Sicko: A Very Important Film

Yesterday, Tara and I went to see the new Michael Moore film, "Sicko," with our new friend, Helena. I would say that it was an incredible film, which we all enjoyed very much, even as we were disturbed by it. We all know the health care system in the United States is a travesty. The question is what to do about it. Michael Moore paints a convincing case that the universal health care systems in Canada, Great Britain, France, and even Cuba are much better than our system. The question then becomes, "Why aren't we doing it, too?" And the answer comes in the form of a devastating attack on the way health insurance companies, HMOs, and pharmaceutical companies have bought and paid for our politicians. This is the kind of movie that leads me to draw a line in the sand. After watching the personal stories of people who have suffered the injustices of the current system... injustices that would not have occurred in a country with universal health care... I have no more patience with anyone who is going to reject universal health care because of libertarian or conservative ideologies. We the people of the United States have to have solidarity with one another, and take care of one another. There is no excuse for us, as wealthy as this country is, to not take care of our sick. I, too, believe that keeping government as local as possible, is ideal. A large and powerful federal government is helpful for some things, but must be carefully guarded against. But the fact remains that it is good for some things. And one of them would be organizing universal health care. People who are sick cannot 'pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.' So, 'cowboy up,' and help care for your neighbors... and yourselves in the long run. Demand universal health care. And see this movie.

See Wickipedia for a detailed summary, and criticisms of the film.