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The name Tommy Douglas is familiar to few Americans. But in Canada, Douglas' "adopted homeland," this stalwart defender of working men and women was voted "Greatest Canadian of All Time" - and it happened in 2004, 18 years after his death.
So who was this revered man? As premier of Saskatchewan, Tommy Douglas led North America's first social democratic government, and instituted - wait for it - Medicare for All. That program is now a birthright of Canadians, just as it should be here in the U.S. (Read more about Douglas here.) Douglas understood that when it comes to the interests of working people, issues trump personalities. And this election year, more and more people, organizations - and yes, candidates - seem to be "getting that," too. One way they're showing it is by endorsing the Unified Platform, a document assembled by the the all-volunteer NPA to unite working people in creating a real option to our two-party mousetrap. (More on that in a minute, but here's a hint: We're the mice!) JILL STEIN One candidate who has already endorsed the Unified Platform is Dr. Jill Stein, the frontrunner and presumptive presidential nominee of the Green Party. A Harvard-trained physician and lifelong activist, Stein has helped build one of the nation's strongest Green Party organizations, in Massachusetts:
"I thank the NPA for the hard work that went into developing this excellent statement of progressive values....
"I hope to see the NPA flourish and make a major contribution to the revival of the progressive movement in America.
"2012 is shaping up as a year in which we have a golden opportunity to create a permanent progressive presence on the national political scene."
WHAT IT MEANS The Unified Platform is based on a belief long held by political scientists (perhaps most notably Noam Chomsky) which is the cornerstone of the NPA: It is up to the people to spell out their beliefs, and to find candidates who pledge to support them - no matter what.
All who endorse the platform (including Dr. Stein) know that for supporters of the NPA's mission of helping to create a real alternative to our corrupt, Wall Street-bought-and-paid-for system, talking the talk isn't enough. Backpedaling and compromise on the Unified Platform's clear statements - whether on the campaign trail or in office - will get them kicked to curb.
Because it's long since time we held our leaders accountable.
BACK TO THAT "MOUSE" THING... Remember Tommy Douglas? He told a story called "Mouseland" to crowds all across Canada. It perfectly describes the political - and sadly, social - realities in our country, today.
Thanks largely to Douglas and other visionaries like him, Canada last spring saw the rise of a viable third party - the NDP. Now Canada's official opposition party, it unceremoniously ousted that country's equivalent of America's Democratic Party, which for years pandered to working men and women at election time - but filled its coffers with corporate money and looked after the monied few in Parliament.
Does that sound familiar?
So here, introduced by Tommy Douglas' grandson - someone you've probably heard of - is the animated story of "Mouseland," as told by the "Greatest Canadian of All Time":
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