Cuban ambulance corps:
Posted on 06/18/2007 6:51:17 AM PDT by presidio9
Michael Moore thinks he has made an even-handed movie about health care that should appeal to the civic-mindedness and decency of all Americans.
And now he's bracing for the hate mail.
The gadfly director, who spoke to reporters at an unusual northern Michigan premiere for his documentary "SiCKO," said he expected the U.S. pharmaceutical and insurance industries to go on the offensive against his call for a sweeping overhaul that would give the United States a national health care system.
"I am anticipating the onslaught of attack," Moore said.
But he added: "My hope in this film was to reach out across the great divide that exists in this country and say you know, those on the other side, who may disagree with me, can't we find some common ground on this issue? We're all Americans."
Moore won an Academy Award for 2002's anti-gun documentary "Bowling for Columbine" and made more enemies on the right with a critical look at President George W. Bush's war on terrorism in his 2004 documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11."
"Sicko," which opens in theaters on June 29, details the painful stories of Americans who say they were denied life-saving treatment by insurers or forced to forego emergency treatment at hospitals because they could not afford to pay.
As counterpoints, Moore tours Canada, Britain and France and feigns amazement when confronted with evidence that those national health care systems provide better basic care.
Moore said he has been notified he could face federal prosecution for visiting Cuba to escort a group of Americans seeking medical care in violation of U.S. travel and trade restrictions.
"I am worried about it. They have notified me that I am being investigated for civil and criminal penalties," he said.
Moore agreed to screen "SiCKO" first in a heavily Republican area in his home state as a fund-raiser for the Antrim County Democratic Party.
The local Democratic party counted an active membership of just 30 when President George W. Bush took office and has struggled to field candidates in local races.
With a red carpet improvised from door mats, the Main Street premiere brought in over 880 people at two screenings on Saturday, a party representative said.
Moore said he hoped the documentary would shape the debate ahead of the 2008 presidential election, saying he thought most Americans were ready to accept sacrifices now to provide coverage for the 47 million Americans without insurance.
"If that means I have to wait four weeks for a knee replacement, I'll wait," he said. "I believe that the majority of Americans would agree with that."
Separately, Moore said he would not prosecute those already circulating bootleg copies of the still-unreleased documentary on the Internet. "I'm happy for people to see my movie. I'm not a big fan of the copyright laws in this country," he said.
The smart thing to do is to totally ignore this fatso. He is banking on publicity and controversy to sell tickets to his polemic. Let the Lefties buy tickets. That won’t be enough to show a profit on this tribute to socialism.
I bet there is no mention of illegal aliens flooding the ER’s in this piece of agitprop.
Cuban ambulance corps:
Cuban ambulance corps:
The contention that anyone in America is “forced to forego emergency treatment at hospitals because they could not afford to pay” is absolute and total bullsh!t. No one gets turned away from emergency rooms regardless of their ability to pay (or their immigration status unfortunately). That is the law.
Its also a fact that is conveniently ignored or completely misprepresented by those who promise the utopia of “nationalized health care”.
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: If you like the way the government delivers your mail, collects your taxes, and secures your borders, you’ll LOVE the way they deliver your healthcare.
“Let the Lefties buy tickets”
Their equivalent of “tithing”.
Maybe the Sicko thrives on onslaughts...
Try more than seven months! Socialized Medicine=Rationed Health-Care.
Over 65?, forget hemodialysis , pacemakers and open heart surgery. Seniors get with the program. You are expendable under socialism.
“I am anticipating the onslaught of attack,” Moore said.
What he means is that he is hoping for the free publicity such an onslaught would bring. He’s just trying to gin up some buzz.
I understand Mr Moore travelled to the UK to learn about how our wonderful National Health Service is so fantastically better than what is offered in the US.
All I can say is the Utopian image portrayed is at variance with the experiences of most Brits!
Frankly, there are problems with the health care system in the US, but then there are always problems with such things. At the very best (and I mean the VERY best) going over to a nationalised health care system would just mean swapping one lot of problems for another. It wouldnt make people any better, but they might FEEL better :)
A movie based on the opinion of disgruntled people who have their chance are having their mugs in a film for the first and only time in their lives.
IGNORE HIM!
I have a friend in Canada who waited years for surgery on her knees.
"I am worried about it. They have notified me that I am being investigated for civil and criminal penalties," he said.
Has Fatty been officially notified by a Federal agency? Who is the "they" he is referring to? Or is hs just trying to whip up the anti-Government types?
BTW - the socialized medicine he touts as so wonderful - isn't the UK considering denying medical services to people who are grossly obese?
Any film producer who gets a sustained standing O in Cannes is on my ‘List’.
Healthcare run by a beauracracy like the DMV or DOT? I sure the hell don’t want that!
After the government seizes his movie and drags him to a concentration camp, or before?
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