To My Fellow Citizens, the Republicans:
Thanks to last night's vote, that child of yours who has had asthma since birth will now be covered after suffering for her first nine years as an American child with a pre-existing condition.
Thanks to last night's vote, that 23-year-old of yours who will be hit one day by a drunk driver and spend six months recovering in the hospital will now not go bankrupt because you will be able to keep him on your insurance policy.
Thanks to last night's vote, after your cancer returns for the third time -- racking up another $200,000 in costs to keep you alive -- your insurance company will have to commit a criminal act if they even think of dropping you from their rolls.
Yes, my Republican friends, even though you have opposed this health care bill, we've made sure it is going to cover you, too, in your time of need. I know you're upset right now. I know you probably think that if you did get wiped out by an illness, or thrown out of your home because of a medical bankruptcy, that you would somehow pull yourself up by your bootstraps and survive. I know that's a comforting story to tell yourself, and if John Wayne were still alive I'm sure he could make that into a movie for you.
But the reality is that these health insurance companies have only one mission: To take as much money from you as they can -- and then work like demons to deny you whatever coverage and help they can should you get sick.
So, when you find yourself suddenly broadsided by a life-threatening illness someday, perhaps you'll thank those pinko-socialist, Canadian-loving Democrats and independents for what they did Sunday evening.
If it's any consolation, the thieves who run the health insurance companies will still get to deny coverage to adults with pre-existing conditions for the next four years. They'll also get to cap an individual's annual health care reimbursements for the next four years. And if they break the pre-existing ban that was passed last night, they'll only be fined $100 a day! And, the best part? The law will require all citizens who aren't poor or old to write a check to a private insurance company. It's truly a banner day for these corporations.
So don't feel too bad. We're a long way from universal health care. Over 15 million Americans will still be uncovered -- and that means about 15,000 will still lose their lives each year because they won't be able to afford to see a doctor or get an operation. But another 30,000 will live. I hope that's ok with you.
If you don't mind, we're now going to get busy trying to improve upon this bill so that all Americans are covered and so the grubby health insurance companies will be put out of business -- because when it comes to helping the sick, no one should ever be allowed to ask the question, "How much money can we save by making this poor bastard suffer?"
Please, my Republican friends, if you can, take a quiet moment away from your AM radio and cable news network this morning and be happy for your country. We're doing better. And we're doing it for you, too.
Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
P.S. I'll have more to say on this tonight, live on CNN, at 9pm ET. I'll be talking with Larry King about the health care bill and where we go from here, considering we still don't have universal health care.
P.P.S. In case you missed these photos in yesterday's NY Times Sunday Magazine... That's the results of seven years of madness. The Iraq War began its 8th year this weekend. How can we remove more of those responsible for this tragedy in November?
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Capitalism --- what a system!!!
We are just not all that excited about our tax dollars paying for the killing of babies. What about that can you not get into your otherwise brilliant head???
Yes the health care system needs to be fixed. Maybe we could start by enforcing laws and regulations on what lawsuit-happy patients are able to sue doctors for. Malpractice insurance is one of the biggest drivers of health insurance costs. If doctors weren't constantly in fear and having to carry huge insurance policies themselves, health care wouldn't cost the general public as much either.
It's the government's job to regulate, not to operate.
You all had plenty of input to this bill. Because of you we did not get a 'government - run' health system like Medicare, which would really benefit us women over 50 without husbands, retirement, or a decent job. (I just wanted to buy into it.) Because of you we will all continue to enrich the insurance industry every year. Because of you we did not get a cap on premiums to start right now. You had plenty of influence here, so just quit your belly-aching, you bunch of sore losers. You got plenty of what you wanted in here. And stop lying. We know what's in there now, and we can see how you all lied about everything. Your mothers would be ashamed of you.
By the way--the government IS only regulating--not operating. This bill is NOT government run health clinics like the VA--and not government run insurance like Medicare. It's just a bunch of regulations. Period. So get your facts straight.
I would like to say to our fearful, self destructive Republican citizens, don't worry, we'll take care of you too. We know it's our duty.
I know a recent scientific study found that conservatives, in general, have IQs well below that of liberals. But again, not to worry. We don't take such studies very seriously and even if it were a 100% true, it wouldn't make you any less valuable as a human being in our eyes.
So, please try to calm your nerves. Stop breaking things and threatening people. Lock up your guns. You have nothing to fear. You'll be fine.
California's in trouble because of their stupid property tax bill from 20 or so years ago, and their perversion of how their state laws are changed - or not changed!
