Movies Reviews
By Anne Brodie Jun 27, 2007, 13:23 GMT
Movie Review: Sicko
And Also
Michael Moore - View Michael Moore Pictures - Michael Moore News
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Older Talkback
Michael Moore is a very succesful propagandist and comic. His films are always entertaining and usually tap into a 'hot button' controversial topic at the time. However, he rearranges, obliterates and changes so many facts that his material needs to be regarded as pure entertainment, not a documentary or work of non-fiction. For example, this particular movie highlights the wonderful availability of adequate health care for everyone in Cuba. Unfortuantely for the Cubans, this is not the case. Ancedotal evidence proves this by the sheer number of Cubans trying to come to America.
American health care is expensive and has horrible flaws; however, Canada, England and Cuba are not true utopian socities where perfect health care is available to all. I can tell when someone is trying to sell me something, and Michael Moore does a very convincing job, but I am not buying.
the problem with Moore is that he manipulates the data. For example he makes a major point that people in other countries live longer than in the US, presumely because of lack of health care.
More likely because like Mr. Moore we eat too much, get no exercise, smoke and drink to excess. National health care will do nothing for these ills.
Why would I want a health care system with the quality of public education, the efficiency of the postal service and the compassion of the IRS.
He discounts waiting times in countries with Socialized medicine, these are in fact quite real.
Above all Moore is an expert at Propaganda.
I think it is interesting that so many people are buying into this propaganda and not looking at some of the possible causes of why our health care system is the way it is. First of all, nationalized health care in France takes over 50% from every pay check you receive. You think everyone in the US is going to be ok with that? Second of all, perhaps the costs of hospitals that is parlayed onto every day people could be caused by the thousands of illegal immigrants that consistently receive care in the US. Maybe it's the individuals who are receiving health care with no insurance. I used to buy into the fact that it was so impossible to get insurance and what were we doing for these people...then I got to the real world. I graduated college with thousands of dollars in debt and a VERY mediocre job and I was still able to get independant coverage. Overall I think Moore likes to highlight what he sees as problems and not really explore ALL the possible causes, only the ones he believes are legitimate. Overall this is a problem with Americans on the whole...we believe what we're told. No matter what your political ties may be, ALWAYS question the 'news'. Everything is told from a point of view now and you'll only be hurting yourself if you don't look into the deeper causes of why things are being said the way they are.
America is kept aloft by dissent, so god bless Mr. Moore. I am constantly amused at the people who attack Moore as anti-America, when you consider the similar roles played by Jefferson, Franklin and the founding fathers. Our government, and especially the current administration, is rife with propagandists and media manipulators. Why do people continue to forgive the Bush administration for the outright lies told by Cheney, yet criticize Moore for his media tactics? Are you really more frightened by a film director or the group of ill-advised, uninformed, morally bankrupt megalomaniacs who comprise our executive branch? How far backwards are you willing to bend to make excuses for this murderous regime? I have to laugh when I hear conservatives brand Moore or the media as anti-American. The continued support of Bush and his cronies is anti-American.
WHAT KIND OF AN IDIOT WOULD SAY THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS THE BEST HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN THE WORLD SURE! IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT. MICHAEL MOORE BRINGS OUT THE SELFISHNESS OF THIS COUNTRY AND YOU MORONS DONT LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT IT
I'm just happy the right wing doesn't use propaganda - only mr. moore does it seams.
Talk about puppy-love. Anne definitely has the hots for Moore and certainly wouldn't allow objective considerations come into play when dropping to her knees to review this.
Good lord, lady ...
America may not be the best place in the world to live, but its still better than alot of places. What's great about America is that we have the opportunity to talk about how bad it does or doesn't suck to live here. America does not have the perfect health care system but we did get breaks other places- like property taxes. Apparently, though, Americans will attack anything just to be complaining. If it was reversed we would be griping about property taxes and would 'gladly pay less tax for health care for the prices to go down.'
