Ms. Jorgensen weeks after her high school graduation, liberalism she died in a car accident. She needed 13 surgeries to reconstruct her face including an artificial eye. Weeks after her high school into, had, she moved that setback and graduated from college. She graduated in 1988. Samesex partner norbert. When the landlord came by, liba pretended to be eds girlfriend out of fear that the two could be evicted just for being gay. Over the course of the next two friendliba lost her norbert and her father to hivaids. Back then, people called it a gay cancer. But sheper persevered. Her first book a great, terrible beauty became the first of a trilogy of New York Times bestsellers. Pain, story is rooted in good and bad, adversity and adaptation. Her failures and struggles are just as important as her successes. Both equally helped shape who she is today. I think that is true of our country as well. There are so many issues that compel me to speak out. I stand before you today to ask you to join me in my run for the white house because i believe this is the most important president ial election of our time. [applause] ms. Jorgensen the covid 19 pandemic has reminded us all how much the American Health care system has failed us. [applause] ms. Jorgensen when politicians say we need medicare for all, what i hear is va hospital for all. [applause] the Veterans Administration is among the worst in our Health Care System. In 2014, the v. A. Falsified data to show compliance with its own beforees and many died even receiving care. This topdown monopoly is unacceptable for any person, let alone those willing to sacrifice their lives in service to our country. [applause] honest,ensen lets be the current American Health care system isnt working for anyone. Than that is, anyone other the wealthy and wellconnected, who always have access, or the billiondollar Insurance Companies that bring in new record profits every year. My heart breaks for the millions of americans who have been left behind, those who go bankrupt trying to care for their loved ones, or those with preexisting conditions who live in constant fear of whether they will be able to cover an unexpected hospital visit. For decades, politicians have insisted that it is the free market that has failed us, that we just need to give in and go to a government run, onesizefitsall program. I have some news for them. We have not had anything even close to a free and competitionbased system in nearly a century. The alternative to our current Big Government failure [applause] ms. Jorgensen the alternative to our current Big Government failure isnt even is an even bigger government failure. [applause] ms. Jorgensen some of the biggest issues are at the very core of the American Health care system. Notproblem is that it is actual insurance. Insuranceer industry, only pays for unexpected costs and, because of that, costs generally remain low. Meanwhile, her broken Health Care System has insurance cover everything and it leads to higher prices for everyone. Just think how expensive [applause] ms. Jorgensen Car Insurance would be if it paid for gas, oil changes or carwashes. You would have no reason to shop around for those services and all the mechanics and gas stations would increase costs without you even knowing. The car Insurance Companies wouldnt care because they would be getting paid big dollars either way. This is exactly what has happened in our Health Care System. Incentivebsolutely no to look for better prices and to compete. As a result, Health Care Providers have no reason to compete, Insurance Companies can charge higher prices without any accountability, and all of us have to foot the bill. [applause] ms. Jorgensen the best example of how marketbased Health Care System can operate is in the usee which reserves of insurance for catastrophic care. [applause] in 2014,nsen singapore spent less than 1 3 per person on health care than what the United States spends. Its time for real change. [applause] ms. Jorgensen we should begin by reforming the fda approval and patent process for prescription medication. [applause] ms. Jorgensen the fda has completely mismanaged the covid19 crisis and has made it extremely difficult for anyone to get tested. Companies, only those with enough money and resources get approval and once those companies do, they weaponize patents to keep out competitors. [applause] ms. Jorgensen as your president , i will work with the fda to remove barriers to new prescription drugs and make more drugs available overthecounter. [applause] ms. Jorgensen the v. A. Health care system should be converted to a system like the one used in the state of indiana so that veterans are given control over their Health Care Dollars so they can do with it what they wish. [applause] ms. Jorgensen our obligation to veterans should begin, not just when they come back from the war looking at their health care costs, there are soldiers currently deployed who were not even born when the war on terror began. [applause] ms. Jorgensen in that time, over 100 50,000 people have died 40,000anistan including civilians. In iraq, 300,000 people are dead including 200,000 civilians. Civiliansn, 23,000 and 65,000 people total have been killed. The u. S. Spends more on its military than the next 10 countries combined. [boos] ms. Jorgensen our troops are stationed in nearly 150 different countries. [boos] ms. Jorgensen im getting there. First we have to let the cspan viewers know exactly what the problem is because the media does not seem to be telling them. [applause] ms. Jorgensen to continue with our problem that nobody has heard of including not only the media but the two major parties for both war hawks, our government has increasingly engaged in drone warfare, even striking weddings and hospitals. Of wares and faces change but the problems remain the same. Nationbuilding and regime change create power vacuums and greater distrust of the United States. And we are left to deal with the same issues over and over again. In every election, candidates promise peace but they only deliver more war. [applause] i will bring the troops home. [applause] [chanting bnring them home] ms. Jorgensen again, i will bring the troops home and make the United States like switzerland, armed and neutral. [applause] ms. Jorgensen it is time for real change. Another issue we must address is the environment. We hold an obligation to future generations to end the dependence on fossil fuels. The reason we have that is the federal government gives about 15 billion annually to oil and coal companies. This doesnt even include the billions in tax credits in public land leases which disproportionately go to these companies. This is nothing but corporate welfare. Its taking from the poor and giving to the wealthy. [applause] ms. Jorgensen currently, red tape prevents cleaner and more Sustainable Energy from entering the marketplace. The most promising is nuclear whose Carbon Footprint is vastly outmatched by its efficiency. [applause] i will work with congress to eliminate all Energy Subsidies and level the playing field. I will also reduce regulations that prevent competition that prevents older forms of energy. Its time for a real change. [applause] ms. Jorgensen the irs taxes americans at every turn and the tax system is so complicated that only those who can afford personal accountants and tax lawyers are able to navigate the code. That same irs probes every detail of americans lives to decide how much they should pay. Meanwhile, the government accumulates more debt. Some demand increases in domestic spinning while others increase demand increases