Blogcritics Comments on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Comment by cj and family on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:54:36 EST

I watched the movie tonight, and feel really humbled by it. This feeling is also accompanied by a bit of anger, disappointment, a bit of feeling duped, let down, and kind of an expected sadness, if you will. I have been fortunate to have health care, and have been fortunate to not have any serious ailments or illnesses. I hope to not have to ever experience anything like any of the stories on this film. I have heard a few bad stories, one being a friend's roommate/landlord. She apparently has had a bit of terrible luck with a huge, and unexpected, hospital bill. I don't know if she had "good health care", or if she just had "bad luck". Either way she has had difficulty paying rent due to paying some pretty intense hospital bills. The one thing I will have to disagree with you on is your place of relocation - I would much rather prefer the UK, than Canada. I am not leaving anytime soon, nor turning my back on this country, but have always enjoyed the country and it's people, and the health care benefit is another great quality of the country. Also, I have witnessed the beauty of their health care first hand. Me, my friend, and another friend were in our hotel room, in London, and our friend seemed to break her foot. We called down to the front desk, and they called an ambulance, which was there in like 10 minutes. They were helpful, and took her to the hospital, where we met up with her. She had x-rays taken and an initial cast applied to her foot and lower leg, and she went back a few days later to get a new cast put on. We were shocked/surprised to hear that there was no cost to her at all. A foreigner who, by her own stupidness, received timely medical treatment - for free. So, I am definitely glad that I got to see this film, and will make sure to pass it along to a few friends who I know would enjoy it.

Comment by Baritone on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Fri, 5 Oct 2007 00:45:13 EDT

bosco, First, thanks for the comment. I'm surprised you found this post buried as it must have been by time. I think you struck on a very important point - that of the kind of health care that the system really wants to provide. They don't want it to be too good. Sick people are money in the health care system's pocket. It we didn't become ill, what would happen to their jobs? Where would be the profit in creating drugs or other therapies that prevented or absolutely cured disease? This view is very cynical, but not, perhaps, without merit. As I and some others commenting here have noted, money is the root of most of the evils of the current U.S. health care system. Take profit out of the equation, and perhaps the result would ultimately be better, more ethical and accessable health care for all. B-tone

Comment by bosco62a on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Thu, 4 Oct 2007 01:50:17 EDT

What's wrong with American Healthcare is that you have one for the rich, and one for everybody else. The rich have the option of alternative medicine. Alternative doctors can be licensed just like allopathic doctors. The problem with alternative doctors is that they don't ALWAYS try to solve problems with prescription medicines. This means that the pharmaceutical industry can't make as much money. Alternative medicine can solve many problems by a change in diet or herbal medicines. Herbal medicines are far cheaper than prescription medicines because they can't be patented. I am not talking about prescription medicine co-pay. I am talking about the full cost, of meds, to the insurance companies. Allopathic medicine will use any lame excuse to persuade people that alternative medicine must work because of the placebo effect. If your health problems disappear, without side effects, in a safe manner (like diet), is it always crucial, that it is proven, that certain alternative practices are not placebo? It is always important to the pharmaceutical industry because they can lose money. American healthcare is mostly about managing sicknesses and suppressing symptoms. If they got rid of the root causes of sicknesses, there wouldn't be any more money to be made. They don't care about giving you the BEST healthcare, only healthcare that is "good enough" and makes money.

Comment by Baritone on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 20:51:37 EDT

Vivian, Sorry I didn't respond to your comment. I didn't know you had made it. It's good to hear from someone having first hand knowledge of a national health care system. It's great to hear that your husband has received good and timely care. Yes, I agree with you about France. Personally, I agreed with the French concerning our incursion into Iraq. I'm sure there is a downside to living there. Nothing we humans endeavor to accomplish is ever perfect. My wife and I have 2 boys who went through college. Fortunately, they both got good scholarships and other financial aid which didn't cover all of their expenses, but at least it reduced the amount that we had to contribute. Unfortunately, a significant portion of their financial aid was in the form of various loans, and they are still looming out there on the horizon. Thanks again for your comment. Baritone

Comment by vivian on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 22:46:27 EDT

I'm Canadian and we have in our family made extensive use of the Canadian health care and it is BETTER than portrayed in the Sicko film. A lot better. The cardiologist still calls my husband two years after his heart attack to see how he is doing. The oncologist who treated his cancer 3 years ago still sees him every 6 months free of charge. But after seeing the film, I would like to be in France where not only is dental and health care socialized, but the bachelor degree is paid by the state. We paid in Canada over $400,000 to bring our child to the Ph.D. level. Moore is right. We live in fear because of Bush and his gang.

