I don't know about Michael Moore. I really don't... I remember watching 'Roger and Me' way, way back in the day and being impressed. He seemed like a passionate filmmaker who really cared about issues and wanted to tell stories and bring up important issues that mattered in contemporary America. I think Bush unhinged his brain.
We're watching 'Sicko' right now and as usual- it's an important issue masquerading as a polemic, designed to make you think certain things but withholding important pieces of information. I'm not going to speak to the validity of his points about the state of the American health care system, but I do take issue with his portrayal of the Canadian and British systems. He only shows the good parts of these systems- especially the British one.
He may interview Tony Benn (surely the most moderate, objective voice on any issue- please note the sarcasm in my writing!) and may talk to happy American ex-patriots, but the reality of the British and the Canadian systems is this:
1. They pay higher taxes- like significantly higher taxes than Americans do. In America, the idea is for the government to take as little as possible from us. In Europe and elsewhere, people are willing to give up more of their money, but they expect quality public services in return. The social contract is different- doesn't make it right, but it's just the facts. (To be fair- he just pointed that out and went to talk to 'an average French family' about their lack of debts and medical bills- neglecting to find out how much of their pay checks per year get taken by their government. He then goes on to say how much he 'loves the French.' Which makes me wonder just how many French people has he met?)
2. Can they sustain this over the long term? An interesting, controversial question that is very carefully avoided. If you think demographic pressures of an aging population are bad in America (especially where Social Security and Medicare are concerned) you should try Europe. It's worse. And the crisis that's going to break there within the next 20 years is going to make our crisis over the future of Social Security/Medicare look easy.
3. He's right about one thing. People should be pissed off. People in this country are inherently good. I trust local and state politicians more than I trust anyone who we send out to Washington, because your state and local politicians are people you see in your grocery stores, in your towns- they are, in a very real, everyday way, your neighbors. And it's hard to screw your neighbor over. Go to Washington, however and suddenly you fall into the travesty that our federal government has become- the nexus between the rich and the politicians, most of whom are rich themselves. I think Dwight D. Eisenhower was downright eerie- we should be careful about the military-industrial complex- and the political-industrial complex. Because they're getting richer and we're getting poorer. Socialism does exist in this country, but it's for the rich.
4. Cuba! ARGH! This is where he loses me entirely. Talk about exploitative film-making at it's worst. Of course when he takes them to the Cuban hospitals they get grade A treatment- I'm surprised the Cubans didn't roll out the red carpet for them- a camera crew and an American camera crew to boot? No way they'd get any special treatment at all. (Oh and there was an epidemic of blindness on the island in the mid-90s- because people were malnourished under this awesome, kick-ass health care system of theirs. And yes, they are generous with their doctors- which is to their credit, providing you don't mind a healthy dose of political indoctrination with your meds.)
However, I do have to agree with him- the embargo against Cuba is just stupid and is more about politicians wanting Florida's 25 electoral votes than about sensible foreign policy.
In the end, it's the per usual superficial look at an incredibly important issue.
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