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SICKO / A DAGGER IN THE HEART OF AMERICA'S SICK HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
Michael Moore's brilliant SICKO is socko and a dagger in the heart of America's sick health care system where profit takes preference over care and which, I predict, will collapse when a rightfully furious American public demands a Universal Healthcare Act in 2008: Allen L Roland
Michael Moore scores big with SICKO and never gets in the way of his message as he carefully exposes, with humor and pathos, the terminal illness of the sick American Health care system where profit trumps care ~ particularly when compared to developed countries like Canada, France, Great Britian and even Cuba.
The culprits ~ The HMO's and Pharmaceutical companies who have made millions while Americans have health care far below the standard of other industrialized countries and get this ~ pay more for it.
It's Rivero's Rule once again where all countries and institutions eventually reflect the moral character and values of their leaders ~ as such, America's healthcare system reflects the greed, arrogance and profit-at-any-cost motive of the Cheney/Bush administration and the Republican party ~ and don't think the electorate will not note this in November of 2008.
After the showing of this film last night at my local theater ~ people were standing in line, including myself, to sign a petition to support SB 840 the California Universal Healthcare Act. California could well lead the nation on this issue in 2008.
A key point brought out in Moore's film was his observation that these Governments were afraid of the people ( particularly in France ) who were not afraid to take to the streets in mass to demand what they wanted whereas the American people, who have been cowed by fear and debt, are afraid of their Government who takes full advantage of this with their unscupulous healthcare bills which rip off seniors as well as the frail and needy.
This could all change soon for this film is capable of waking up the sleeping giant of an enraged and betrayed American public who are more than capable of taking to the streets and demanding change ~ particularly during an election year.
Richard Corliss ( Time Magazine ) sums it all up ~ Michael Moore has latched onto an issue that effects more Americans more directly than gun violence and Islamic terrorism. The folks in Flint needn't worry overmuch that Al Qaeda will bomb the Longway Planetarium ~ but they can count on getting ill and needing to pay the bills. It's something that Americans worry about and Moore says they shouldn't have to.
As Moore said to AP: " We are the richest country in the world. We spend more on health care than any other country. Yet we have the worst health care in the Western world. Come on. We can do better than this ! "
However, not until we switch from the universal profit motive to the universal care motive ~ as other countries have done ~ will that dream become a reality.
See this film soon and let's make it happen together.
Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2007/07/01.html
Freelance columnist Allen L Roland is available for comments , interviews and speaking engagements ( allen@allenroland.com )
Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net
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