Comment by Clavos on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:46:09 EDT

Heh. 'nother good 'un, gm...

Comment by gonzo marx on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:15:09 EDT

"Nalle, It's true that none of what I posted is sexist-" and then.... "The intent of almost all the men who regularly post on this site is to abuse and degrade women." "isn't it ironic?..." Excelsior?

Comment by moonraven on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 13:59:10 EDT

STM, I do not have any bastards as friends. My standards are higher than that. And I fail to see why you are speaking ill of a dead genius.

Comment by moonraven on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 13:56:20 EDT

Nalle, It's true that none of what I posted is sexist--only what the rest of you GUYS posted. The intent of almost all the men who regularly post on this site is to abuse and degrade women. There is no other reason for you to be here, as politics is not something you participate in, nor even care about.

Comment by Clavos on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 01:34:26 EDT

Geez, mate. You don't let a bloke get away with anything, do you? :>)

Comment by STM on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:28:22 EDT

"imprecations" You've been on that word site again haven't you??

Comment by Clavos on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:02:35 EDT

it would appear that mr thinks so. She has accused all of us of misogyny and worse every time we've either disagreed with her OR defended ourselves against her foul-mouthed imprecations.

Comment by Dave Nalle on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Sun, 22 Jul 2007 23:56:11 EDT

Sorry, I don't see the sexism in any of what she posted. Is it sexist merely to disagree with a woman? Dave

Comment by STM on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Sun, 22 Jul 2007 22:19:41 EDT

Bloody hell, MR, is there any bastard you don't know??

Comment by moonraven on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 17:46:12 EDT

All of my body and feathers are completely intact--but I have had a lot of practice at playing the Roadrunner to a bunch of hapless halfwit Wile E. Coyote wannabees. May be just a coincidence, but Chuck Jones (RIP), the creator of The Roadrunner and Wile E., was a good friend of mine....

Comment by gonzo marx on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:55:40 EDT

nothing left but feathers... Excelsior?

Comment by moonraven on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:42:18 EDT

That's it for my take on blogcritics and its brotherly love: Have fun jerking each other off, now--and make damn sure that no woman gets in the blogcritcs door. Make less noise licking your...wounds, okay?

Comment by moonraven on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:37:57 EDT

