIZENS WERE RESIGNED TO THE IDEA THAT AMERICA'S BEST DAYS WERE BEHIND HER. PEOPLE ACCEPTED THE NOTION THAT CRIME AND WELFARE, DIVISIVENESS AND IRRESPONSIBILITYWOULD CONTINUE TO RISE, AND THAT OUR ESSENTIAL SAFETY NET PROGRAMS WERE FATED TO GO BROKE. INSTEAD, WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CLINTON-GORE ADMINISTRATION, THE PAST DECADE HASBROUGHT NOT JUST A REBIRTH OF AMERICAN PROSPERITY, BUT A NEW ERA OF PROGRESS. CRIME IS DOWN TO ITS LOWEST LEVEL IN A GENERATION -- THE LONGEST DECLINE ON RECORD. MILLIONS OF AMERICANS HAVE MOVED OFF THE WELFARE ROLLS AND ONTO THE PAYROLLS. HEALTH CARE HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO COVER MILLIONS OF UN-INSURED CHILDREN -- THE LARGEST SINGLE INVESTMENT IN CHILDREN'S HEALTH IN 35 YEARS. THIS IS A SPECTACULAR RECORD. BUT WE DEMOCRATS KNOW WE MUST DO MORE. AL GORE IS COMMITTED TO USING THIS MOMENT OF PROSPERITY TO BRING MORE PROGRESS TO AMERICA, TO MAKE AMERICA SAFER, HEALTHIER AND MORE UNITED. BILL CLINTON AND AL GORE TOOK OFFICE DETERMINED TO TURN THE TIDE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST CRIME. WE NOW SEE THE RESULTS OF THEIR DETERMINATION. SERIOUS CRIMES ARE DOWN SEVEN YEARS IN A ROW, TO THE LOWEST LEVELS IN A QUARTER CENTURY. VIOLENT CRIME IS DOWN 24%. THE MURDER RATE IS DOWN TO LEVELS UNSEEN SINCE THE MID-1960S. BUT WE HAVE JUST BEGUN TO FIGHT THE FORCES OF LAWLESSNESS AND VIOLENCE. WITH AL GORE AS PRESIDENT AMERICA, WON'T TAKE ONE STEP BACK IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME. BUT IN ADDITION TO CREATING A SAFER AMERICA, WE MUST ALSO CONCEIVE A HEALTHIER ONE. WE NEED A REAL PATIENT BILL OF RIGHTS. A UNIVERSAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT MUST BE ADDED TO MEDICARE. AND EVERY CHILD SHOULD HAVE GUARANTEED ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE - IT'S A RIGHT AND NOT A PRIVILEGE YOU KNOW. OUR NATION HAS BEEN THE CHIEF APOSTLE OF DEMOCRACY IN THE WORLD AND WE MUST THEREFORE LEAD BY EXAMPLE. BUT WE HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS OF DEMOCRACY HERE AT HOME. PUERTO RICO HAS BEEN UNDER U.S. SOVERIENTY FOR OVER A CENTURY, AND PUERTO RICANS HAVE BEEN NATURAL BORN CITIZENS SINCE 1917, BUT THE ISLAND'S 3.9 MILLION RESIDENTS STILL DO NOT HAVE VOTING REPRESENTATION IN THEIR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. AL GORE IS COMMITTED TO WORK WITH CONGRESS TO CLARIFY THE OPTIONS THAT WILL ALLOW THE U.S. CITIZENS OF PUERTO RICO TO CHOOSE A PERMANENT FULLY DEMOCRATIC STATUS. AMERICA WILL BECOME MUCH MORE DIVERSE IN THE NEW CENTURY. IN THE YEARS TO COME, WE WILL CELEBRATE OUR RICH DIVERSITY AND FOCUS ON STRENGHTENINGTHE COMMON VALUES AND BELIEFS THAT MAKE US ONE AMERICA -- ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. FELLOW DEMOCRATS: WE CAN ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THIS WITH THE LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT OF AL GORE AS THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. BUT SOME WILL QUESTION WHETHER ALL THIS WILL BE DONE. TO THIS WE ANSWER. SE PUEDE!! CLARO QUE SE PUEDE!! GANAMOS CON GORE!!!
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