When the Vietnam war was started in a similarly illegal fashion, many of us took to the streets - and though it took more then ten years, the war was stopped for lack of support at home.
But what a precedent was allowed then!
Politicians in this country believe they have no accountability except to the corporations that fund their election races.
Wake up, folks! It takes people in the streets to make a difference. Look how close the crazies on the right came to snuffing out health care, and how they scared politicians into making many poor choices therein.
But HOW COME there are no complaints about how we can afford to spend $100 billion a year on another war that isn't making us any safer - the war in Afghanistan. Is it because the military industrial complex is making buucka-bucks and that some of these corporate interests and tax relief for the richest ----are more important than healthcare and the elderly in America ? HMMMMMMM
but they won't be...and the U.S. still has a long way to go in improving health care, this is just the start.
p.s. to those cons who criticize the Dems for passing a bill that they aren't completely happy with, i say 1) it's a start and they're still working on it and 2) the GOP bloodsuckers haven't done ANYTHING even remotely deserving of praise for HCR so you've no place to criticize.
This new law is a huge step forward for the US of A. It is not perfect and it only took 40+ years since the previous step (another 40 til the next ?). As far as health care, this country just stepped out of the dark ages to enter the middle ages.
Nothing to be proud of, a bill watered down by corporate hoses. Wake up, this is certainly not moving away from corp. interests. And it still leaves this place the (sad) laughing stock of other planets.
Freedom of speech, yes. Inciting to riot, no. To spit upon a Senator is totally despicable, as were most of the comments to other blacks and also to the openly gay senator. The crowds and supporting senators show no respect for others and also no self-respect.
I wonder how long these despicable actions will be remembered and whether the politicians who spurred them on will ever be called to accountability.
My fiancée just had Michael Moore moment. She did all her homework – went with doctors in the insurance company’s network, paid the $2,500 deductible, etc. etc. The Doctors were wonderful – even let her go home, rather than stay in the Hospital where they would have made more money, because she would heal better.
Major operation, ±$30,000 cost, and she is now looking a bill the Insurance company is refusing to pay for $1,700.
Why? Because the assistant surgeon wasn’t in network. I guess she forgot to ask, when she was under.
I am looking forward to ripping the heads off people at the insurance company tomorrow, and they will have to hope their policy includes re-attachment.
Watching the posturing going on in congress one wonders why do congressmen have to be bought? And why do the anti-abortion lobbyists have so much power?
It’s all the power of small men. The ability to prevent things happen, rather than make them happen.
This bill has passed thanks to mainly to Obama and Pelosi, since Congressmen and the Senators are just pork traders.
Next battle - serious tort reform and cost containment. With clowns like Joe Leiberman (whose wife is a lobbyist for the health industry) throwing up roadblocks, this will be fun to watch.
What was it...lipstick and pigs?
jerks.
tort reform is not the problem. it's DEFENSIVE medicine dr's practice b/c of FEAR of lawsuits. that will not change even w/ caps on damages...
As far as the lawsuits go, they're always so amusing to hear about-but the settlements usually come with gag orders so that good people can't defend their good names from the slander of lawyers. It's disgusting.
Like the poor elderly lady who suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns from the McD coffee, or the double amputee in Florida who got that way because TWICE the doctors mistakenly latched onto the wrong patient. Tort reform indeed.
And, no. I'm not black but I sure can smell racism from miles away.
that is what this bill is all about....!! I has nothing to do with wellness or prevention of illness.. then their proxies (Lobbies) will use this money to make sure NOTHING is changed. good luck Michael.....
1. Insurance companies were given a gift at the last minute when the provision to cap premium prices was removed. They won!
2. Drug companies were given a gift also when they were guaranteed 12 years of high priced drugs by prohibiting the manufacturing and sales of generic products on new drugs. They won!
3. Poor Americans won't be getting the same coverage Federal Employees have after all, but, they won.
4. Our President, his staff, cabinet, family, Congress will continue to have its excellent coverage, (with no penalty) The clinic in the Capital Building and the doctors who are there on staff will remain. The basis for this is that they are our nations leaders and it's important to keep them healthy. Much more important than the millions of seniors who have already paid into Medicare for almost 45 years, still pay into it, and are getting ready to lose $500 billion dollars in benefits.
5. And, although the President is signing an executive order to prevent coverage of abortion, Pro-death liberals laugh and remind us that it's not worth the paper he'll be signing. All of America will eventually have the obligation to pay for it - even those of us who are violently opposed to it. Hooray! They won!
Wow, we really kicked those insurance companies and drug companies in the A$$, didn't we?
Well, at least somebody won.
Sad day in America.