The amazing commercial success of Michael Moore's “Fahrenheit 9/11” (almost $120 million in domestic box office, unheard of for a documentary) made many people, mainly the right-wing elites, very uncomfortable.
Until then, Michael Moore was easily dismissed as a rabble-rouser, a funny fat guy who liked to shake up the system a bit, but for the most part wasn't taken any more seriously than a Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert-type. He was an entertainer who happened to make people think while they were laughing, nothing more, and Moore was kept safely tucked away in his little far-left-loon box.
But then “Fahrenheit 9/11” came along and suddenly a lot of people were taking Michael Moore very, very seriously. On either side, whether you believed every frame of the film or whether you saw it as nothing more than a feature-length attack on everything Bush, people were talking. Yet the film, if box office numbers are the lead indicator of a movie's success, helped reel Michael Moore slightly away from the left-wing fringe and place him squarely on the doorstep of middle-America. And the results were polarizing, to say the least.
Following “Fahrenheit 9/11” the anti-Michael Moore brigade came out in full-force. This wasn't just another Moore film, he wasn't simply attacking easy targets anymore, such as the CEO of a giant corporation in “Roger & Me,” or asking philosophical questions about America's violent culture and obsession with guns in “Bowling for Columbine,” this time, with “Fahrenheit 9/11,” he had the audacity to present an argument against the policies and motivations of a sitting president. This was seen as a treasonous act by most of right-wing America, and they took every chance to bash the filmmaker, calling him a communist, a phony, or worse. Many even tried to convince the public that somehow Michael Moore hated America.
Then came the 2007 film “Sicko,” arguably Michael Moore's least political film to date. Moore spends very little time attacking any particular political party in “Sicko” (although he can't help himself from showing a particularly embarrassing Bush-ism at the very beginning of the movie). He instead dedicates almost the entire running time of the film to attacking America's broken healthcare system and presenting the health insurance industry as the root cause of its failures. If people manage to see this as a left-wing vs. right-wing argument then we need to seriously step back and analyze exactly what our political parties stand for. But I suppose because it's a Michael Moore film we are automatically inclined to view it in this way. If “Sicko” had been made by a complete unknown then surely any attacks from a political viewpoint would have been far less aggressive. “Sicko” is, after all, an attack on an industry that is clearly putting profits ahead of people's health. And the underlying question of “Sicko” appears to be whether this is something Americans would ever put up with if they were given the real truth about our class-divided system.
He interviews many former employees of the nation's biggest insurance and pharmaceutical companies and their testimonies are eye-opening and devastating. One woman breaks down into tears as she recalls having to tell people that their insurance wouldn't cover necessary medical procedures. Michael Moore, with a real talent for capturing a moment, provides ample footage of an immoral system.
Then he takes his cameras to Canada, England and France for a close-up view of the alternative, single-payer systems of these countries. And this is where the viewer needs to watch with a grain of salt. Yes, obviously Michael Moore is an advocate for the single-payer system. Yes, obviously Moore is going to highlight the best these systems have to offer. But ask yourself this, if these single-payer, government-funded programs are so rotten to the core, as right-wing opponents will have us believe, then where is the outcry? When are these Canadians, Brits and French going to rise up against their governments and demand private insurance for all? My guess, never. Because the vast majority of these citizens are very content with their currents systems. In fact, there are multiple quotes in the film by ordinary people that there would be an uproar if their governments ever tried to take away their socialized medicine. So it seems to make perfect sense for Mr. Moore to glorify the dedicated caregivers in these countries. After all, why not highlight the good these medical professionals provide in the absence of any insurance companies to deny them their obligation to treat people?
Now, and this is important, none of Michael Moore's attacks on the American healthcare system in the film is directed at hospitals, doctors, or nurses. At no time does Moore suggest that our system if failing because of the actual caregivers. This is an assault on America's health by corporate powers that, by their very definition, are instructed to turn a profit above all else. He clearly and shockingly shows us the levels private insurance companies will go in order to deny an individual healthcare. He shows us in blunt testimony by former employees that the company makes more when they are able to provide less. We see in stark terms that basic capitalism when applied to something like healthcare becomes an unethical, immoral monster.
And we now know, by a health insurance insider, the effect the popularity “Fahrenheit 9/11” had on the wealthy and powerful in America. Wendell Potter, a former Head of Corporate Communications for CIGNA, one of the biggest health insurance companies in America, has come forward on the PBS program Bill Moyer's Journal to discuss the secret plan by insurance companies to attack “Sicko” and Michael Moore, even before its release.
The “game plan” involved trashing foreign government-run healthcare at every opportunity, specifically highlighting the rare horror story of medical care gone wrong, and, more troubling, intimidating political figures by withholding campaign contributions to anyone who might endorse the film.
