i went to see this film tonight and it is unbelievable the way that america treats its citizens, and how the american way seems to have turned into “every man for himself”. i won’t go into any spoilers in this post, so if you still plan on seeing this movie, feel free to continue reading :)

all in all, i think moore did a very good job at pointing out the shortcomings of the health system in america. on the other hand, i don’t think a lot of the footage that he staged would have gone the way it did if he hadn’t staged it. once you watch the movie you should get an idea of what i’m talking about here, suffice to say that i doubt a non-celebrity could get away with the things that he does. there were also some moments of “clever editing” but then, this *is* a michael moore film after all…

coming out of the movie it becomes incredibly apparent that having a shitty health care system seems to be part of the american experience. just talking to a couple people after the movie made me realize that we have *all* had our fair share of problems trying to get medical treatment of some sort. to paraphrase one of the canadians in the movie (and giving a sort of spoiler but not really), he was referring to the suggestion that maybe someone who didn’t pay into the system doesn’t deserve free service. and he replied “we take care of each other. it’s just the right thing to do”. it’s outrageous to realize that this simple sentiment does not make its way into the greater society of the US. not just evidenced by the health care industry but even in the reaction to the victims of katrina. as if the ones who are suffering have somehow brought this fate upon themselves.

so far in fiscal year 2007 we have spent $439 billion on our defense budget. if even 1% of that was taken away, we would STILL outspend the next 10 countries of the world, and we’d have an extra $4.4 billion to throw around on projects that might contribute to the wellness of our citizens. instead we get attack ads and spin from politicians who are solidly in the pockets of the health care lobby. as i said before, this democracy is up for sale to the highest bidder. and unfortunately, the highest bidder is also the one calling the shots…..