Sorry clavos, I was wrong: After a long string of insults against me, my politics, my gender, my genus and species, and so fotth on the thread referenced above from 21 Sept. 2006, it was nalle's other clones, "franco" who abused nalle's editorial privilege: Here's just a tiny sample of that: 286 — September 30, 2006 @ 22:41PM — Franco [URL] Dave, Concerning your comments on Marthe's referance to a SWP front group link, it gets better then that. Not only does she link to this SWP front group, she is one of the active participants in this very group "Common Dreams". In an "Open Letter to President Hugo Chavez, and to the People of Venezuela" with text of the letter, signers, and background information attached. You will find her name as a listed signer towards the bottom of the list. #287 — September 30, 2006 @ 23:45PM — Franco [URL] Opperation Running Wolfe S of Anenecuilco N of Nueva Olintepec 18�46′N 98�59′W, 1220 meters #288 — October 1, 2006 @ 00:06AM — Clavos The same letter (with Marte's name) also appears on this site: Venezuelanalysis As does an article entitled: "The Meaning of 21st Century Socialism for Venezuela" But then, she never said she was a socialist. #289 — October 1, 2006 @ 03:16AM — Dave Nalle [URL] That's a fascinating letter, Franco. Who would have thought so many people would be opposed to the promotion of democracy in central America. Venezuelanalysis also appears to be a hardcore socialist site. What a surprise. Dave And then a little further down, again from the Franco clone: Dave & Clavo If Marthe carries any weight with in this SWP front group and its very long list of members, then they my try to remove this letter from the internet to protect their identitis. It would not be the first or the last time a SWP front groups tried to conceal individual membership identies when it has backfired on them. It might not be a bad idea to make a PDF file copy of all of it for futher use should the need arrise. OH my, aren't we paranoid? This is really revealing to read that thread again, as it captures the entire sick dynamic of this site. Here we have the franco clone again, referrinjg to a POLITE request fromChris: 300 — October 2, 2006 @ 01:06AM — Franco [URL] Christopher Rose Sence you posted: FRANCO: Please follow the Blogcritics convention of using active links when posting URLs. If you're not sure how, there is a very clear explanation on HTML Code Tutorial. Thank you. Comments Editor] Thank you for this assistance. I have spent condiserable time on the Turorial and I under stand now how to write the HTML now but I can not for the life of me figure out how to get it into my post. Do I need to do this from an HTML Editor, save my pre-writtn post to file and then use the ULR window to seek the file. Addionally how do the other posters get italisied sentences when posting. Can you proved any additional assistance. Thank you. Franco Ah, a luddite being treated NICELY by misogynist ageist comments editor! And,speaking of ageism: 375 — October 3, 2006 @ 19:59PM — Clavos I submit, you are like a 14 year old cheerleader trying to get the attention of the Senior Football Captain. She's a hell of a lot older than 14, Jerry. In fact, she's about 62. And then another sweet comment: 393 — October 4, 2006 @ 10:20AM — Clavos Gee based upon the lack of response from "you know who" they must be taking a long siesta down there or maybe it was too much Tequila and an encore at the "Donkey Show"! She's posting out of an internet cafe, and usually posts somewhere between 1200 and 1800 EDT. And here is another woman being attacked by a pack of dogs: #403 — October 4, 2006 @ 12:32PM — McNab The real answer is it's Dubya Bush's blood bath. Not only is Dubya an insane murdering punk he's also a babbling smirking idiot. Hugo Chavez makes Bush look like a demented clown. Wait, that should be, Bush makes himself look like a demented clown. Chavez merely points it out. #404 — October 4, 2006 @ 12:46PM — JustOneMan Warning 404 -Warning 404 -Warning 404 Please call adjust her medication and call Bellvue hospital immediately... Gee is it a full moon? #405 — October 4, 2006 @ 13:02PM — McNab For almost half a century Fidel Castro has stood up to the thuggery of the USA and told it where to shove it. He's still telling the US where to shove it despite all the trade sanctions it imposes on such a small island. Cuba's struggle for survival and independence against the bloated neighborhood bully will be celebrated by the common people for centuries to come. And the life and times of Che Guevara will be celebrated by decent human beings for centuries to come, while the likes of Dubya Bush and his gang of thugs will be scorned and ridiculed. #406 — October 4, 2006 @ 13:22PM — JustOneMan Gee he showed us...as his people live in sqauler and dipair...people risking life and limb to to leave that cess pool of a society...isnt he a hero for the world....great people fucked up country...I almost forgot all the humaintarian aid and services Cuba spreads through out the world.. #407 — October 4, 2006 @ 13:28PM — Dave Nalle [URL] Apparently we don't need Marthe anymore, we have McNab to be our token socialist loon. Evo Morales, who is very similar to Ch�vez philosophically and politically, presents an almost Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera persona This is EXACTLY the way people were describing Mussolini in 1936. Dave And this jewel: #438 — October 4, 2006 @ 19:38PM — Clavos Re #438: Opinion piece, Martita--just hearsay and anecdote. Documents nothing--you said so yourself: Dave, newspaper articles giving someone's OPINION are NOT documentation. And: If you really believe the articles you posted links to are documentaion and proof of something So, Martita, what's the Bill Moyers opinion piece proof of? Otra pendejada por parte de la guera. And here's a REALLY revealing theorist: 522 — October 6, 2006 @ 22:29PM — Franco I think Marthe maybe a plant working for the Venezuelan government of Hugo Chavez in international damage control. We all know she is vulgar and insulting to try and get us riled up and prove our points. Whenever anyone as made a direct alligation against Chaves, she gets very short and to the point. She stops her insults and states clearly, "so us the documents of proff. Here are some examples. #74 - These well-documented facts--show us the documentation. #88 - Show us the name of one jailed opposition journalist or publisher--and the source for that name. #322 - If the Southern Command couldn't present any evidence to support those claims, when they made them, where is yours? Show us. Right here. Now. #431 - Dave, Still no proof. Telling ME to look up articles to prove your points is just ridiculous!!!!!! SHOW US THE F-ING PROOF. #511 - Chavez has not threatened to invade Colombia. That's a blatant lie. Show us where he said that. Notice the word "show us". She could claim it is those in this thread, but then she never uses "us" in any other contexts, its always "I". Who is us? And note too that at these times she does not personally attack, she zeros in on wanting to see "documentation". Finding true documentation against Chavez is her boiled down MO. Damage control for the up and coming communist government of Venezuela. At least it's a fun theory............. And then Dave, practising for his Vox Populi caper: #524 — October 6, 2006 @ 22:42PM — Dave Nalle [URL] Re: 523 What makes it weirder is that we've all shown her massive documentation from neutral sources and yet she keeps saying 'show us the documentation' and either dismisses or completely ignores us when we do. That makes her demand to show documentation more than a little hypocritical. Why does she ask for it if she isn't going to pay any attention to it? Dave And this little paranoid dance: #529 — October 6, 2006 @ 23:33PM — Clavos Dave 525, One possible answer: If Franco's right, she's got us doing her homework for her. She prods us, then we go out and find and cite and link these sites. Meanwhile, Caracas is monitoring and taking notes, then they do whatever it is they do with the info? I bailed out reading at this point as I no longer posted on this site, and the rest of the thread wasmostly beating up on the other woman who was posting. It's all there--the madness, the meanness, thelies and the hattassment of women. If you think you have the stomach for it, give it a shot.

