1981. IFEEL SORRY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT DO NOT REALIZE
MICHAEL MOORE IS TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR
COUNTRY. HE TOLD THE TRUTH ABOUT BUSH IN FARINHEIT
911. SHOWED BUSH & HIS DADDY KISSING ALL THE ARABS
THAT CONTROL THE OIL! THIS ADMINISTRATION IS SO
CORRUPT AND NEOCONS JUST WILL NOT BELIEVE THAT. BOY!
WILL HISTORY TELL ALL. WE NEED TO IMPEACH CHENEY
& BUSH!!

Yenttia001 at 4:23PM on Jul 15th 2007

1982. IFEEL SORRY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT DO NOT REALIZE
MICHAEL MOORE IS TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR
COUNTRY. HE TOLD THE TRUTH ABOUT BUSH IN FARINHEIT
911. SHOWED BUSH & HIS DADDY KISSING ALL THE ARABS
THAT CONTROL THE OIL! THIS ADMINISTRATION IS SO
CORRUPT AND NEOCONS JUST WILL NOT BELIEVE THAT. BOY!
WILL HISTORY TELL ALL. WE NEED TO IMPEACH CHENEY
& BUSH!!

Yenttia001 at 4:23PM on Jul 15th 2007

1983. Michael Moore may not be the most likable person, but he's at least doing something. I may not always agree with his methods, but until someone else has the guts to bring these sensitive issues, and the truth about them to the public, and do something to remedy the problems, no one has the right to say a word. It's those who have all they need that complain about him.

Linda Young at 8:11AM on Jul 16th 2007

1984. Michael Moore is a gross fat over barring slob! Why they even want to hear what comes out his mouth. He is NOTHING TO ANYBODY!!! Maybe he and Rosie can get together and have fun. They are so much alike. Completely WACKED!!!

crystalstar23 at 6:16PM on Jul 16th 2007

1985. What he doesn't tell you is that this so-called "Universal Health Care" would jack up our federal taxes to around 40 percent. Look at Canada; sure, they have free health care, but they lose almost half of their paychecks every month to taxes. Sorry, but most people who would benefit from "Universal" health care (like me) can't afford to lose half of their wages. I'm all for health care reform, such as regulating prices and capping service costs, but the Dems don't want that; every time a "health care reform" is suggested, they demand universal health care, claiming it is the only thing that will aid those in poverty. I'm in poverty, and I can tell you now: I CAN'T AFFORD UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE!!! Most everyone in middle and lower-class can't afford it... it will hurt those it is intended to help.

Dave the Insomniac at 5:11AM on Jul 17th 2007

1986. In response to David the Insomniac (1978):

In Sicko, MM does not suggest a specific health care plan, but acknowledges that taxpayer money would fund any plan, as it does every function of a government-administered program.

But this is important: MM points out that through insurance premiums, co-pays and deductibles individuals pay out at least the same amount as we would if we were paying for healthcare through our taxes. The current third-party system puts an especially harsh burden on individuals or families where there are chronic illnesses or catastrophic medical emergencies.

In a single payer system, instead of paying deductibles and co-pays, when you need medical services, you go to doctor, get tests and prescriptions and you pay nothing at the time you get that service. And, perhaps best of all, no third party a bazillion miles away whose paycheck/bonus is tied to whether or not s/he denies your claim. It's like going to public school. Paid for by taxes; no admission to pay at the school door everyday for 12 years.

In fact, as MM further states, a single-payer government system works now: Medicare and Medicaid. And the prescription plan seems to be functioning fairly well. Another program that works: Social Security. Seniors get their checks on time and it's the right amount.

As long as it's not contracted out to Haliburton, I wouldn't be especially concerned about a government-administered program. The point is to remove the third-party payer sitting in an office SOMEWHERE who has no medical or health care knowledge but whose paycheck is tied to the number of claims s/he turns down.

