Every American should see this movie. My wife and I saw it last night. It’s an eye-opener to say the least. The film is described as “a straight-from-the-heart portrait of the crazy and sometimes cruel U.S. health care system, told from the vantage of everyday people faced with extraordinary and bizarre challenges in their quest for basic health coverage.” If you’ve seen it, do you agree with Michael Moore’s assessment?
Life Together 
June 2, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Doug- I haven’t seen it but you have me interested now. I am curious b/c I am not happy with my health insurance- it costs way too much!
June 2, 2008 at 5:52 pm
You’ll have to see it. I guarantee it will make you cry. Pretty shocking stuff. Jaime can tell you more … maybe by posting her own comment! 🙂
June 2, 2008 at 7:10 pm
I haven’t seen the movie but for a different point of view:
http://blogs.nypost.com/movies/archives/2007/06/kyle_smith_on_m.html#more
Our health care system has issues but less government, not more, is the solution.
June 2, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Tell me more, Josh. I admit I have a lot to learn when it comes to this issue. And I guess I do see the potential for problems with more government control.
June 3, 2008 at 12:32 am
This is not an issue that I’m too familiar with outside of general conservative principles. I’m sure there is a ton out there on both sides of the issue but it seems like health care costs have soared in the last ten years due to increased regulation and malpractice suits in the wake of the push for patients “rights.” Our culture has created a huge business for both lawyers and insurers. There are certainly legitimate claims but I also think there are quite a few people who take advantage of the issue. We have to realize that we’re paying more for the ability to sue.
On the other side of the issue, why should health insurance be mandated by the government? For the poor they either get some coverage either way or at least get care in times of need. And is there really a government program that is superior to the private (profit-driven) sector? I can’t think of anything. Profit driven corporations may be “evil” but the drive for profit is a drive to cut costs while bringing an attractive product to the market in order to compete. The government doesn’t have to compete so the drive for improvement really isn’t there. Sure, with government health care things would be cheaper (although taxes will increase) but it is very doubtful that the care will be better.
These are just some of the thoughts off the top of my head. And it should be noted that Europe is currently undergoing a “conservative” movement away from the socialism praised by Michael Moore. Angela Merkel (German chancellor), Nicolas Sarkozy (French president), and David Cameron (likely successor to Gordon Brown in Britain) are all pro-American conservatives who are moving Europe away from big government socialism. Are we seeking to emulate Europe at the same time that they’re seeking to move away from their policies? It seems so.
Sorry this got a little long winded. This is an extremely political issue and I hope I don’t stir anything up. Clearly, there are two sides to this issue and one’s political views will likely lead you to favor one over the other.
June 3, 2008 at 12:35 am
I’d like to reaffirm that I haven’t seen the movie so I really can’t critique Michael Moore’s portrayal one way or the other. Keep in mind; however, that he has an agenda and his documentaries are shaded by that agenda. The truth is likely somewhere in the middle.
June 3, 2008 at 12:50 am
For a glimpse at an alternative to national health care:
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/PaulWeyrich/2007/12/06/health_care_improvement_without_federal_government_control
June 3, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Good thoughts here, Josh. I’m fully aware that this is a multi-faceted, political issue that would take a lot of time to adequately understand. Clearly there are problems with our health care system and many people have been affected. Moore’s film definitely points that out and grips your heart even if he does have an agenda. I agree, though, the truth is likely somewhere in the middle but difficult to grasp and even more difficult to put into action.
June 3, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Although I’m sure I don’t agree with much of what Michael Moore believes, this movie was a huge eye-opener and a tear-jerker. Also, his film is not the only place I’ve heard about the advantages other countries have due to government-run health care. I think it is a national shame and sin to turn away sick/dying people because they can’t afford health care or insurance. One line from the movie said what I believe to be true…”health care is a right, not a priviledge.” This isn’t the case in the US. And even though we have health insurance, I admit that I hesitate sometimes to go to the doctor or even bring my kids because of how much we’ll have to pay. That doesn’t seem right.
June 4, 2008 at 2:02 am
Okay, haven’t seen the movie either, but I’m sure it is wonderfully sloped to Mr. Moore’s prescription. I’m definitely with Josh on this. Socialized medicine is a utopian ideal which can’t be achieved in our sinful world. The practical outworking is more taxes, long waits for treatments, and overall less efficiency. You’ll get no argument from me that our current system is broken, but again I think we have to look to the current bureaucracy and legal mess for a lot of the blame. There are a lot of states where OB-GYN’s are leaving in droves because they can’t afford the malpractice insurance. Also you have to look at where most of the health care costs are incurred which is at the end of life. I really struggle with that because I believe that we should treat life with dignity and respect, but the measures employed are often minimally effective and very expensive. Are we that afraid of death or do we look with expectancy to be with Christ? But that is a debate for another time.
Bottomline: How many pleasant experiences have you had with government offices? Do you really want them managing the health care of your kids? Get the lawyers and the bureaucrats out of the way and let the free market have a chance.
