Incase you thought America was great. . .

I guesss I knew the Micheal Moore's new film would be good; I even thought I knew what the subject matter would be. I also prepared myself for the kind of bais and sensationalistic tactics that Moore has become known for in his past films. No preparation was useful though, nor was I even close to guessing where Sicko would go to make its point. Moore's latest is a blatant slap to the face to all Americans; or at least the majority of the populace that have no medical coverage like myself, or the even larger percentage that have medical coverage but have its usefulness limited by innsurance companies that are encouraged to deny claims that are too costly in order to maximize the bottom line. All this is well and good, we all know insurance companies are terrible in thier many institutions in American society, especially considering we are talking about the health care industry that keeps all citizens healthy and happy. But its not this aspect of the film that was infuriorating. It was American's national health care ranking and general comparisons to other countries that really deflated my pride in a country that was founded on such great ideas and circumstances. What you ask is so great about other countries health care, well for starters they care about thier citizens and keep them living longer and healthier than Americans. England was utterly torn apart after world war two and its citizens were demoralized, so what did that government do for its poeple--yep universal health care. Moore compared this point to our only attack on American soil--9/11--asking why couldn't we have responded in the same way. Well the answere is easy; our health care system means alot of money for the insurance companies, the phamacutical companies, and a very suspect American Medical Association. A call was played on the film between - then president - Richard Nixon from one of his aides concerning opening up the health care industry to privitized insurance companies. It would appear that this was the point when corruption and a generalized buisness model entered into an industry that should be about unconditional treatment of anything and everyone. Albeit, did we listen to the message of the founding fathers when they tried to create a system limiting power from government: Or when President Eisenhower warned us about the growing threat of the military industrial complex: Or even this generations greatest thinkers such as Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn concerning corporations and thier growing influence in government. We didn't listen to these warnings and the evidence of this ignorance is blatant in many areas of American society. Although, there are some messages througout our history that we did listent to: Bush saying we need to bring war to the "evil doers," Reagan warning the popluace that allowing for socialized health care is the same as opening the door to communism in America, as well we listened the afformentioned Nixon about it being a good idea to allow insurance companies control over health care and look where it got us: Thirty-sixth in the world in a health care ranking, right under thied world Costa Rica, and well below most of our closest allies such as Canada, England, and France. So as an example what is so great about those systems; well for one--universal health care with no exceptions--even in the case of a visiting American in need of treatment. As well, to use France as an example; they have unlimted sick days, house calls from doctors on call 24hrs a day, no expensive medications that are not subsidized. Allright, France isn't a good example, of course they have socialized health care, thier government serves the poeple of France the way it should be. The reason for that is that the people of France revolted from thier own government during the French Revolution. This action set an example that the poeple of France made it very clear that the government of France should and will fear its people and not the other way around. And, while America has had a revolution that would have sent this same message, our revolution was against the monarchy in England and not our own government. But, remember England has socialized health care for all and we don't, maybe if we would have lost the American revolution and today would still swear allegiance to the queen, then maybe we too would have a health care system that doesn't favor the rich, or let ceartain citizens go without treatment, or have no coverage at all. I don't want to spoil the movie or its final one-two punch in the end , but I think its important to make one last comparison for the call of universal health care in America. Cuba, comunist Cuba; under that "evil" man Fidel Castro - has a better health care system than America. It's true, another third world country, a communist one nonetheless, has a better health care system than America. Not only that but its own poeple live longer, happier, healthier lives than Americans. This simple fact is the slap in the face I refered to earlier in this blog. Not only do the Cubans care more about thier citizens but they also use thier high standard of health care to help out other nations in the Caribbean, South, and Central America to make thier health care systems better. I won't say what Moore does to prove this point, it could be his only sensationalistc aspect of this film, but it was nonetheless a powerfull one and it sucked me right in without any knee-jerk response. So I say this to the American populace with no trepidity; if you want your government to truly serve you then you need to make it fear you through action, like the message the French Revolution inscribed in its history. It's about time the American populace started getting a government that listens and rewards its citizens for being a part of the greatest nation in the world, all I ask for is health coverage because sadly I don't have any and don't know when I will. Elect a democrat that promises universal health care, and if they don't follow up on that promise, thats when its time to act, to demand, to stop being apathetic, to begin to take the power back to where it was always meant to be; in the hands of the powerless, the masses, the largest--unrepresented--percentage in American today!