Finally, MM has said in interviews that we can take lessons from other countries' HC systems and yet none is particularly directly translatable in the US. He says something like let's steal the stuff that works and ignore the rest. There are merits to certain aspects of the Canadian, British, French systems. The German system has one which, modified, might be a good model for the US.

Perhaps we can learn something from the new Massachusetts mandatory h/c system.

Liz at 7:12AM on Jul 17th 2007

1987. Dave Neal:

You're right. Moore's ambushing people is awful.

But in the spirit of even a broken clock is correct, twice a day...he's right about the need for affordable accessible health care.

Or do you prefer it that some nameless, faceless, non-medically trained clerk in an office 1000 miles away gets to decide your claim based on how much of a bonus s/he'll get if it's denied?

And I ask yet again, why would you attack the messenger rather than the substance of his claim?

Liz at 8:05AM on Jul 20th 2007

1988. Omar Rondon:

Actually, MM DOES like it here and thinks that what is great about this country is that people with good ideas can make it better.

Furthermore, if this country is as great as you seem to think, then surely it can withstand MM's constructive criticism.

You are right to value the Constitution and its provisions. One of them is fairness to all and it seems to me that access to universal healthcare coverage for ALL Americans would be a very fair thing indeed.

Democracy requires good citizenship: being informed about the issues and requiring your government to live up to its primary responsibility: the protect of the nation's citizens.

Or do you think the fact that there are 46 million people without healthcare coverage (including 9 million children) is fair and democratic?

And I ask, yet again, why would you attack the messenger rather than the SUBSTANCE of his claim?

Got ideas?

Liz at 2:37PM on Jul 21st 2007

1989. In ref to Carol:

The situation you find yourself in saddens me greatly. The US healthcare system is a disgracen and you are caught in one of its horrid ironies.

I'm sorry that a nation where there is so much wealth, there is also so much imbalance at the other end.

I just received the email below from MoveOn. It may be of interest to some of the readers here.

Stay positive, Carol, and know that Congress is acting on the situation. Perhaps you can take heart from this.

From MoveOn:

In the wake of Sicko's box office success, Congress is debating the largest expansion of guaranteed health care coverage in over 40 years.1 This is our chance to make progress on health care.

Democratic leaders want to offer free health care to millions of uninsured children. Who could be against that? But President Bush is afraid insuring kids is a slippery slope—opening the door to affordable health care for everyone. How terrible.

Bush is threatening to veto if the bill passes, but some Republican senators are ignoring him in favor of insuring kids. We still don't have enough votes to override Bush's veto, though—and the Senate vote is just days away.

Can you help win the biggest health care victory in decades? Clicking here will add your name to the petition:

http://pol.moveon.org/kidshealth/o.pl?id=10851-4840327-mioN73&t=3

After you sign, please forward this email to friends with kids—and any email lists you're on for PTA groups, childcare, or kids' sports teams. We're teaming up with our friends at the Service Employees International Union and others to collect petition signatures. We'll deliver your signature and comments just as key lawmakers are deciding how to vote on our kids' health.

For the last decade, a public program called the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) has provided health insurance to many low-income kids. Congress must renew the program by September or it will disappear.

But Democratic leaders are fighting to do even better—expanding the program to include millions of children still not covered. "There are more kids without health insurance than there are kids in the first and second grades," said the Democratic senator in charge of the bill.2

They'll pay for it by cracking down on for-profit health insurance companies who are ripping off the current system or taxing tobacco.

This bill won't bring us affordable health care for everyone, but it's a step in the right direction. Just look at why President Bush is so worried: "My concern is that when you expand eligibility...you're really beginning to open up an avenue for people to switch from private insurance to the government."3
Bush has called this the "beginning salvo" of the health care fight.4 Please sign our petition to make sure we win this first round. The vote is this week.

Liz at 2:58PM on Jul 23rd 2007

1990. A man who can be trusted to speak the truth. Are you married Michael?

lily finch at 9:05PM on Jul 25th 2007