Moore's film may be touching, but that's about it. In traditional
Michael Moore style, he takes a few extreme health care system
'failings' (like the people being rejected for being too thin) and
implies that this is the norm. I noticed that he didn't give us any
figures on the number of people who are routinely rejected because
they are too thin.
But in this case, we can probably forgive his assault on
reason. Health care is important! This is an issue that pits thousands
of poor, sick children against the billion dollar insurance industry!
A national program is obviously needed to ensure that they receive the
best care possible. For this, Moore turns to Europe's nationalized
health care systems, which replaces privatization (prioritization
based on what someone is willing to pay) with prioritization based on
'preceived need.'
Moore shows us Annette Noe, an American child which does not receive a
second ear implant because of a callous insurance company. When Moore
complains, the insurance company grants the operation, fearing bad
publicity. After all, bad publicity affects the bottom line. Moore
does not mention (or maybe he doesn't know about) the strikingly
similar case of four-year-old Elias Dillner, who after being fitted
with his first implant, was told by the Swedish government that the
second operation could not be 'prioritized.' The family would 'need to
wait.' They could not even opt to pay the 40K operation fee themselves
because in the words of Swedish legislator Robert Uitto 'People
shouldn't, on principle, be allowed to purchase care in the public
system.'
Forgive us Michael Moore. After seeing the inefficient systems that
the US government uses to provide education, Social Security, and
military security, we Americans are a bit skeptical when we are told
that health care is somehow a task that the public sector is
overqualified to provide. The sooner we get fools like Moore out of
the debate on health care, the sooner we can have an honest discussion
on how to make the system more efficient, not less. Ironically, Moore
himself hints at the first step. Let's stop giving the officials in
Washington so much control over how we treat ourselves. Let's take
away the power that billion dollar companies and their lobbies are
trying to buy with million dollar campaign contributions. This will
open up the playing field for smaller insurance companies to enter the
market.
The ear implant example used in this comment was taken from
www.reason.com/news/show/120998.html
Anyone that puts down Moore's Sicko is (1) making money in some way off of sick people in this country, (2) being paid to spread lies by others who are making money off of sick people in this country, or (3) just down right ignorant.
'
HardOnJun 27th, 2007 - 14:55:20
I'm just happy the right wing doesn't use propaganda - only mr. moore does it seams.
'
hahahAHAHHAHAHAhahahaHAHa idiot...
( What's great about America is that we have the opportunity to talk about how bad it does or doesn't suck to live here )
Well, la de friggin da. How nice it is to have that 'freedom' to 'talk about it' when a large cross-section of our country have to tell their kids they cannot go see a dentist because the government sees fit to ignore the population's health care needs. It's very 'theraputic' to be able to 'talk about how our country does or does not suck' whilst we watch our children's teeth rotting in their heads. God bless America for allowing us to 'talk about it'.
JAY (as an example among others):
1) You say Moore is a propagandist. Ok: do you know some department of politics that isn't propagandistic? If not, why say that? Is there relevant intellectual content in it, or are you just expressing an attitude toward Moore based on reasons other than his using propaganda techniques (so far as he does)? Then why not just state your real reasons directly? (Your real reasons *can't* be about 'propaganda'.)
2) You say ['...he rearranges, obliterates and changes so many facts that his material needs to be regarded as pure entertainment, not a documentary or work of non-fiction']. 'Pure' entertainment? Are you really qualified -- both in knowledge and in fairness -- to say that there's NO useful information in it, that the picture Moore presents doesn't resemble reality? C'mon!
3) You say that 'Ancedotal evidence proves...by the sheer number of Cubans trying to come to America' that Moore's depiction of 'the wonderful availability of adequate health care for everyone in Cuba' is false.
(a) 'Anecdotal'???