In a way this story disturbs by once again showcasing the power certain private corporations wield in our nation's capital. But also there is a bright spot: it shows that one man really can strike fear in the heart of the wealthy, powerful elite in America.
Whether you love Michael Moore or think he's the devil incarnate, you have to admit he deserves a tip of the cap for causing a mammoth industry like health insurance to quake, at least a little, in their boots. That, dear reader, is what makes America great.
Please enjoy the clip of Wendell Potter on Bill Moyer's Journal. Then you may scream at me for defending a “pinko” like Michael Moore.
If you are interested in getting involved in Michael Moore's quest for an American single-payer healthcare system, you can visit his website here http://www.sickocure.org/speechless/
Comments
THIS IS IT!
The healthcare reform bill released by the House Of Representatives is an excellent bill as I understand it. It is carefully written, and thoughtfully constructed, informed, prudent and wise.
This is the type of bill that all Americans can feel good about. And this is the type of bill that has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of healthcare for all Americans. Rich, middle class and poor a like. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and all other party affiliations. This bill has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life of every American.
The house healthcare bill should be viewed as the minimum GOLD STANDARD by which all other proposed healthcare legislation should be judged. All supporters of true high quality healthcare reform should now place all your support behind this healthcare reform bill released by the United States House Of Representatives, as the minimum Gold standard for healthcare reform in America.
You should all
"That, dear reader, is what makes America great."
I disagree. THAT is what makes America not utter sh!te. Very close though.
Jack Smith wrote: "This is the type of bill that all Americans can feel good about."
This bill proposes to Tax Individuals who make more than $350,000 to the tune of 5.24%. That's more than 20,000 dollars a year for each of those indivduals. For a commodity the American People pay twice as much money for when compared to other Industrialized Nations.
I'm all for Class Warfare but that is lunacy ! All of the money collected for this feudal effort will be shoveled in to a big hole for the sake of preserving the Rapatious Insurance Industry.
STOP THE MADNESS.....SINGLE PAYER NOW !
This movie did something I've never seen before. After it was over the audience began talking to one another. Then they moved out into the main entrance and kept talking. Everyone was furious at the health care industry! It was wonderful!
Its because of %hit like this that you really have to look further into facts when some blithely says its just a conspiracy theory. Conspiracies happen all the time.
The problem with Micheal Moore is that, while he does expose uncomftable truths, he also embelishes them to "prove his point" While this technique does emphasise what he's saying it also discredits his message at the same time.
Lying about the "missile factory" in BfC. Lying about the Bin Laden Family trip in F9/11 and so on.
If he stopped his lies then he would be alot more creditable.
The fact is "sicko" is a carefully edited movie providing Michael Moore`s limited view on healthcare. Dont waste your time watching this, most of the facts are twisted,embellished, and downright wrong. Get informed, dont watch editorial crap like this. Hollywood never has the answers. For example the 2006, Census
Bureau reported an all-time high number of 46.6 million uninsured americans in the US, however what Michael Moore doesnt tell you is about 40% are illegal immigrants. Check the census report, its there.
"This bill proposes to Tax Individuals who make more than $350,000 to the tune of 5.24%. That's more than 20,000 dollars a year for each of those indivduals. For a commodity the American People pay twice as much money for when compared to other Industrialized Nations."
If you're smart enough to post you're smart enough to know what 'tax brackets' are. Please look it up before posting again on the internet.
"Census Bureau reported an all-time high number of 46.6 million uninsured americans in the US, however what Michael Moore doesnt tell you is about 40% are illegal immigrants. Check the census report, its there."
Care to back that up with some real data or do you just take Hanity/Rush for their word and move on? Just a quick 20 second web search turned this up: The remaining 21 percent accounts for both legal and illegal immigrants. http -- www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/how_many_of_the_uninsured_are_us.html
I have to disagree with the follow assertion in your second paragraph:
"Until then, Michael Moore was easily dismissed as a rabble-rouser, a funny fat guy who liked to shake up the system a bit, but for the most part wasn't taken any more seriously than a Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert-type."
Are you implying that Stewart and Colbert are not taken seriously?
-Addy
Over 70% of Americans want single payer healthcare, and congress is ignoring that (in spite of it being the most cost effective and popular system worldwide) because they are afraid of the threats of the insurance companies. This is is corruption and extortion of the worst kind, and it will destroy this country if it is not stopped. This same style of corrupt corporate welfare is sucking the life from our economy in the form of banks panicking congress into signing blank checks. We are in the declining days of this country unless this can be stopped.
I imagine over 70% of Americans would also not want to work and be 100% supported by the government. Healthcare and all...
Wow that Michael Moore is something else isnt he!
