Kyle Smith of the New York Post writes a nice takedown of Michael Moore's new move "Sicko." The movie has not yet been released, so we don't yet know for sure whether, like previous Moore films, it will be premised on a lie. As Smith notes, "the central idea of 'Bowling for Columbine' -- that the killers were subconsciously driven to their actions by the presence of a weapons manufacturing plant in Littleton ---turned out to be not only conceptually insane but literally untrue." In fact, the plant did not make what Moore called "weapons of mass destruction" but rather space launch vehicles for TV satellites. Similarly, "Roger and Me" presented Moore as unable to secure an interview with the GM chief Roger Smith. But, this "was also a 90-minute lie: Moore did talk to Roger Smith, a fact revealed by Ralph Nader."
"Sicko" apparently is built around stories of people who got the run-around from insurance companies. Such stories should be enough easy to find, so perhaps Moore was able to resist his usual practice of making things up. However, as Smith's review shows, these sorts of anecdotes are beside the point when it comes to rational debate about health care, given the ease with which one can find similarly chilling anecdotes about the health case systems Moore extols -- those of Canada, France, and England. (For a great send-up of the Canadian system, watch the excellent film "Invasion of the Barbarians" by leftist director Denys Aracand).
Smith provides plenty of evidence that should make us pause before seeking to emulate the health care systems of Canada, France, and England (much less that of Cuba which also draws particular praise from Moore). That doesn't mean that our system can't be improved or even that, ultimately, we shouldn't borrow elements from the system of one or more of these countries. It just means that Moore's film, if Smith has desccribed it fairly, is irrelevant to serious debate about these matters.
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 9)
16. I can't believe that people are griping about Michael Moore making money at other's people's expense. Isn't that the entire premise of the healthcare industry in this country? The pill pushers are sure as heck earning billions of dollars. Good grief, few people are paid as well as physicians and pharmacists in this country. That doesn't bother some people, but Michael Moore's gutsy exposure of such ripoffs does? I don't get it.
Mary at 12:38PM on Jun 20th 2007
17. Paul Mirengoff, this is where Michael Moore will continue to agitate
the minds of people like you. I do not hold brief for him, but the
wisdom of using fictional plants and characters is part of the show.
But don't you think something is wrong when the super power of the
world has more than 45million uninsured people. Don't you feel
ashamed that the superpower of the world has over 50 millions people
living in poverty? AND THIS IS NEW? NO. Don't think that charity
should start at home?Food for thought, and Micheal Moore will be
smiling again to the banks. Crazy, isn't it? DO YOU THINK PEOPLE
WITHOUT MEDICAL INSURANCE IS NEW? HELL NO, THIS WAS GOING ON WAY
BEFORE BUSH, WAY BEFORE, AND MICHAEL MOORE IS ONLY FOR MICHAEL MOORE
AND THE MONEY HE REAPS FROM STUPID PEOPLE WHO PAY INTO HIS
PROPAGANDA. THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE, NEVER HAS BEEN. MEDICAL IS WHY I
HAD TO SELL MY HOME LAST YEAR. WAS BLEEDING ME DRY, BUT MR. MOORE IS
NOT THE FIRST TO POINT THIS OUT. HE IS JUST A MAN WHO FEEDS HIS EGO
ON THE PROBLEMS OF THE WORLD, AND WE FEED HIM THE DOLLLAR BILLS, LIKE
WE FEED THE MEDICAL PEOPLE. ALL INSURANCE, CAR, HOUSE, MEDICAL IS A
TOTAL RIPOFF, PERIOD!!!!!!! ALL, AND IF THE GOVERMENT REALLY TAKES IT
OVER, IT WON'T BE SO SLAP HAPPY LIKE PEOPLE THINK! EDUCATED! WE DON'T
WANT BIG BROTHER WATCHING OVER US, ANYMORE THEN THEY ALREADY DO!
