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caught it when it was on google video. i liked it a lot.

 

 

oh, i'd forgotten that it had been on the net. it was an interesting experience to see it in the theater, the whole audience interaction thing. i too liked it. the first half was very michael moore for me, but about half-way through, when he was interviewing the older guy in london, it completely changed for me and really moved me.

 

my only complaint, we know the system is messed up, but arrgh, is there really any way to fix it, and any suggestions as to how...???

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outlaw the insurance industry. ;)

 

single-payer, not for profit, government provided insurance like france makes the most sense to me.

 

 

and regulate the drug companies, tv commercials for drugs should be banned.

 

the france bit really made me want to move to france, even more than england or canada. there are definitely enough working systems out there for us to model something after, but i really wonder, can we ever achieve it. i think i am so bitter and jaded about our government, i wonder if the politicians can ever get beyond the greed, money, and power and worry more about the people they represent than if they'll get re-elected. it makes me wonder if we instituted term limits on congress, if maybe then, change would actually happen or if government would stagnate even more than it already is.

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France = 70 million people..not a small country.

 

But c'mon, France let more than 15,000 of its' elderly and infirmed citizens die in that heat wave four years ago, while the country was vacationing away the month of August. Not exactly what I'd term a kinder gentler society.

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Nice point.

 

How many of these countries have universal health care?

 

China - 1,313,973,713

India - 1,095,351,995

United States - 298,444,215 (as of Nov. 2006 - 300,176,035)

Indonesia - 245,452,739

Brazil - 188,078,227

Pakistan - 165,803,560

Bangladesh - 147,365,352

Russia - 142,893,540

Nigeria - 131,859,731

Japan - 127,463,611

Mexico - 107,449,525

Philippines - 89,468,677

Vietnam - 84,402,966

Germany - 82,422,299

Egypt - 78,887,007

Ethiopia - 74,777,981

Turkey - 70,413,958

Iran - 68,688,433

Thailand - 64,631,595

Democratic Republic of the Congo - 62,660,551

France - 60,876,136

United Kingdom - 60,609,153

Italy - 58,133,509

 

I think when china gets uni-health care then we should start looking at that model.

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This movie almost changed my mind about universal health care. After seeing it, I would think it would be great and I would be willing to pay my share for the rest of the country to get "free" health care.

 

But... Again, reality sets in:

 

The drugs, treatments, and technologies that the rest of the world enjoys for cut rate prices are for the most part developed here in the U.S. -- Making health care not for profit and state run will basically take the wind out of the sails.. I think at least.

 

Also, we spend 40% of our federal budget every year on the military. I don't see that changing anytime soon. There's not enough money to do both.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pharm...tical_companies

 

many are based in america, but their research happens world-wide.

 

a lot of bio-med is american, but it's not exactly accurate to think that most of the breakthroughs are coming from here anymore. the us has systemically cut tax funded medical research since the 80s. we're falling far behind where we think we actually are. just wait until stem cells start showing their value - we've not really even started exploring stem cells compared to the UK, France, Germany, India or Japan.

 

as far as tech, that's changing too. the MRI was a joint venture between researchers at Univ. of Chicago and Univ of Nottingham. the x-ray is french. the polio vaccine was american, but the rabies vaccine is also french. we really aren't at the top of the medical game.

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I caught this on the internet as well. Thought it was really pretty good, Moore has a tendency to overindulge himself (ie. most of Farenheit 9/11) and I think this is a little more restrained, reasonable, and human--much more like Bowling for Columbine and Roger and Me. I don't know if this is going to get much scope outside of Moore's usual audience, but we'll see, if Gore's enviro movie did pretty well slowly building up steam maybe this will.

 

Also, we spend 40% of our federal budget every year on the military. I don't see that changing anytime soon. There's not enough money to do both.

I agree with you on budget priorities/issues in the US, but if we're going to have health-care that's universal we'll have to pay higher taxes, it's simple. Add that in and there probably is enough money. Just think how much most people would be saving in terms of out of pocket health related expenses, and money back on paychecks that would go to insurance, etc. It's just a balance, and right now our health-care system is inefficient and profit-driven...the question will be if lobbyists will be able to continue to keep people from stomaching the idea of the change.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pharm...tical_companies

the MRI was a joint venture between researchers at Univ. of Chicago and Univ of Nottingham. the x-ray is french. the polio vaccine was american, but the rabies vaccine is also french.

Insulin was discovered by Canadians at the University of Toronto. ...

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[begin personal attack on Michael Moore]

 

Little wonder MM is concerned about the healthcare system - guy doesn't appear to have a very healthful lifestyle. Was he the model for Family Guy? Dude, consider a salad now and again. Ever consider you're doing these causes more harm than good? F 9-11 did wonders - Bush only received the MOST VOTES IN HISTORY in 2004.

 

[End personal attack on Michael Moore]

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Yeah, I'm pretty sure that Michael Moore was responsible for Bush getting re-elected. The most votes in history is a statement with very little meaning. The country's population is always growing, right? High population + hotly contested election + no significant third party candidate=a lotta votes for the winner.

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[begin personal attack on Michael Moore]

 

Little wonder MM is concerned about the healthcare system - guy doesn't appear to have a very healthful lifestyle. Was he the model for Family Guy? Dude, consider a salad now and again. Ever consider you're doing these causes more harm than good? F 9-11 did wonders - Bush only received the MOST VOTES IN HISTORY in 2004.

 

[End personal attack on Michael Moore]

1. Fuck you for making fun of fat people.

2. I think America was just not ready to pull the trigger on Bush in 2004. As a people, WE WANT TO BELIEVE.

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1. Fuck you for making fun of fat people.

2. I think America was just not ready to pull the trigger on Bush in 2004. As a people, WE WANT TO BELIEVE.

Ouch. Actually, it was more his apparently unhealthful lifestyle that I was commenting upon, not "fat people." But if you wanna come protest in front of my house, be my guest.

 

 

Just read the thing about him losing 30 - apparently he was thinking the same thing I was. Good for him. My apologies.

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Mine too. Had a bad night last night.

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My youngest son broke his wrist this week. :ohwell... Anyhow, I mentioned to the doctor that I saw this movie and said that it made a compelling argument, just to see what he thought. He got pissed! He basically cursed Michael Moore and said it was all complete bull. I know he didn't see the movie, but I'm sure he knows enough to know that it will effect his bottom line and he, along with the AMA is not going to have it.

 

p.s. We got the bill from the orthopedic surgeon already, $1000 bucks. He was in the room for about 2 minutes to say that he needed a cast.

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