Comment by Clavos on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:14:49 EDT

You're a fucking liar, mr, and I just PROVED it.

Comment by Clavos on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:13:38 EDT

HERE is the comment with mr's geographic coordinates, as well as its date and time stamp: "#287 — September 30, 2006 @ 23:45PM — Opperation Running Wolfe S of ---- N of ---- ----N ----W, 1220 meters" I have removed the actual poster's handle from the message (and of course, the coordinates - I don't want mr accusing me AGAIN of revealing them), but once more: IT IS NOT I.

Comment by Clavos on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 18:51:31 EDT

"Clavos DID post the geographical coordinates of where I was posting from. He is, in fact, lying again." You are lying, mr. I don't have the ability to do that on this site; I am not an editor, and don't have access to any one's location. Pure bullshit, and par for your comments, mr. "almost every one of you is a misogynist ageist racist redneck who delights in driving away women from posting so that you can talk about drinking beer and screwing broads and other "man stuff"." I do all my talking about drinking beer and screwing broads to the broads themselves, mr, and NONE of 'em has ever been offended, either.

Comment by moonraven on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 18:36:00 EDT

Clavos DID post the geographical coordinates of where I was posting from. He is, in fact, lying again. That was not only a violation of my privacy but an abuse of his idol nalle's editorial privilege, since clavos is not supposed to have that info available to him. It was nalle who--after I indicated I would no longer post on this site because of the obnoxious sexist ageist racist verbal violence against me--posted that I was actually posting from Beijing and said that I was working for the Chinese government posting pro-commie propaganda on blogcritics. Ralk about delusions of grandeur.... Probably everything that starts with B--as in The State of Bontana short story by James Thurber--is Beijing. I was in Bahrain at the time. And clavos is right that the thread, Hugo Chavez One Man Axis of Crazy, by Dave Nalle is in the archives from last September 21. I posted under my own name post 21, to which Nalle responded in his churlish fashion, then post 64--after which JustOneMan began a string of insults calling me a liar and a fascist. And it was off to the races with dogpacking. It's a very long thread, but those who choose to read it will see that I am called among other things a marxist stooge by nalle and a ni�a--little girl--by sexist clavos. I see zing and troll posted on the thread in a fairly neitral fashion. Insults from Franco. And guess what: several WOMEN posted on the thread, too! Boy, those were the days. I rest my case on this. I could not care less if I am banned or not--as far as I can see from your behavior on this site almost every one of you is a misogynist ageist racist redneck who delights in driving away women from posting so that you can talk about drinking beer and screwing broads and other "man stuff". I have held up a mirror to your disgusting behavior--and you were too stupid even to recognize yourselves.

Comment by Clavos on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 18:03:15 EDT

For the record: Her claims about her experiences while posting under her real name are only partially true. It was not I who "outed" her nor was it I who disclosed the location from which she was posting. The "outing" AND the posting of her location were done by others. And, in any case, the so-called "outing" was done from Googled information, according to the person who did it; so she's no Valerie Plame (in more ways than one). All the relevant comments are still on the site; and anyone who cares to, can check them out.

Comment by Baritone on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 17:48:53 EDT

Well Moon, at least you said something through all of your anger. I'm relatively new to BC. Perhaps it is a boys' club. I just haven't seen it that way. I've had people tell me I'm full of liberal crap and that I should do myself in any number of ways, and I've given it back in some cases. I've had a few comments deleted. Boys will be boys, I guess. But you have, by your consistently commenting in attack mode, and making blatent, blanket and, ultimately meaningless, inaccurate and unprovable accusations against virtually everyone else here indescriminantly, frankly makes you a joke to others. If your claims about your experiences while posting under your real name are true, then that sucks. I have no knowledge of all that beyond your accusations above, and of course, there's not much I could do about it in any case. But I do think you unfairly cast the same net over everyone who posts here. You're using a scatter gun approach (sorry for the mixed metaphor) when you should be picking the offenders off one by one. It's all right with me if you start with Dave and work your way down. B-tone

Comment by moonraven on Sicko Sheds Light on What's Wrong With American Health Care

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 17:13:39 EDT

Keep it up. You have made my case many times over. But excess is a gringo habit.