Tommy Douglas: Hero of the common Canadian. This is the kind of leadership we need.

[L0oniX]

http://heritage.scotsman.com/scotsincanada/Tommy-Douglas-Hero-of-the.2662661.jp

<snip>As premier of Saskatchewan, he was responsible for the implementation of both free hospital treatment and Medicare. The face of the country was changed by a humble minister who had vowed that every Canadian was entitled to have access to health care.

He began slowly. In 1944, pensioners were granted free access to medical, dental and hospital services. The treatment of diseases such as cancer, mental illness and tuberculosis were made free for all.

Three years later, the premier introduced free hospital care for all at a cost of $5 a person. Twelve years later, Medicare came into effect. It would be universal, pre-paid and include preventative care.

And so, Douglas made good on his vow to prevent disadvantaged people from dying because of social or economic status.<unsnip>

Do you think Obama has the guts to do what Tommy Douglas did? Now I ask you, isn't this something any real leader should do for their people? Yet no one in the house or senate has the moral fortitude to fight for us like Tommy Douglas except maybe Kucinich. Do you think Canadians would go back to what they had before? NO FUCKING WAY! Shame on the USA for abandoning its poor, its sick and its elderly. We'd rather go to war and bail out corrupt rich bastards? We'd rather believe the lies? We would rather sit around and let these sociopaths control our government? WTF is wrong with us? You would think that a real leader would jump at the chance to go down in history as a hero of the people to do something so wonderful and right for our own people. Who ever has the balls to stand up for single payer health care is a real leader just like Tommy Douglas and the others are all sell outs and cowards and care not for the people but for their own selfish goals and power. Health care is a human right not a privilege and we need a Tommy Douglas not more rich sociopaths. Demand SPHC (single payer health care)now!

[RufusTFirefly]

1. Tommy Douglas -- the Greatest Canadian!

That should tell folks in the States something about how well Canadian health care is received up in the Great White North. Douglas made Canada a better, more inclusive and humane place and bested both Pierre Eliott Trudeau and Terry Fox as the Greatest Canadian.

Incidentally, his son-in-law (still living) is Donald Sutherland.

[billyoc]

2. Jack Bauer's grandpa!

:rofl:

Seriously, I know of this man, voted "The Greatest Canadian" of all time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Greatest_Canadian

[L0oniX]

3. Uhm ...tv is not reality dude. I guess I just don't know what you are laughing about.

[billyoc]

7. Yes, thank you, I know that.

[provis99]

4. who did we elect Greatest American? Reagan? John Wayne?

"Sigh"....

[L0oniX]

5. Sad n/t

[billyoc]

6. Reagan. The C-plus Augustus was 6th.

:puke:

[Riverman]

8. Obama Could go down as the Greatest American of All-Time, if

He got 100% behind single-payer health care - one system of payment and with private doctors and hospitals, as he stated in his speach when he ran for state Senate in Illinois in 2003!

[billyoc]

9. Yes, I think he could.

[L0oniX]

10. That's what I don't get. He has the opportunity to do what's right...

and be a hero to the uninsured sick...and he's blowing it big time. If we don't get SPHC I am done voting or having anything to do with with politics because it will just be a futile effort.

[GliderGuider]

11. In politics there's a saying: "Ya dance with the one that brung ya."

For any President of the United States, the obligatory dance partners include Big Finance, Big Energy, Big Medicine and the Military Industrial Complex. I'm not sure why anyone expected anything different.

And yes, Tommy was a little miracle. I am so grateful to live in the nation he helped create.

[Captain Hilts]

12. He's a politician who said a lot of stuff to get elected. Fingers crossed he listens

to the right folks.

[TheMightyFavog]

14. I don't know if things would go the same if the vote was held now.

IIRC, the vote for greatest American was held just a week or two after Reagan died.

[L0oniX]

13. morning kick

[L0oniX]

15. evening kick

[cali]

16. Tommy Douglas wasn't up against what Obama is up against.