(b)If you cared to make an honest argument, you wouldn't need to take a course in Logic to see the illogic of your assertion. There can be many reasons people want to leave Cuba. NOTHING is 'proven' about Cuba's health care system by the fact that some Cubans try to escape. I interviewed a number of people in Cuba, some who did want to escape (or had tried), others who didn't. Among the things Cubans expressed dissatisfaction with, NONE mentioned Health Care as a problem (and EVERY SINGLE ONE mentioned 'el bloqueo' - the blockade, or 'sanctions' - as an evil).
(c) I escaped America and now live in England. The reason? I needed surgery on my knee, which I couldn't get as one of 47 million uninsured Americans. (There's an anecdote for ya!).
4) Logic again: that 'Canada, England and Cuba are not true utopian socities where perfect health care is available to all' is no argument whatsoever against Moore or his movie. Do you see that?
To whoever said that they take half your paycheque in France - this isn't true. Income tax is variable rate that runs between 10% and just under 50% depending on earnings.
Hey Carl, I'd bet those a lot of those indigent kids you speak of have color televisions and cell phones. It's all a matter of priorities pal!
NGM, c'mon, man. Touching? The documentary is meant to exploit the U.S. Health Care system. It can only outline just a few major failings (out of the countless) in our system because it is only a two hour program. Any longer than that and, yes, the entertainment value would deminish.
I like your stance but I think you give about just as much reason to not believe him as he does to believe him, except, being that Moore is a professional filmmaker, he is slightly more compelling. Making health care a government system is our only answer.
'... This will open up the playing field for smaller insurance companies to enter the market.' I'm sorry but this is only a temporary solution. These insurance companies will simply gain enough capital and steam to turn into larger companies and, again, focus on the bottom line. There is no end in sight as long as these private companies determine who gets and does not get medical treatment. No private insurance company is going to care for the greater good of mankind over their 401k. It's just not going to happen.
'The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.' -Thomas Jefferson
An indigent kid with an iPod or other electronic device does not equal a priority against health insurance. If their parents don't get coverage through work, the health insurance costs the equivalent of that iPod...per month. If they can even get coverage -- what if they have a pre-existing condition (even if you were covered by another company's health insurance you can be denied coverage with a new company), then it's two iPods. So unless they get an electronic device a month, it's hardly a priority.
Further, health care in this country works great if you have it provided by your company. This isn't a problem just for poor families -- think about graduate students, freelancers, artists, etc who might not be funded through a company. Insurance will cost a few hundred a month and then, again, it depends on whether it's offered.
Yet, when I was in Scotland for six months on a student exchange, I received regular medicine for my asthma, was diagnosed properly for that condition & didn't have to have an emergency room visit for my injured hand -- the 24 hour clinic cleaned the wound and gave me stitches. For free. Despite the fact I never paid taxes to Great Britain.
Yes, people had horror stories, but so do I. I'd much rather have everyone insured and see no difference than have a system where only the wealthy and well-employed can have horror stories.
Personally, I would rather see this debate about our education system. I think my tax dollars would be better spent educating someone.
Earlier, someone said SICKO was more fiction than fact. As someone who worked eight years as a claims analyst (aka medical adjuster) for Blue Cross Blue Shield carriers in two states ... and worked two more years in accounting for two medical product suppliers ... my take is that the film is more fact than fiction. And yes, I've seen the film (a friend shared their bootleg copy with me).
What is it within our culture that allows us to think that private companies and stockholders have some sort of right to profit off of people's medical misfortunes (or profit off the fears people have of them)?
I am a believer in universal health care. But this belief didn't come about through browbeating by any liberal wacko. It came about by witnessing the abuses of privatized medicine from the inside ... and I sleep much better at night, knowing I'm no longer a part of this abusive system.
