The point is you’re missing the point if you are caught up in the drivel.

I agree that Moore uses some extremist rhetoric that while likely being fact based somewhere along the line, like and statistic it’s bent to the purpose of those reiterating them. He inflates the issues a bit, or makes light of them in a fairly smarmy manner. These are all things that can be agreed on as far as I can tell.

So how is it we’re not getting the point?

Moore is doing one thing right. It’s not the presentation, it’s not whether he’s right or wrong, it’s not that he doesn’t live a healthy lifestyle himself - it *is* that a topic that a lot of people weren’t mulling over in any serious capacity is now getting nationwide scrutiny. That is the important part. People need to think about things that effect them before they’re inundated with reacting to them after it’s too late.

You, and I, and your fellow citizens are exchanging views about our healthcare system in a much more enthusiastic manner than usual. He just provided the catalyst. It’s up to all of us do decide what to do with our conclusions.

Anyone who thinks we don’t have a problem with health insurance has never attempted to obtain a policy with even a minor health risk (high blood pressure, prior cancer, older, etc.). The present system of employer based health insurance is failing even those persons who want to obtain insurance not just those who can’t afford it.

Lulu: I would be far more likely to run for vice president on a platform of more beef or “Kill McDreamy” than on a fatophobia campaign. I am about 30 pounds overweight myself.

I want HeyMeg’s comment to fight Hitchens’ article…

But I guess some people think cheap jokes about people’s appearance are funny.

I just think it’s lazy. And, oh yeah, bigoted.

This has nothing to do with my opinions about public health care. This has to do with my opinions on legislative process. I think it’s ridiculous for the legislature to consult a film director on a policy issue as difficult and complex as public health care. To me it shows a problem with the process.

SinghCity as for those credibility problems, 10 minutes on Google can answer your questions. I’m not going to index the list of factual errors and intentional misrepresentations present in MM’s past films here because that’s frankly kind of boring and it’s been done in about a dozen other places. I don’t think MM’s past mistakes condemn him as a filmmaker. But the natural response to previous misinformation is to question present veracity. And I don’t think MM’s hypocricy condemns him as a person, but it does diminish his integrity as an advocate. At any rate, the point I’m making above is simply that the legislature should get over being star-struck and stop interviewing unqualified celebrities when making important policy decisions.

Just to further clarify, I don’t think MM’s worst act of hypocrisy is being overweight while pontificating about health care. I really was just making jokes because it’s fun to make jokes sometimes. Don’t pretend you’re above that. MM’s hypocrisy is more evident in the fact that his life’s work is to preach about the selfishness and materialism of the evil rich American capitalist elite while raking in millions of dollars for his movies, tens of thousands for his speaking engagements, jet-setting around to film festivals, riding in limousines, staying in luxury hotels, residing in multi-million dollar homes, sending his daughter to an exclusive private school on the Upper West Side and otherwise sheltering himself from his supposedly beloved working class. I don’t suppose for a minute that he would set foot in just any old public hospital for treatment in this or any other Country. I do suppose that he would use his plentiful resources to take advantage of a competitive capitalist market and choose the best possible options for him and his family regardless of what others are getting. Without commenting on the degree of ethics in that approach, I’m just saying that MM is no different than the American elite he so powerfully despises.

HeyMeg out.

the obesity of tens of millions of people is a strain on the system. i still haven’t seen “Sicko” because it is still not set to release for another 2 weeks, so i can only attack his track record. maybe this is the film where he turns that around, like you’re saying. Malcolm Gladwell, wouldn’t you agree that it’s important for me to trust my instinct?

truth be told, i’m way more likely to see this movie and be moved by it than you think.

It’s commonly acknowledged that the US health care system bleeds from bureaucracy and overspending. This country spends more per capita on health care and gets less for what is spent on a national basis, compared to other countries. Where is all that money going? Oh, wait…

And, obesity is a problem, yes. But, Michael Moore’s obesity isn’t why tens of millions of people in this country aren’t getting the health care they need. His health is also not the reason why people who are on Medicare or other such program, as “Mom” says above, can’t get care even when covered.

Hitchens piece is about “F9/11″ and is full of hypotheticals and assumptions. We’re talking about Moore’s film “Sicko” here…or, at least that’s what I thought we were talking about.

I do dislike Michael Moore, but I think Michael Moore himself does plenty to discredit any legitimate points he may come across. That Hitchens post’ll make you go hmm.

Again, you guys simply hate Michael Moore, and so you begin leg-humping arguments to try and discredit anything and everything he does, regardless of the legitimate points he makes - as demonstrated by this blog post.

i don’t know what HeyMeg had in mind about “Sicko” but for the most exhaustive chronicle of the factual problems with “Fahrenheit 911″ you have to go with Christopher Hitchens, a pro-Iraq war lefty
http://slate.com/id/2102723/

you don’t want to get on Hitchens’ bad side…

HeyMeg, exactly what part of “Sicko” is not factual?

When he talked with that Cuomo guy on ABC, Michael Moore admitted that it was “hypocritical” of him to not eat better and try to get healthier and that he is taking steps to eat more of those things, what are they called, vegetables. His joke.