Thursday, July 23, 2009

Why Stephen Harper Doesn't Defend Medicare















As the right-wing in the U.S. continues its all out assault on Canada's medicare system, a lot of Canadians are wondering why Stephen Harper won't defend it.

"Canada’s single-payer system and our country’s reputation are under attack in America from a multi-million dollar tidal wave of special-interest propaganda and scare tactics."

"Our health care system is being used as a political pawn in the U.S. and you have an obligation as our prime minister to set the record straight and prevent the “swift-boating” of our reputation and health system."


Instead of leaving it up to the Liberals, the NDP, and some Americans..

No Canadian goes bankrupt because of medical bills.

Across the border, 62 percent of the near-record number of bankruptcy filings are at least partly because of health-care costs. Some 46 million have no insurance; millions more are underinsured.

"I asked my friend how he's going to pay his $110,000 hospital bill, and he has no idea... They'll probably turn it over to a collection agency and harass him for the rest of his life."


Viva Amerika.

You know it's absolutely laughable that any American should attack our beautiful, human, medicare system when there are more uninsured people in the U.S. than we have citizens. And so many Americans live in FEAR of getting ill...just because they can't afford it...in the world's richest Banana Republic.

But since these corrupt crazies are attacking it, why isn't Stephen Harper defending it, like he recently defended our dirty oil industry?

And the answer is simple: Great American Leader is a former President of the National Citizens Coalition, the secretive ultra right-wing lobby group that was formed to FIGHT medicare.

They supported him from the beginning of his political career. When he was the NCC's VP he called for the Canada Health Act to be SCRAPPED. He worked for them longer than he has been Prime Minister.













So as they told that tuna in that commercial...Charlie, Stephen Harper doesn't want to defend medicare, he wants to DESTROY IT.

The good news? Healthcare is back at the top of the issues that Canadians really care about. If the opposition is able to portray Stephen Harper as Great Medicare Destroyer, a STOOGE of the NCC, and a Canadian leader too weak to stand up to the Americans, I think it could really hurt him.

As for me NOTHING makes me prouder to be a Canadian than living in a country where even if you're a poor person you will be given the same treatment as everyone else, you don't need a credit card just a medicare one, and all you have to worry about is getting better.

Because that's OUR Canada. And if Stephen Harper won't defend it, because he doesn't want to offend his buddies at the NCC...or his fellow RepubliCons in the U.S. And he hates Canada's wonderfully civilized medicare system sooooooo much.

I think we've got ourselves a healing issue, that we can use like a club....to help KILL the Cons in the next election.

Wow. Isn't that awesome? I feel better already...

10 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:17 AM

    Why Harper doesn't defend medicare?

    Because he's a lame-ass indefensible excuse of a man who calls himself a prime minister.

    Anything calling for charisma, leadership and intellect to share with the public is not in his capabilities.

    He's a sorry pygmy of a leader.

    Anything that is noble and dignified it clearly out of his league.

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  2. Not defending Conservatives in any fashion. You should know my disgust for them but should point out that Conservative Senator Hugh Segal has been down in DC defending Canadian health care.

    Segal is, of course, one of few remaining old Red Tories. Naturally the anti-health care reform forces in the Untitled Snakes of A Merry Cow have branded him a socialist or worse, a Democrat.

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  3. Anonymous1:51 PM

    Where is Iggy on this one? The person I see defending Medicare is Jack Layton.

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  4. Anonymous1:52 PM

    I've seen Jack Layton doing this Job but no Liberals. Why is that?

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  5. Hi Torontonian...well I certainly can't disagree with the sorry pygmy of a leader...although I'm sure the pygmies won't like that...;)
    But I'm actually quite serious about his ideological fixation. He spent FIFTEEN years fighting medicare. So do people really think he has changed?
    I hope not...

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  6. Hi Frank...no I would NEVER accuse you of defending the Conservatives... ;)
    But that is interesting. Although I'm not surprised. Some of the old PCers are quite decent people i.e. Joe Clark. Even though I'd never vote for them.
    In my humble opinion medicare is something ALL Canadians should be proud of...

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  7. Hi anonymous...actually Dosanj has been speaking out like Layton has.
    Good for both of them. I'm still waiting to hear from Iggy. But I understand he's on vacation...or lost.
    He'd be smart to jump on this issue because for progressives it's one of the best ways to beat up the Cons. You know send them to the political hospital...and ask them for their credit card... :)

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  8. Harper seems to be too busy making a hero from himself for the end of recession. How could he waste his precious time on medicare? What a shame. Hopefully people do realize he did not, does not and will not(ever) defend medicare. Best, Julie.

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  9. Well, we get why ol' Stevie isn't defending our healthcare system.

    Jack Layton has gone to Washington DC to defend our healthcare system.

    I think the question is why hasn't Michael Ignatieff spoken up about health care. I have tried to look around for sources siting his views on health care. I haven't found anything of substance.
    Given that he's spent so many years stateside before coming back home seeking to be Prime-minister of Canada, I would be more curious to know where he stands on this issue & why he hasn't said anything yet.
    We already know a few years back, before he joined the Liberal Party, he did say he supported the U.S. war against Iraq; would it be a stretch to presume he, like Stevie would also want to try to scrap the Canada Health Care Act?

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  10. hi CK....yes that's a good question. I know some Liberals have spoken up about medicare, but if Ignatieff did I missed it. If he was smart he'd grab this issue and run with it.Because Harper is really vulnerable. But I notice that according to a recent poll 41% of Liberals thought the country was heading in the right direction. So WTF? Maybe that explains it...

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