CAMERANS ON CORNERS NOW, WHATS NEXT! MR. MOORE IS NOT HELPING, HE
ONLY INSITES TROUBLE, LIKE REV. AL SHARPIE SHARPTON. IT IS AMAZING TO
ME HOW MANY PEOPLE WAKE UP, AND SEE GAS PRICES HIGH, MEDICAL HIGH,
HELL IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE THE 1970, EVERYONE ACTS SO SURPRISED.
FLIPPEN JOKE!! PROMISE, PROMISE, PROMISE, AND ALL STILL THE SAME, AND
IT WILL BE THE SAME WHEN BUSH IS OUT, BELIEVE ME.
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CUBA at 12:52PM on Jun 20th 2007
18. He is really a "SICKO"
Hannah at 3:24PM on Jun 20th 2007
19. Getting Busted By the U.S. Treasury
While making his new movie, "Sicko that Hates America", he apparently shipped some people down to Cuba to get better healthcare then what they were recieving. (In reality they were acting as "Mules" to bring back Cuban cigars, among other things that Moore likes to inhale regularly.) The Treasury was onto his little game, and he may be facing some major bustage! Go US Government Go! :)
THROW HIM OUT at 12:52PM on Jun 20th 2007
20. Michael Moore is a lightening rod for truth!He has expanded america's awareness and consciousness about the most important issues affecting americans.This new documentary Sicko will awaken many of the americans still asleep.The health industry we have now is a corporate scam.It's not about wellness,it's not about health.The current corporate health care we have now,is about how many sick people we can make,to make even more money.The republican neocons are the real sickos!!!!
tori at 12:50PM on Jun 20th 2007
21. Mr. Mirengoff once again would lead some down the garden path of his "egocentric materialistic" ideology. Anyone who disagrees with this ideology is some "sicko" or, horror of horrors, a liberal or "socialist."
What I find so sad is that this is an individual who is "supposedly" an educated person, as he likes to tell others that he is an attorney. What is evident is that, although he may be schooled, his "blogs" would indicate that he is certainly not educated, one with an open mind. It would appear that his "mind" was encapsulated a long time ago.
I often wonder: How do so many people manage to get through so many years of schooling while missing out on "education"? The only thing I can come up with is that they did not expend the time and money to get educated, but merely to acquire skills. That may be why so many serious college professors who are serious about real education are disgusted with so many "bright" college and university students as wasting not only their time, but that of the professors. In a recent conversation with one, he recounted one of his own conversations with another professor (80 years old and still teaching economics), in which the latter stated the following. The students may be "bright" but their time would be better spent on a factory floor. After reading Mr. Mirengoff's opinions over a period of time, one could easily conclude that he may be such an individual "schooled and skilled perhaps, but never educated." Otherwise, we would see much more than "reaction" in his opinions.
Perhaps it is what the 16th Century philosopher meant when he stated that, very frequently he much preferred the company of peasants as they had not yet been sufficiently educated such as to learn to reason incorrectly.
If Mr. Mirengoff wishes to have his "opinions" seriously, he might wish to do far more cogitation of his own and far less regurgitation of the "opinions" of others.
rlaitres at 12:50PM on Jun 20th 2007
22. NUMBER 13........MARY
YOUR VERY GUILLBLE!
THROW HIM OUT at 12:51PM on Jun 20th 2007
23. This is just childishly silly. The movie has, in fact, ALREADY had a major effect on the health care debate, for better or worse.
It's one thing to argue about the exact extent of the effect, and whether you agree with it or not, but to deny that it has had any effect is disproved by the very fact that this article exists.
jjohnny at 12:59PM on Jun 20th 2007
24. MICHAEL MOORE SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND SEE HOW THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM TRULY IS ELSEWHERE.
