Michael Moore was invited on CNN with Wolf Blitzer and was first shown a piece by Dr. Gupta supposedly doing a "fact check" on Moore's new movie Sicko about the need to fix our broken health care system. See the real truth about that fact check.
Then watch the two part interview by Blitzer - it's awesome.
A great book on the state of our health care is called Critical Condition by the pulitzer-prize winning investigative team of reporters, Barlett and Steele. Supported by excellent research, they make the case that the deal-makers of health care organization mergers, the CEOs, and the executives make huge profits even while their organizations are providing bad health care and going bankrupt. They explain why the poor and singly insured are charged more for the same care - often double or triple the price - because large groups negotiate lower prices. Critical Condition makes it clear why the World Health Organization now rates the US 39th in the world for health care.
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3 comments:
michael moore is such a blowhard. kathy, i have the utmost respect for you, the work you do, and this blog. but it's hard to digest any message put forth by someone so polarizing. he's just as guilty as the "mainstream media" when it comes to soundbites and rhetoric. i have never seen any of his movies and i don't plan to see this one. agree that something needs to be done about our healthcare system, but i have a hard time subscribing to his brand of reform.
i just picked up "second opinion: rescuing america's healthcare" by arnold relman. i'll let you know how it is next time i see you.
Renee, it's hard to digest any message of Moore's if you haven't read it. That is to say, calling Moore a "blowhard" and "polarizing" when you haven't seen any of his movies is akin to writing a review of a book you haven't read.
Do yourself a favor and see "Sicko." It might surprise you. Even Fox News gave it a thumbs up, which isn't necessarily a compliment, but no matter what you think about it, that movie has suddenly brought healthcare into the national conversation like nothing else has ever done. That alone is reason to fork over your $8 for a ticket.
Moore is definitely a blowhard. The word "self-aggrandizing" also comes to mind when describing his approach.
Moore uses an approach common to activists (both "left" and "right") who want to get their message out to a large audience: grabbing media attention. Of course it doesn't hurt that he's very funny, and has mastered the art of the documentary.
My advice: Don't let that get in the way of his message. Moore's heart is in the right place, and you don't have to agree with EVERYTHING he says to see the basic premise of the movie: Our health care system is broken, and the profit motive has taken over.
I have not read Relman, but from the title it sounds like he has an approach or solution in mind. Moore does not give us the solution. His movie is a call to action.
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