Sicko: Politics is not the best prescription.
In a short op-ed article in today's Orange County Register, I discuss some of the problems in Michael Moore's movie, Sicko.
The film is a failure at every level. It's failing at the box office, it's failed to impress many critics, and best of all it has failed to create a mass movement for socialized health care.
Moore might have helped some of those poor people he purports to care so much about if he weren't so obsessed with achieving results through politics. Even for the best pitchman, it's hard to persuade masses of people to not only agree with you, but also to organize and take action -- action that will produce no tangible rewards for anyone in the group unless the whole group succeeds. Why should anyone, especially those most in need of help, invest their limited time and stake their future on that?
It would have been more helpful for Moore to show people how they can improve their own health regardless of what the supposedly evil insurance companies do.
As for what should be done at the political level, see Hans Hoppe's "Four-Step Health Care Solution."
Comments (16)
James
16 Million dollars in domestic receipts from a production budget of 9 million dollars after a month in theaters is hardly a box office failure.
Can I sign up for your investment newsletter if you can get a better return on investment?
91% critic rating and 83% user rating on RottenTomatoes.com is hardly sign that it failed to impress critics or moviegoers.
And, 62% of Americans preferring universal health care in the latest poll is quite a mass movement.
I would like to believe you, but the facts don't stand up to what you are peddling.
Of course, socialism is not the answer, but lets be realistic about what is going on.
Published: July 18, 2007 8:53 PM
TLWP Sam
Actually I'm waiting for the part where it's said that obtaining medical services is a privilege not a right. Maybe it could Hoppe's point 5?
Published: July 18, 2007 8:56 PM
Chob
that's right TLWP Sam.. we all have the right to a free (medical) lunch of good quality whenever we want to eat one. if only we all lived in England, where no one dies waiting months for treatment or gets forcibly prevented from taking drugs they need to live, etc etc etc etc.
but come to think of it, doesn't the US spend much more on public health than other countries? i wonder where all the money comes from / goes to? and to think the US system gets attacked in Europe for being "private."
anyway, i really must see that film. "take *that* Republicans, this one's for the people of america" (or whatever...)
Published: July 18, 2007 9:43 PM
J. H. Huebert
When your last movie makes $120 million and your hugely hyped follow-up only makes $16m, I'd say it's fair to call the latter a failure. And of course the movie studio's profit is not equal to the difference between the cost of production and the box office gross.
Published: July 18, 2007 10:14 PM
Yancey Ward
TLWP Sam,
No one has a right to other people's property, which is the essence of the belief that people have a right to medical care paid for by others.
Published: July 18, 2007 10:31 PM
Brent
Movie critics probably generally agree with Moore. The reviews I read, however, sounded disappointed with the movie, even though they gave it a decent (sympathetic?) review.
I don't know of anyone who suggests that it was anything but a failure at the box office. For the movie studio (Lionsgate), the liabilities side of the balance sheet has ($9M?) in production costs, marketing costs, and the theatres' take.
Published: July 18, 2007 11:03 PM
Sam
Health care policy is nowhere near as sexy a topic as the Iraq war and 9/11 so it is in step with expectations and a film that almost doubled its money in a month before foreign distribution and dvd sales can never be called a failure.
Like someone else said, guarantee me that return and I'll sign up for your investment letter.
I am sorry, your second paragraph is patently false and akin to an umbrella salesman under the sun.
Published: July 18, 2007 11:59 PM
TLWP Sam
Isn't that what I said Y. Ward? Maybe Hoppe could have had a point 5 along the lines of 'no one has the right to medical treatment, only the right to engage in a trade in which the other party is willing to give medical treatment'?
Published: July 19, 2007 12:07 AM
Black Bloke
Why include that as a point 5? It goes without saying.
Hoppe's 4 points are policy prescriptions, not ethical principles.
Published: July 19, 2007 4:57 AM
RN
You're totally full of it.
The critics love it (>90% positive rating), it's doing very well at the box office, and people are motivating (heard of HR-676?)?
The nation's had enough of your "private interests can solve all problems" nonsense. Moore simply shows how full of it you people are. It's about time the nation woke up.
Published: July 19, 2007 6:56 AM
Anthony
"And, 62% of Americans preferring universal health care in the latest poll is quite a mass movement."
Mass delusion is perfectly normal. :)
"The nation's had enough of your "private interests can solve all problems" nonsense. Moore simply shows how full of it you people are. It's about time the nation woke up."
http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9407716
The "nation" has had enough of you leftists peddling your nonsense that the US is a private healthcare system.
Published: July 19, 2007 7:36 AM
Praca
thanks for info
Published: July 20, 2007 4:39 PM
Trond Olsen
I couldn't agree more. You have health insurance that cover contact lenses and dental exams? No wonder it gets expensive. Even here in Norway with socialized medicine those are not covered. If you need glasses or your teeth fixed here, you pay for it 100% out of your own pocket.
Published: July 20, 2007 4:47 PM
Jean Paul
Health care here in Canada is terrible. DO NOT believe the hype. Going to the doctor feels like visiting a little corner of the third world.
Published: July 23, 2007 8:18 AM
Marco
I can't believe anyone could have a good opinion of the British NHS. Most GP's don't even examine you before prescribing medications. Seeing a specialist is very difficult, even for life threatening conditions, because the waiting lists are often several months long. You really need private medical insurance, and even then you are at the mercy of your GP, who is most likely incompetent and lazy (I could tell several horror stories).
Published: July 25, 2007 9:17 AM
Aakash
I hadn't been following that much of the news and views re: this new 'mockumentary,' but thanks for sharing the fact that the film is failing at box office. I needed some good news, right about now... :-)
Published: July 25, 2007 11:17 PM