HE CAN WAIT TO SEE A DOCTOR FOR 6 MONTHS BECAUSE THATS THE TRUTH OF HOW IT IS. YES, IT MAY BE FREE BUT THEY ALL PAY THE FEE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND THEN CANT EVEN GET A DOCTOR THATS AVAILABLE. I JUST WATCHED MY FRIENDS BROTHER IN EUROPE WHO HAD PNEUMONIA SUFFER, A DOCTOR WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR HIM. THINK ABOUT IT. OUR INSURANCE MIGHT BE EXPENSIVE, BUT IN THE USA, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET IT COVERED IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM IF YOU ARE WITHOUT. WHO ARE YOU KIDDING? WAKE UP! THIS IS THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD! WHY ARE PEOPLE TRYING TO DISCREDIT THEIR OWN COUNTRY? THAT IS AN EMBARASSMENT.
soreal at 2:01AM on Jun 21st 2007
25. Oh, and this little lawyer blog is relevant? and going to help solve our health care disaster? Michael Moore is relevant and making a hell of a difference in the world.
Dave at 1:13PM on Jun 20th 2007
26. Michael Moore is in the movie business. In business, the goal is to make money, like anyone else. A lot of people make money with horror films, animation, action films, etc. But I think the objective of Moore's movies are to get us to think about "what may be wrong" while we are being told that everything is right. I believe we have learned to adapt to the abuses of some of the "services" that we have no choice but to rely. And the sad part about it, is that there are other countries that have excelled at being more efficient in their delivery of services. Hey, but we can deliver war efficiently! Well..maybe we can't even do that anymore.. By the way.. how valueable is the American dollar? Ah who cares! We are the champions of consumption! Gimme a gas guzzling SUV, a credit card, a gun, some fast food, and prescription drugs and I'm good! Yeah.. until you get sick from it all. But who needs good health care anyway... America is the land of sane, healthy, constructive consumption! Didn't you get the memo?
mikeylikesit at 1:24PM on Jun 20th 2007
27. I agree with the last comment by Mary. Everyone is in this country to make money. But it seems whenever someone is making money saying or doing something we dont like all of a sudden they dont deserve to be making money. Thats funny. No one starts off just having money unless you were born into wealth. So I think ya need to remember that when Michael made Roger and Me it was pretty low budget and I doubt he was making the bucks he is now. Its called hard work and dedication. Dedication because after Farenheight 911 he could have stopped making political films. Who cares about problems when you have money right? But he DIDNT! Hes STILL sticking with the same routine he started with! EXPOSE! Obviously this is a society that is uncomfortable with the truth. I realize that everyday especially reading articles like this one. People will tell themselves anything to preserve their own sanity. If people came to terms with how the world really is we'd all go crazy. Or maybe change. And to most people change is the equivalent of losing control and going crazy anyway. Ya dont have a believe a word Michael Moore says. Its not like any of his films will ever be objective. If I were making a film about myself I would probably leave out the bad stuff. So dont believe Michael Moore. But how bout this...give a dam and do the research and check for yourself. Before you scrutinize.
Isheba Harris at 1:15PM on Jun 20th 2007
28. Its seem the right wing fanatics are afraid of this Moore, the facts are that they are. For one thing the medical profession in america is the most corrupt grows of crooks in the world. For instance on a overseas trip i had a ingrown toe nail, it costed me $36 to see the doctor, pull the toe nail and pain shot with medicine, in america $1,000 or more maybe two thousand. Any corrupt group who charges $6.00 for a aspiran in the hosipital needs to be taken over. The candians and mexico are missing a big chance to make billions off of mega hosipitals on there borders.
tim at 1:16PM on Jun 20th 2007
29. Amazing, still showing "stings" caused by the Moore films and attempt to call the filsm and Moore irrelevent...LOL, spin it whichever way you want, there were great TRUTHS exposed for those willing to see/comprehend and have conscience enough, integrity enough to attempt to move towards something better , in the greater common intersts of all not just the few or "elite" who have ripped off so many irregardless of true ethics/morality or simple human compassion in order to rip a bigger profit. So MANY of the "compassionate" Christians/religous sorts SHOULD BE deeply ashamed and remorseful but are not so spin it to make it "seem" not THEIR fault such abuses happen over and over and over never comprehending it IS detrimental to ALL in the very end of it all.
Bozly at 2:03PM on Jun 20th 2007
30. Im your typical middle class had insurance all my life never needed it untill layed off at 58 belive me they will let you die with out insurance
withoutinsurance at 1:19PM on Jun 20th 2007