Posted on 07/13/2007 2:33:19 AM PDT by Baladas
CINCINNATI (Reuters) - Fresh from the hospital and still hurting from a $757 prescription drug bill, moviegoer Ron Jackson emerged from a screening of Michael Moore's documentary on the U.S. health system feeling outraged and exuberant.
"It's a great movie," said Jackson, 63. "I have insurance, and I still paid over $700 for one prescription -- just 30 days' worth. They've let Wall Street control the whole thing, it's as plain as the nose on my face."
Weeks into the staggered release of Moore's "SiCKO" across the United States, moviegoing Americans have revived the debate over national health care -- a staple in most of the developed world, but long resisted in the United States.
Health-care reform is a hot topic in the 2008 presidential campaign, and a slew of candidates have promised changes to bring better care to both insured Americans and the nation's 45 million uninsured.
Atia Huff, 64, said she was heartened by the applause that broke out at the end of the movie but worried only those who already agreed with Moore's outlook would bother to attend.
"I think it's preaching to the choir," Huff said.
Moore won an Academy Award for 2002's anti-gun documentary "Bowling for Columbine." He made more enemies -- and drew the label "enemy of America" from the right -- with a critical look at President George W. Bush's war on terrorism in his 2004 documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11."
"SiCKO" tells the stories of Americans who say they were denied life-saving treatment by insurers. The film has received mixed reviews, with some criticizing it for a lack of substantive comparison of the U.S. health-care system with that of countries that offer universal health care.
'IT'LL NEVER BE FIXED'
"It should be compulsory viewing for everybody, but some people don't want to hear," said Huff, a retired interpreter. She said she's already seen the movie twice -- the first time with a school teacher who said she'd worked too hard for her health-care benefits to pay for those who hadn't.
"I'm very pessimistic it will ever change," Huff said.
Many Americans remain firmly opposed to universal care.
"We are not a socialist country .... If our system is so poor, how is it we have one of the highest standards of living in the world?" asked Cincinnati electrician and businessman Mike Cavanaugh, who offers health insurance to his workers.
"Anyone, and I mean almost anyone, who is willing to go to work 40 or 50 hours a week and pretty much just do the minimum can have a decent life here," he said. "Tell Michael Moore to find a new home if he cannot appreciate the blessings this great country has bestowed upon him."
But in downtown Washington, Tom and Sue Stevens left a "SiCKO" screening more convinced than ever that the United States should adopt universal health care.
"We are ready, but the politicians and the businessmen are not. The health-care industry certainly is going to oppose this for all they're worth," said Tom, a college professor.
Sue, a retired medical technician, said she'd seen hospital administrators fight to contain costs for needed care.
"Everything now is based on cost -- how much money they can save. And a lot of people that work in hospitals themselves can't afford the insurance that hospitals offer because their pay is so low," she said.
In New York City, 75-year-old Philip Peppis said he was ready to vote for change in November 2008.
"How did this country get so completely selfish?" he asked after leaving a "SiCKO" matinee. "It's really embarrassing, the way this country treats people."
But in Columbus, Ohio, small business owner Sherry Pymer said she had no intention of seeing the movie and would never support universal health care.
"I'd be very, very afraid of that. You hear the stories about how bad health care is in Canada," said Pymer, 55. "Michael Moore is nothing to me. He's just somebody looking to get a big rise out of somebody."
The only words I would believe as the truth coming from Michael Moore are “Two Quarter Pounders” and “A large with everything.”
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
“Yes, just pour the grease into the fries cup!”
I love how Reuters and AP give so much free press to this movie, yet it still sinks at the Box Office.
And apparently Americans are “Cheering” the movie, but they’re certainly not going to see it. They had to figure out some way to report on the movie without getting into the numbers.
The only way MM could get cheers for this baleful piece of Socialist propoganda would be by having the last scene show his walrus shaped form under a sheet on a groaning gurney being wheeled out with a tag on its toe.
Michael Moore just looks at the menu, hands it to the waitress, and says “Yes.”
What does Denny’s buffet and health insurance have in common?
Michael Moore is the reason their cover-charges ere raised.
Michael Moore went to the hospital for an operation and needed a transfusion of whole Coca-Cola.
MM once went to the doctor to have synthetic fingers sewn on. When asked what happend, MM replied “I never knew my fingers were filled with the same stuff as twinkies!”
This is fun! It’s like Chuck Norris jokes about a socialist pig!
-It’s reported that whenever MM needs to have a heart bypass, he just shifts his gravity to pull him to the nearest hospital.
-While Chuck is the only man fast enough to run around the planet and punch himself in the back of the head, MM is the only thing large enough to *see* his on back of the head.
-Hubble telescope has recently discovered Life on Moore.
-Turns out, it’s not ice caps melting that raises the sea-level, just MM’s bath-time.
-MM walks into a bar. His next movie is due out in 2009, and will include eye-witness reports about how evil the bar is, and will begin lobbying for legislation against all bar-crimes in the future.
Good question. Sadly, this man is on the wrong side of the answers. I would define 'wanting everything free' as 'selfish'. He defines 'selfish' as 'everyone not wanting to pitch in and take care of poor old me'.
Right is wrong and wrong is right...
Yes, and a government monopoly system will provide state of the art everything to everybody, instantly without waiting, free of charge. Just like in Cuba.
He had to call it “Sicko” because there was already a copyright on “Doritos”.
LLS
Yes, it’s shocking that a documentary about health care would do less box office in the summer than a Harry Potter movie, a movie with 100 million dollars of robot special effects, and a disney animated movie.
It’s not doing nearly as well as Fahrenheit 9/11, but Sicko is already profitable (only 9 million dollars production cost) and that’s without the large amounts of overseas money he’s likely to pull in.
"How did this country get so completely selfish?" he asked after leaving a "SiCKO" matinee. "It's really embarrassing, the way this country treats people."
Guess he doesn't realize that at 75, he's past the age limit for care in "universal health care" countries. Good thing you live in America, where you can still get a heart transplant or hip replacement, Phil.
I have auto insurance, yet I still shelled out over $700 at the repair shop yesterday! Where's my nationalized car service!
I am "sick" of these socialist college professors. Can't we export them somewhere? Let them indoctrinate someone else's children with their tyrannical ideas and absurd, childish economic theories which have been proven over and over again to be miserable failures.
I got a suggestion for Ron Jackson and his nose: go to Havana and see how much your prescription will cost you there.
What’s that?
They never heard of that drug there?
Imagine that.
And yet, Phil, you're asking ME to pay YOUR medical bills?
Give this a little thought, see if you can figure out who the "selfish" one is here.
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