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Chicago: Over the entire course of the Democratic National Convention, doctors, health care workers and activists maintained a round-the-clock vigil sponsored by Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP). Hundred of advocates from many organizations, deeply concerned by the Democrats decision to remove universal coverage from the party platform, kept the vigil for more than eighty hours.

"On Tuesday, Democrats disappointed the nation by passing their party platform unanimously despite eliminating their previous commitment to universal health care coverage," said Dr. Quentin Young, National Coordinator of PNHP. "Where does America turn now to get relief from the uncertainty and fear of tenuous economic and health security. Neither party is prepared to take on the corporations and respond the American public's wishes or the practice in the rest of the industrialized world and commit to providing quality health care for everyone."

After the federal court lifted the city's restrictive protest guidelines on August 23, Dr. Young returned to the court to ask for relief from the physical arrangements which sharply limited the vigil from even communicating with convention delegates, contrary to the judge's initial order. "The city did not succeed in suppressing dissent, but it certainly did limit its impact," said Dr. Young.

On the last nights of the vigil, Dr. Gordon Schiff, past-president of PNHP, and Dr. Peter Draper, Chairperson of the Illinois PNHP Chapter, both stayed at the site of the vigil all night to demonstrate their commitment to national health insurance. "In 1996, the city employed every device to restrict speech, in sharp contrast to their abusive confrontation in 1968. By some standards this is progress, but far short of the American tradition of vigorous free speech. We view the vigil as a success. It has energized large numbers of activists and advocates to look beyond the election for broad based strategies to reform the health care system and provide all Americans with the health care they deserve," said Dr. Schiff.

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On Sunday, August 25 at 7:00 P.M. the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. will join a group of doctors, nurses, labor leaders and citizens at Pasteur Park, near the Cook County Hospital, to challenge the Democratic Convention Delegates to reinsert universal health coverage in the party platform. The language was recently removed by the platform committee in Pittsburgh.

"The Democrats had a long and proud history of trying to deliver health care to all Americans, but in a moment of great cowardice they reversed their course and are only ensuring health care for the few," said Dr. Quentin Young, National Coordinator of Physicians for a National Health Program.

The Democratic commitment to universal coverage began in the Truman Administration, over forty years ago. "After President Clinton's attempt to pass a broad, if misguided, overhaul of the health care system, his signing of the welfare and minimalist health reform packages are a national shame and a blight on the party," said Dr. Susan Steigerwalt, President of PNHP. "As the President rends social safety nets, his party seems prepared to abandon even the hope of universal health coverage," she added.

Following Sunday's rally, Physicians for a National Health Program and many community leaders and activists, will hold a four-day, round-the-clock vigil across the street from the Democratic convention. The initial city plan had a three-block cordon around the convention. As a result of the successful suit in Federal Court, filed by the ACLU on behalf of Dr. Young, the city will have to allow the vigil. The activists will have access to the Democratic delegates and urge them to reaffirm their commitment to universal coverage.

"The Democrats seem willing to condemn large numbers of people to a life without insurance. America's health care crisis will not be served by patchwork help at the margins, as exemplified by the Kennedy-Kassebaum bill that the President signed into law on Wednesday. The party leadership has long ignored the obvious solution to America's health crisis -- to cover all Americans equally and equitably through universal health insurance program," said Dr. Young. "Further, all polls show that this is precisely what the American people prefer."

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