As an Americanadian whose family continues to live in the US, but who has lived most of her adult life in Canada and raised three children from scratch here, I feel that I am uniquely qualified to weigh in on the debate over health care, particularly as regards government delivered health care.
Don’t get me wrong. The Canadian system is far from perfect. There are not enough General Practitioners to go around and, yes, there are waiting lines and, yes, sometimes people DIE in those lines. Well, actually, not in those lines, but you know what I mean. But these are logistical problems which admit of fairly easy solutions: offer to pay medical students their student loans in exchange for them working as a GP in a particular location in need of GPs for a stated period of time — five or ten years — and you’d get enough GPs in short order; and invest in more diagnostic technology and the technologists to run them and there go the waiting lines. Canada needs to invest more in its health care, but it doesn’t need to change the delivery mechanism. The delivery mechanism works fine. I have had excellent health care, delivered in a timely way by caring and competent professionals and I have never once had to ask myself if I could afford to have a mammogram this year or that colonoscopy or that chest x-ray. And, guess what, I’m in good health and one of the reasons for that is that I have never had to skimp on preventative medicine.
I fail to understand why Republicans and conservative Dems (who might as well be Republicans as far as I’m concerned; we’re coming for you) are so afraid of a public option. In the first place, it’s not single payer, it’s an option. And, in the second place, it’s nothing to be scared about. Come on, America! You’re supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. Grow a pair! You only stand to benefit — that is, provided you aren’t an insurance company, in which case, yes, be afraid. Be very afraid. Because your free ride on the broken back of America is under direct siege and, with any luck and half a cojone, you’re going down.
The bottom line is this: all too many of our elected representatives, Democrat and Republican alike, are paid lackeys of the insurance companies, Big Pharma and Wall Street and they, along with the Three Weird Sisters of the Right (Limbaugh, Hannity and Beck), don’t seem to have any compunction about selling their country and their countrymen down Shit Creek for a few pieces of silver and a golf club membership.
Melissa Hardy 
I knew your mother from Chreokee and she was one of the sweetest most caring women I have ever known and I feel better having known her. thank you. Briton Campbell
Thank you, Briton. I couldn’t agree with you more. She was a shining light.
I am related to the Cherokee. On my father’s side, my greatgrandmother’s greatgrandfather intermarried with the Cherokee. He was a trader in eastern Tennessee. Also his mother was 1/2 Cherokee.This is well documented and supported by DNA.
How I ended up in Canada is along story. I am writing to say I will order your book. It is always good to see people dedicating themselves to keeping our ties to the past. Have you read Thirteen Moons by Frazier. The hero is much like my distant Walker ancestors who intermarried with the “Real People.” I have just discovered you so I will read some of your other titles as well.
Glad to have found your writing. Best of everything.
Fredrich Louis Walker, ps How did you make it to Canada? Did you take out citizenship here?
I knew Walkers in Cherokee, N.C. It was a very common family name. Interestingly enough, one of the main characters early on runs off with a white trader who ends up living in eastern Tennessee. Broken Road and Constant Fire are both about the Cherokee. It’s easiest to order online from either chapters.ca or amazon.ca.
Yes, I’ve read Frazier’s Thirteen Moons which is about Will Thomas, an extraordinary character. My main resource for Cherokee legends and magical formulas comes from James Mooney’s seminal work; Frazier’s source as well.
I came to Canada at the age of 22 for graduate school at the University of Toronto, married a Canadian and never left. I’ve been a citizen for decades, but I’ve retained my American citizenship as well, file taxes and vote in both countries.
If there is anyone you know or any organizations you know that might be interested in my work, I’d be grateful if you told them. One of the drawbacks about publishing with a small press is very limited promotion, so getting the word out is very helpful.
Thanks a bunch.