RT
www.privacy-tools.tk
I don't mind paying health care providers. I do not think that micro managing, for profit, Private Insurance companies who are not even responsible for paying ANY medical charge.... YOU are responsible for ALL bills even if your Insurance company was paid to cover said bills.
I haven't seen the movie, but I don't need to given personal experience, where my in-laws went bankrupt when their Insurance company simply walked out of their state. They paid for insurance, my mother in-law got sick, and the insurance company simply stepped out of Texas. They are still in business, just not in Texas. Nobody else would cover her (now that she has a "pre-existing" condition.
Health Insurance companies absolutely have no incentive to serve us as patients. There is no money in THAT. They seek to serve only the healthy, in as much as possible, and push off the sick on to the government, and to the ER where the law requires treatment without regard to ability to pay.
WHAT A SCAM!
Joe: does it matter they are illegal immigrants? because what your saying is people not legally in the country deserve to die? Not only that based on your own info 20+ million people can get medical care and that ok with you?
we are all people, you visit Canada on a trip and get hurt but have no ID what do you think they will do, ill tell you what they wont do, they will not turn you away.
Phil wrote: "If you're smart enough to post you're smart enough to know what 'tax brackets' are. Please look it up before posting again on the internet."
Why do you duck the larger question and act like a typical liberal who hurls a lame insult when the underpinning of your argument is proven unstable ?
The real question is why should anyone be taxed for what the Americans overpay to the tune of 100% and receives substandard treatment ? PNHP and OECD data verify the presumption yet the Obama Administration proposes to confiscate 1 Trillion Dollars over 10 years of hard earned money from tax payers to finance a patchwork government program that would still leave 60% of the uninsured uncovered after implementation. During that same time wasteful Administrative Overhead in Private Insurance wastes 3.5 Trillion Dollars.
What gives the Government thr Right to do that ?
SINGLE PAYER NOW !
Bob, you didn't follow my advice and actually look up what a tax bracket is did you? Tsk tsk, you may have learned something today not broadcast over the radio.
You do realize that 1 trillion in 10 years is 100 billion a year. Which is about equal to what the three top health insurance companies made in revenue in 2007? Which means that that 1 trillion you like to walk around with you're already paying for. In fact, the total revenue for health insurance companies in 2007 was 400 billion. Well my goodness that's 4 trillion in ten years. 4 times the amount the gov't would be spending to bring you and everyone else affordable healthcare. So while you complain about 1 trillion in ten years, americans will have spent the same amount in 2 years on private insurance. But I figure you already knew that.
I'M YELLING BECAUSE ITS IRONIC
Phil wrote: "Bob, you didn't follow my advice and actually look up what a tax bracket is did you?"
Why should I ? Wasting tax money is wasting tax money no matter who is being dinged. Your argument is a best a tangential diversion. There is more than enough money in the US Healthcare System to care for everyone in this country. Why should the American People be taxed IN ADDITION TO the the absurd Premimiums, deductibles, copays and exclusion they already pay for ?
Phil wrote:"You do realize that 1 trillion in 10 years is 100 billion a year. Which is about equal to what the three top health insurance companies made in revenue in 2007?"
According to PNHP the insurance industry wastes 350 Billion Dollars every year so why is Obama picking the pocket of the American People when he has a source of cash is readily available ? Because he has the ability to do it ?
Phil wrote: "So while you complain about 1 trillion in ten years, americans will have spent the same amount in 2 years on private insurance."
What you fail to understand is Obama's Public Option is about "Preserving the Legacy" of the Insurance Industry. That is an exact quote from the man himself. The Public Option will do little if anything to relieve the American Public of the burden imposed on them by a rapatious Insurance Industry. For the Third Time the American People will be taxed on top of what they already pay to the insurance industry.
A Single Payer System would levy a tax in lieu of, IN LIEU OF insurance premimiums deuctibles and copays. And the resulting out flow of money to the American Citzenry would be lower than than what they payout for healthcare under the present system.
For all the additional expense the results would be poor. Current estimates indicate the Public Option would provide insurance for only 17 million of the 47 million people uninsured.
After watching Sicko, I'm ready to leave america.
at least part of the solution has to be taking responsibility for own own health. How would one begin to do so? www.goodbyehealthinsurance.com
when watching "sicko" in my class this year I clearly knew nothing about our health insurance, from all the comments on here most of you seem like college or common people in Amercia but I am a high school student. So to me this looked awful but I can't really understand why he would only talk to one faimly in france and one doctor about his life in england? Oh and Phil and Bob my god you two can argue a lot ever think about becoming politions or writers? (lol moment)
adding to myself I want the truth about both ours and other countries health insurance not just why ours is so bad. I really wish to know this because I'm a kid growing up in America and the movie "sicko" made me think why haven't we really done anything?
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