for military spending and they come to a bipartisan compromise by increasing both. [boos] ms. Jorgensen this was a pit of my by the 2 trillion cares act which, in our countrys most dire time of need, was filled with waste and gave liams of corporate handouts. And gave billions in corporate handouts. Iur president , ill will eliminate the federal income tax altogether. [applause] when it comes to cutting spending, we cannot take any solution off the table. I would encourage baseline budgeting instead of assuming an increase. We start at zero every year and decide what can be eliminated and what is absolutely necessary. [applause] ms. Jorgensen its time for real change. [applause] as we looken through american history, we must accept that the experiences of some do not live up to our aspirations. Were forcibly seized and brought to the united , to the now United States, only their worst nightmares could have predicted the badges of slavery would persist half a millennium later. While millions of americans view the declaration of independence and our constitution with great pride, black americans are reminded that their ancestors were shackled for another century when the founding documents were signed. The same men who promised freedom did not extend those freedoms to black two black men, women and children. Guarantees of liberty and justice for all rang hollow for black americans who saw slavery route placed who saw slavery replaced with institutions and programs that are too many to name. As libertarian columnist and notarcher has stated, it is enough to be passively not racist. We must be actively antiracism. It is time for real change. [applause] ms. Jorgensen immigrants also see a stark contrast between our promise and their reality. Origins haveies of changed, the american legacy of what immigration is supposed to be remains the same. Different cultures held together by inclusion and acceptance, a shining city upon a hill, welcoming the tired, poor and huddled masses. Immigrantse clear are a positive for the United States. [applause] not only do they contribute billions to the economy but they also commit less crime and take lesson government benefits than nativeborn americans. [applause] and currentn immigrants are assimilating at a quicker rate than ever before. Reason forside, the free and open immigration rests upon morality. The United States should symbolize a helping hand to those in need and build bridges instead of walls. [applause] ms. Jorgensen i will work with congress to open the borders and provide a pathway to citizenship for the millions of undocumented persons already in the United States. [applause] ms. Jorgensen i would like to see the United States welcome new citizens into our country the way my grandparents were welcomed when they immigrated here. Its time for real change. [applause] ms. Jorgensen as your president , i will federally decriminalize all drugs. [applause] ms. Jorgensen and allow the states to determine their plan of action to draw for drug crime which is not how it is today. We would not see all the people who are locked up for simple possession, simply use, with no violence and no actual crime. If there is no victim, there is no crime. [applause] ms. Jorgensen anyone convicted at the federal level of these or any other victimless crimes and i will leave the door wide open for the medical community to deal with Substance Abuse issues in ways that can salvage lives, not throw them away. [applause] ms. Jorgensen this is just one step toward ending over incarceration of people of color and letting consensual adult activities become safer and destigmatize, allowing the true victims to be recognized so they can be given the help they need. [applause] i will defund federal involvement in policing and civil active forfeiture. [applause] ms. Jorgensen and supplying and preventing no not rates are good citizens can take legal action against Police Brutality when it becomes necessary. I will also increase oversight to ensure that the law applies to its enforcers just as much to its communities. [applause] its time for real change. [applause] president , i will eliminate the department of education and give more choice to students, teachers and parents, particularly in impoverished areas. [applause] a large and beautiful country and people in different parts of the country have different needs and should have control over their educational system. We must end this onesizefitsall system that the federal government has forced upon us. Its time for real change. [applause] in this time of uncertainty, americans dont need or want someone to rule over them. I have had many roles throughout my career but none has been more rewarding than being on the campaign trail, speaking to people who are simply tired of the failures in washington. [applause] the policies i have outlined today are not about theories, they are about the middle class worker who has to decide whether to buy medicine or pay rent. They are about the soldiers deployed to a foreign land for no good reason and the People Living there who feel like their country is being occupied. They are about the millennial who fears the damage done to the environment can never be undone. They are about the immigrants who only desires to make a better life for her family without persecution. They are about the person of color who just wants to drive home without fear of being pulled over and killed. [applause] ms. Jorgensen they are about the bluecollar worker who watches his hard earned tax dollars gets into multimillion dollar multibilliondollar corporations. It doesnt have to be like this and we dont have to tolerate it. Its time for a new way, a path that recognizes what should have been clear from the beginning. Persevering past obstacles, lets learn from our failures, lets build upon our successes and create change that last. Get ready, libertarians, because we have work to do. Get ready to talk about this campaign and help those unaware of our platform understand what it means to be all in for liberty. [applause] ready to get get on the phones and keyboards, to knock on doors whenever and wherever you can, to let people know that there is a better option. [applause] the old parties have tried to keep his down but not this time. We are on our way to the white house and when we get there, we will give it back to the 330 million americans it really belongs to. Its time for change. Thank you. [applause] [applause] ms. Jorgensen thank you so much. Enjoy your lunch and you will have an awesome lunchtime speaker. [applause] [applause] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2020] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] the republican and Democratic Party and the campaigns of President Trump and joe biden are adjusting plans for next months political convention. Already reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic, the democrats will convene for a scaledback convention elmo walkie starting august 17. The republicans begin their convention the following week, august 20 four in charlotte, North Carolina before moving onto jacksonville, florida. Republicantic and National Conventions live on cspan, beginning monday august 17 and watch anytime on www. Cspan. Org or listen live on the free cspan radio app. Cspan, your unfiltered view of politics. Shortly, ap discussion on the coronavirus pandemic and u. S. , russia, and china relations from former big from former active for former acting secretary of state. A very good monday morning to you, you can start calling you now. Joe biden has said he would pick a woman to be his running mate in 2020