Sicko Review
I'm not exactly proud that I downloaded Michael Moore's new movie 10 days before its supposed to be released. Maybe I'll make it up by writing to my congressmen or by writing this review or heck maybe I'll even go pay to see it again. I don't think Michael is in it to make money anyway.
I have to be honest, I wasn't totally impressed with "Fahrenheit 9/11". I enjoyed it, but I doubt it changed very many people's minds about anything. Basically, it was too polarizing and the way it was done let in a lot of criticism about bias, especially how Michael questioned people. I think "Sicko" is going to blow it out of the water. First of all, health issues know no political party and the health care system doesn't have very many backers these days. Second of all, Michael did a much better job with his questioning and attitude. He almost seemed to be playing the conservative's advocate at times.
Moore travels to around to a bunch of countries that already have socialized medicine to see how they work. He debunks the myth that their universal health care is of lower quality. Even the facilities in Cuba were clearly old but well maintained and clean. Another criticism of socialized health care is that you have to, you know, wait in line. Honestly, thats a pretty laughable criticism at best, but it turns out that's not true either. Just about everyone in the waiting rooms had hardly been waiting at all before they were helped. I've waited way longer in just about every doctor's office I've ever been in.
Another myth he proves wrong is that of the poor doctors who won't be able to afford their wife's third BMW. One doctor he interviews in England makes $500,000 a year working for the government health care system. He jokes that he lives fine with his million dollar home and new Audi, but if he needed 3 of them then he'd probably need to move the U.S. The doctors also say they're happier because they never have to live with the guilt of turning someone away who needs help.
When he takes the 9/11 firefighters to Cuba is probably the highlight. Moore really knows how to highlight the hypocrisy of an issue. After the complaints about treatment of Guantanamo detainees some republicans go into great detail explaining the excellent health care they're getting. It's actually far better than the 9/11 firefighters are getting. The plan wasn't to actually go to Cuba since Guantanamo is technically American soil. I think the funniest line to me was when he was sitting in the boat in the bay pleading through his megaphone, "they just want the same care as the evil-doers".
After getting turned away there they actually go into Cuba where one of the firefighters finds medicine she's been paying $120 for in the states for only 5 cents. She says it feels like she's being insulted that they're just giving medicine that has caused her to be bankrupt. I'm insulted and I don't even need medicine right now.
The overall feeling I got from the movie was unsettling, which I doubt I'll be alone in. I now feel like I'm just waiting to be financially wiped out by a broken leg and the government isn't doing anything to protect me. How's the saying go, "we're fighting them over there so the HMOs can kill us here". He even shows that Nixon was the one who originally threw us to these wolves thanks to those nifty tapes he left us. He really is asking a good question with the film, why don't we have the safety and security of not having to worry if we get sick that these other poorer countries have? Profits are trumping human life and those aren't the values I was raised to believe America stood for. Clearly the rest of the world doesn't stand for that and it ends up making us look either like we really are sickos or we're weak that we allow it to happen. If you've ever joked about immigrating, "Sicko" will make you think again, only this time maybe more seriously.
My hope for this movie is that it shames the United States into action. After seeing all of the incredible health care that people around the world are getting for free and the absurd prices we're paying here I feel like living in the U.S. is the equivalent of walking a tight rope with no net. In reality, its not "free" health care, they're paying plenty of taxes for it. In a way its a sort of mandatory health insurance where the rich simply pay more so that the poor can have decent insurance as well. The rich should look at it as forced philanthropy, maybe they wouldn't feel the need for their gated communities if there were a little more willing to share.
I truly hope this sparks a fire for socialized medicine in the U.S., its made me angrier about the issue to be sure. I have a feeling this is going to make Michael Moore to health care what Al Gore is to global warming. Hopefully that means some politicians will grow some spine and do whats right. Too bad it takes a film and public outcry to get anything done. If they won't lead, we'll have to do it.
Discussion
Craig wrote to me about my Sicko review and had some contrary opinions on the subject of socialized health care. I feel that he is expressing the views that many people have and so with his permission I'm going to share our discussion with you. I will update it as the discussion continues. His responses will be in green and mine in blue.
7.9.07
"He debunks the myth that..."
"Another myth he proves wrong is..."
You accept Michael Moore's selected anecdotes as "proof"?
Whether or not we like it, drugs cost more than 5-cents to develop, produce and distribute, and the fact that someone is only paying 5-cents means the difference is being made up by forcing someone else by taxation or other means.
The main reason any socialized system is working with even the slightest efficiency is because the last bastion of capitalistic healthcare still exists in the US, and the drug companies know they can still make up for below market international sales by selling at higher prices in the US. Foreign socialized systems are simply parasites on US consumers or local taxpayers, but once the US goes socialized we will have killed the golden goose. Once drug companies can't profit on the billions they spend in research, they'll stop investing.
All forms of socialism are parasitic by their very nature and can live only as long as the host is willing to tolerate them or until the parasite gets too greedy and kills it's host.
The ignorance of the average person who buys into Moore's nonsense is truly baffling. It doesn't pass an introductory level of understanding of economics or logic.
Craig
7.10.07
Hi Craig,
I don't agree with what you're saying. I realize that drugs cost more than 5 cents with R&D costs, however I believe that the rest of that cost should be paid for with everyone's tax dollars. Clearly taxes would have to be raised, but I'm far more willing to pay the government that is at least some what directly accountable to me compared to the pharmaceutical company is accountable only to our representatives which has already lobbied and clearly bought.
I also don't accept as "proof" you saying that socialism is parasitic by its very nature. You're just saying that. Tell me exactly why you believe it is parasitic and we can have a real discussion. I believe the parasite that gets too greedy and kills the host analogy is exactly what we're seeing in capitalism. In fact its very apropos to our privatized health care. The HMOs and pharmaceuticals are getting too greedy and literally killing us in pursuit of profits.
I actually believe capitalism and markets are fantastic for what they're meant to do. Distributing goods and services in pursuit of profit, but the underlying driving force is money not the welfare of citizens. It needs to have bounds, it needs our values imposed upon it by laws. We've allowed the market place to begin buying and selling representation in our government because its simply more profitable to buy influence there than to pay heavy fines. Capitalism is doing exactly what its supposed to do, but it's gotten out of hand. The magic hand is an invisible hand.
I'm very interested in what you have to say because I really believe these are important issues and I'd like to know what someone who opposes them thinks. In other words, nice to meet you.
Tao