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 4 of 9)
46. Go right ahead Kyle Smith. Shoot down someone who is trying to do some good. With a nation that is overspending the most for medical care with the least effectivrness I say"Hoopla, for Miichael Moore". He is trying.
What have YOU done to help our health system? ZAt least his way is making more and more people conscious of what a mess this country has gotton into,
I guess you also voted the Bush Administration into office.
Figures.
Next time, if you can't say anything NICE, don't say anything at all.
Have a nice life.
Leda Slattery at 2:24PM on Jun 20th 2007
47. Anyone who has been to Cuba knows that their health care covers all cubans equally. There isn't a sufficient amount of medicines, etc. but that is the fault of the embargo. It is a fact that the poorest people of Cuba receive better care that the poor of the US. Why are we afraid to acept the truth or even look for the truth when we discuss Cuba. There are many deficiencies in Cuba and I would not want to live there because of many reasons including the lack of freedom but I can see the positive aspects of the Country too.
max HAHN at 2:25PM on Jun 20th 2007
48. Oh, dear; Mary #16. You're so wrong. "No one in this country makes more money than physicians and pharmacists"?? Physicians in private practice, depending on specialty and whether they take insurance, have incomes less than the person who sells you long distance phone service! The malpractice premiums for physicians in certain areas far exceed 50% of their income! A certain pediatrician in Texas, for example, who has over 60% of his patients on Medicaid, is in danger of losing his home because the State arbitrarily decided to withhold his payments. Even the State Medicaid Board admitted they were in the wrong to target him this way, but he still can't pay for his house! Yet he continues to treat the patients in his practice. Why? Because he's a honorable physician who got into medicine to help people. The real criminals are the heads of the insurance companies who regularly pocket year end bonuses in the tens of millions for avoiding payment to the health care providers. Think about that the next time you spew your blanket disregard for these people.
lindabarnes01 at 2:34PM on Jun 20th 2007
49. Moore does no more than fire-up and cash in on the venom in his audience. That the establishment calls his falsehood-filled, politically motivated propaganda films documentaries, is irrelevant because he has no credibility. The haters in his loyal following might line up to see Sicko, the discerning adult won't bother...
BirdmanJones at 2:36PM on Jun 20th 2007
50. Mirengoff needs to learn that talk is cheap and even cowardly when the target is not there to respond. What is this loud mouth idiot's solution to healthcare - NOTHING. At least Moore has the courage to tell the truth and take on the lies spread by the likes of Mirengoff
dlpolcin at 2:44PM on Jun 20th 2007
51. Michael Moore has created a new industry; the pseudo documentary. The millions of the naive and the gullible now have a champion who has discovered how to liberate their wallets while soothing their consciences peridically by feeding their craving for the " conspiracy " of the
conservatives to make the lives of the poor miserable and to obfuscate any attempt at progress in correcting societies ills. And what does he use as an example? Castro's Cuba, one of the most virulent dictatorships on Earth, where if he were a resident he would not need access to their vaunted health care system since he would have long since have had his corpulent body placed against a wall. His appearences in his little baseball hat and sneakers emphasize the cynicism with which he observes his foolish followers as he changes back into his custome made suit kept at the ready in his chauffer driven limo.
John Jackmore at 2:51PM on Jun 20th 2007
52. PEOPLE FORGET OUT OF 45 MILLION HALF OF THEM ARE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO CANT GET INSURANCE BECAUSE THERI .......ILLEGAL, AS FOR MOORE I WOULD NEVER CALL ANYTHING HE HAS DONE " FACTS " AND WOULD NEVER PAY TO SEE ANY OF HIS FICTISOUS BS MOVIES
JIM at 10:19AM on Jun 21st 2007
53. Michael Moore is just campaigning to replace Castro
DJ at 3:03PM on Jun 20th 2007
54. Thank goodness for Michael Moore having the courage to tackle this subject.
It is easy to spout off unless the shoe fits you, then you'll have a differnet idea.
Had to watch an uncle be denied medical care by a health insurance criminal who denied him medical care.
So you just continue to spout your vile until you are put this position
Victim of the Health Care System at 3:05PM on Jun 20th 2007
55. How do you measure relevance?
I was just wondering what the measurement of relevance is? Certainly, Moore’s films measured as a commercial success must be relevant. To the extent that Michael Moore’s films raise consciousness about a variety of subjects that he exposes people to, I would have to say that it is a measure of relevance.
Does Moore’s films create an instant revolution? Of course not, but change is almost always incremental. I for one like Moore’s documentaries and find that it is not necessary for me to agree with him on every point he makes. I do enjoy the clever and at times satirical juxtapositions that he presents, e.g. the concept of the Lockheed-Martin spokesperson commenting on the Columbine violence in front of a missile that his company is manufacturing.
In the final analysis Moore’s films only present a point of view, just thoughts and concepts. I find it quite comical that those on the right react so viscerally to free expression of ideas.
Jim at 3:21PM on Jun 20th 2007
56. Moore is that nerdy "fat kid" in school that everybody picked on. Now since he's made some money, he's using it to get back at people he blames for not making his life easier. That L in front of his face is appropriate.
Jim at 8:19AM on Jun 21st 2007
57. "Just like that lady that died on a hospital floor in California, with nurses and doctors looking on, the evil rightwing insurance came out, peddling the trash about her being a real lowlife, druggie and every other bit of trash personthey could find, just to justify their evilness to save a buck. " -Stavo
I love how you trash someone for labelling Moore "irrelevant", then immediately label healtcare workers as "evil Rightwing". Hypocrisy unbounded.
Matthew at 6:03PM on Jun 20th 2007
58. Did you happen to notice, the reviewer bashing Moore, deliberately avoided comment on Fahrenheit 9/11 which starred GW Bush and portrayed Bush as a useless incompetent ass, which in the years since was proven to be absolutely correct.
S. Merritt at 3:43PM on Jun 20th 2007
59. Bet you haven't even seen the film yet.
This is like no other Michael Moore film. It is not political in any sense. It is merely the truth, 100% of the truth. Bet your own health insurance program is the same as all of us. They do want they want when they want and the drug companies do as they please as well. It is said that more than 25,000 first responders to 9-11 are sick and dying with no insurance whatsoever. They volunteered to help and had no affiliation to the city or state and yet they are left to die because of the lack of our system to help them.
May you and your family need the vetoed stem cell research to save your life as my family needs it along with many many others. Why not write something about the administration and the doings of Karl Rove and the newest revelation about his protege US Attorney who said he didn't know what "caging meant" and yet an email was found from him to the RNC giving them instructions on how to deny people from voting using the caging method.
b.sinrod at 3:36PM on Jun 20th 2007
60. #50 Jim
Half of them are illegal immigrants? really? you have data to support that?
oh and "FICTISOUS"? Come on, aren't you attempting to sound smart.
I think Michael Moore is an idiot but he does bring our attention to things that probably deserve our attention. A nationalized health care system is not, however, the fix. Look at who would be running this system, the same idiots who are f-ing the current one up. Pure capitalism, without government involvement would quickly improve our healthcare and pocketbooks at the same time. After all, isn't the Government here for infrastructure and security? Who decided it would be a good idea for them to crawl into our healthcare and educational systems. ...Different discussion I guess.
J B at 3:41PM on Jun 20th 2007