Earlier in this thread, there was discussion of the legacy of Tommy Douglas.....one of my heroes!! One of his grandchildren, the daughter of Stephen Douglas, is Naomi Klein, frequent contributor to The Nation and a prolific progressive author. Apples don't fall far from the tree!!

I'm an ex-pat Canadian who has lived in the U.S. for 20 years. I have been blessed on two counts: 1) I have always worked for an employer who offered a good health insurance plan as part of the benefit package; and, 2) I have been blessed with good health where neither my physican or me personally has had to contest the denial of a treatment option and, when I have changed jobs, I have never had to worry about the dread of a "pre-existing condition."

Millions of Americans are not nearly as fortunate as me but I know full-well my own good fortune could turn on a dime. However, unlike most of my fellow country-men/women, I have an escape option.....I can always return to Canada! Of course, this scares the dickens out of my two adult-age sons who fear the specter of their aging father and step-mother coming home to live with them!! They have become obsessivly concerned about our health and strong supporters of single-payer health care in the U.S.

This country needs a strong and fearless leader who will take us where others have feared to tread in the area of health-care reform. I once thought this President was that leader but I'm having my doubts.

Franklin Roosevelt once entertained a group of progressive left-leaning people at the White House and having heard their ideas, told them, "I agree with everything you said, now go out and make me do those things!"

A unified progressive front on health care reform is needed in this country....my two sons up in Canada are counting on it!