June 4, 2008 at 2:11 am
Doug,
I haven’t seen the movie, but I read Moore’s “solutions” and they are unabashedly socialist/Communist ideas.
I think a very important point needs to be made here. Both you and Josh mentioned that this is a “political”, controversial issue. However, Christianity is a worldview, a lens through which we must view all of life. I know you would agree with this. Therefore the bible is our source book for every aspect of reality, INCLUDING ECONOMICS. Anyone who takes an in-depth look at the principles of scripture will conclude that the Bible supports a free market economy:
1) “Thou shall not steal.” Individuals have been created by God to have a right to property.
2) The scripture, especially the proverbs, contain countless verses that talk about how good it is for righteous men to work hard and bring wealth for themselves and for others.
3) Paul said, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat,”
4)Jesus said, “The Laborer is worthy of his wages,” and also told the parable of the talents
There’s a lot more where that came from.
The bible is crystal clear that there are different rewards for the lazy man and the hard-working man. Socialism, which includes universal health care, starkly opposes this biblical principle by using THE STATE to spread the wealth equally to everyone, regardless of whether they deserve it.
So let me pose a question: If a man who doesn’t work and earn his own money does not deserve to eat, does he deserve to get his broken arm put in a cast if he doesn’t have the money to pay for it? Because under socialist health care, that’s the system. It is an unjust system that gives out EQUAL rewards for UNEQUAL effort.
Once again, universal health care is socialism. Even it’s supporters would say that.
Socialism fails also, because when the resources are in the hands of a few central planners, there is no way that they can gage the needs of a mass of individuals. Only the individuals can do that. And as the bible clearly points out, the most righteous results come when the resources are in the hands of the individual.
Also, think back to the days of Daniel Boone and the early settlers when the average life span was less than half what it is today. What would they have thought of the mere concept of people deserving “health care” at all. They probably would have laughed at it. What makes us think we have a right to health care? I think it’s part of a modern attitude of “what can others do for me?” that has been ingrained in our minds in the last century.
There is much more I could say on this issue, but the key is that the Bible is not silent on economics. Men have certain rights, and those rights were designed to fulfill a righteous, character building purpose in each of us. I recommend the book “Understanding the Times” by David Noebel, specifically chapter 29, on Biblical Christian Economics.
Thanks for the post! This is a more important issue than many realize.
Neal
June 4, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I guess this is a hot-button issue! Thanks for all who commented. I learned a lot from you. Though we may disagree with Moore’s assessment(I still encourage you to watch the film), it is good to learn more and discuss these issues — hopefully to do something about it.
Neal is right. All issues, whether scientific or political, must be seen through the lens of Scripture. A Godward life is what we long to live. That being said, I think one small step of application for me is not so much to look at the law of sowing and reaping (i.e. If a man shall not work, he shall not eat) but to look at myself and see if I truly care about the poor. I’ve realized in this county how easy it is for me to forget the “least of these” (Matt. 25:36-40). The American Church has in large measure dropped the ball here. Like Tony said last Sunday, we are still very individualistic even in the church. Perhaps if we lived more like the early church, as a close community having everything in common and helping those in need, we would bless believers and attract unbelievers by our love and generosity.
I know many people don’t “deserve” to be helped, but that’s where our gospel-motivated love can fill the political gap. Something to think about and pray about.
June 4, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Doug, you are absolutely right. It’s the responsibility of the church and christian families to help those less fortunate, NOT the state. That’s one of the biblical reasons for a man to work hard and earn wealth, so that he may bless others with what he has earned. In the parable of the talents, (Matthew 25: 14-30) Jesus recounts what the master said to the servant who multiplied the five talents (verse 21) “His Lord said to him, ‘well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things; I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'” Wealth is to be used to bless others.
Many people will look to the example of the early church to say that christianity supports socialism, because the disciples considered nothing to be their own, but were unselfish and shared their posessions with everyone. The key here is that it was the church who did the distributing, not the state, which fits very well with what you said in your response. It’s up to each of us to be the charitable ones in this world.
June 5, 2008 at 11:50 am
Neal and Doug both make great points. Its the responsibility of the church and all of us to take care of the poor and give out of the excesses with which we’ve been blessed. Because the church has dropped the ball, the government has been forced to take a larger role than was intended in the constitution.
June 6, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Give me the real deal party in politics! I live in the nations capital and we can’t take care of folk in DC, what a shame, it’s sad and sin! We have so many “USA” issues we aren’t dealing with, heath care being one of the many. I am going to the movie to learn about what Moore experienced and discovered. I like his movies, they open my eye’s to other perspectives going on, most folk just don’t want to talk about it though. Living in the hood in DC I see and experience major injustices, I know personally how this affects folks that don’t have health care
*Sometimes I am not too proud to be an American! God bless and help America!!!
Keepin it Real,
Chris Cal