However, I will pass on one word of advice to those forced to live under this barbaric unfeeling system. If you EVER feel that a claim is denied unfairly, send a letter to your insurance company THREATENING to file a formal complaint with your state insurance commissioner. To most medical insurance companies, the mere threat of insurance commissioner involvement is enough to get a more positive result on a claim. Companies receiving a certain number of complaints, even if some of them have no merit, can expect an unannounced AUDIT in their future. I experienced one of them. Basically, IC auditors walked into the office and FROZE all claims processing activity until they reviewed a representative percentage of claims. And if a certain percentage of those claims show irregularities, the total percentage to be examined by auditors will increase. In our case, we lucked out ... but were ultimately required to pay the denied claim complained about.
In short, an IC audit automatically means overtime for claims analysts once the audit is complete. And the amount of overtime depends upon how many claims go through the audit process ... which depends upon the number of payment irregularities found. And, if the IC auditors find a significant percentage of claims with payment irregularities, they can and will PULL THE LICENSE to do business in the state until company representatives show cause why it should be restored ... in front of a state review board that might not meet for months.
P.S. While working for my first Blue Cross Blue Shield carrier, one client sent a letter threatening to complain to the state IC. And even though the claim's nonpayment was due to the procedure being experimental, the company president authorized an immediate payment (six-figures) rather than risk an IC audit. That's how much IC audits are feared.
First of all, let me tell you Politics have gotten to the point that the politicians are about themselves and there political careers then they are about the people now. I don’t care if you are Republican , Democrat or whoever, for the most part they put up stuff saying what they will do for the people and it is all just about them getting into office.
Conservative or Liberal, Democrat or Republican no matter what side you want to believe has clean hands, they have all made themselves dirty in this 'Murderous Regime', some are just better at hiding it, but wait, if I remember correctly this is about healthcare and not the current regime. Right now it should not be about finger pointing, which all political parties are good at doing, but about stepping up fixing what is broke, our healthcare system. Our healthcare system is broke, but Michael Moore paints Social healthcare, another broken system as the way to go. Michael won’t have to worry about it from all the money he makes he will be able to afford private doctors on this system. I know several people from England and Canada and they will tell you how bad it is even though it is free (not really because most will have to pay up the wazoo in taxes) in to have to wait to get something taken care of that could take weeks to a month to it get done there and here a couple of days. Now if you have the cash and can afford it you can go see a private doctor and take care of it in the same time frame as maybe here in the United States. I am sure at some point if Social Medicine was put in place here that would get corrupt and the wealthy would end up paying the doctors to get in front of the line. Also the most of the good quality doctors would end up going to private practices that cost a lot of money and the mediocre to poor doctors will probably end up in the Social care system. Also another thing to look at is right now my wife is unemployed and I am the only provider. Things are a little bit tight on the cash flow. On a Social healthcare system right now I would have to pay out $100’s of dollars more on healthcare for someone else which I cannot afford to do.
What needs to be done is to find a way to fix our current health system without switching to Social medicine. To eliminate how much control or say the insurance companies have over what you can or cannot be treated for based on what is needed. Insurance companies are greedy and the thing that drives them is the fact that some of them are publicly traded on the Stock Market. The Board of directors and the Executives and the likes are trying to squeeze that extra profit out you. What for, the share holders and their own pocket books. What incentive is there for a company whose focus is on the profitability of the company for themselves and the stockholders when they should be more focused on the health of their members? Other words making Insurance providers privately held might be a good start.
Another thing that needs to be looked at is the companies that over charge for care. Not mentioning any names and here is an example. My son had to be flown to a hospital 2 hours away for an emergency. That flight on a helicopter was billed at $23,000 and some change. That flight should have only cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $7,000 and some change. This was more then 3 times the cost of what it should be. You can charter state of the art helicopters for around $1000/hr so 2 hours, which covers cost of fuel and pilot, which is $2000 for the one way flight, $4,000 for a 2 way flight and I have left 32000 to cover the cost of the flight/ground crew and equipment. These helicopters are probably doing in the neighborhood of 3-5 flights a day easily. That is a stockpile of money a day for just one day’s use of the helicopter.
I am sure there are more things to point out here, but this was just a couple of examples.
Any ways this is just my 2 cents worth.
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