Like many others from outside the United States, I've been watching this debate you have been having on health care with interest. I've been shocked at the blatant lies and fear-mongering that have been spread by lobbyists, astroturf groups, radio talk show hosts, and most disturbingly, Republican elected officials. I have tried to do a little bit to dispel some of their myths, at least as it relates to Canada, in my first couple of diaries here and here. I've been saddened by the weasel words, flip-flopping and lack of leadership shown by many Democrats like Baucus, Reid, Cooper and others. And today of course, I grieve with your nation at the loss of someone who would have been the general leading this campaign had he not been taken away by one of the cruelest killers known to humanity.
But beyond that, I have been impressed and more than a little envious. For all the things that are sometimes wrong or broken with your political system, there are many things that are right and good. And while many times Canadians, myself included, like to smugly think of the things that we believe make our country better, I'd like to highlight some things that I'd love to import here.
I've been impressed by the level of activism shown by people fighting the good fight. The people at Firedoglake, people like nyceve and slinkerwink at this site, and organizations like the AARP, Organizing for America, unions etc. have shown a level of commitment to the cause that would be difficult to muster in my country. There is such a level of apathy right now in Canada, with many people just turned off by politics because of the mendacity of the Conservative Party and the lack of spine shown by the Liberals in opposition. There is much that can be done to improve the lot of the poor, the immigrants, the sick and those society often shuns, but I don't know who are leaders would be in that fight. I wish Canadians could embrace the level of activism you show.
Related to this, I love that you have an ultimate weapon in your arsenal for those who will not bend to the will of your people: the primary. I hope after this fight is over you do get the "better Democrats" you deserve. If I could wave a magic wand, I would import your primary system here, allow registration of your political preference with Elections Canada and let everyone who wanted to vote for their preferred candidate. Too often here the process is closed, candidates are hand picked by the party leader and rank and file members are shut out of the process. So when I saw Ned Lamont beat Joe Lieberman (if only in the primary), Donna Edwards beat Al Wynn, and now see Joe Sestak take on Arlen Specter, it makes me wish I could participate in such an open political process.
Finally, and this might be controversial, you DO have politicians to be proud of. Starting with your president, who may not have handled this issue to everyone's satisfaction thus far, but to my eyes as done more good in a few months then my waste of space prime minister had done in over 3 years. If Stephen Harper ever gets a majority, it might very well be me trying to migrate south rather than liberals threatening to move to Canada. You have senators like those on the HELP committee who passed Ted Kennedy's plan, and representatives like those in the Progressive Caucus united in the support of a public option. Our party structure is so tightly controlled that the only ones that matter are leaders, with MPs being thought of as nobodies fifty yards off Parliament Hill. When I see people stating they will withdraw from politics and stop supporting Democrats if health care reform is not won, it makes me sad. There are politicians fighting for what is right, and to give into despair and cynicism is to render their fight moot. The right have been fighting their battles for decades against Roe vs. Wade, reason over religion in schools, equality for all and an America that would be the light of the world. If they had given up after defeats like the one handed to them last November, it would have been fantastic. But they haven't. So I hope you will continue to fight and be an inspiration to those on the outside looking in. I think Senator Kennedy would want it that way.