US Government Trying to Seize New Michael Moore Film, Says Producer
CANNES, France - Cannes is smacking its lips in anticipation of filmmaker and provocateur Michael Moore’s latest jeremiad against the US administration, which receives its premiere at the film festival today. Sicko, a documentary tackling the state of American healthcare, focuses on the pharmaceutical giants, and particularly on health insurers.
The film has already caused Moore - who won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2004 with Fahrenheit 911 - to clash with the American authorities. Now, according to movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, whose Weinstein Company is behind the film, the US government is attempting to impound the negative.
According to Weinstein, the US Treasury’s moves meant “we had to fly the movie to another country”- he would not say to where. “Let the secret service find that out - though this is the same country that thought there were weapons of mass destruction, so they’ll never find it.” He added that he feared that if the film were impounded, there might be attempts to cut some footage, in particular the last 20 minutes, which related to a trip to Cuba. This, said Weinstein, “would not be good.”
In March, Moore travelled to the Caribbean island with a group of emergency workers from New York’s Ground Zero to see whether they would receive better care under the Castro regime than they had under George Bush. He had applied for permission to travel in October 2006 and received no reply.
In a letter dated May 2, the treasury department notified Moore that it was investigating him for unlicensed travel to Cuba, or, as the missive put it, engaging in “travel-related transactions involving Cuba.”
Now team Moore is hitting back. Weinstein has hired an attorney, David Boies, who has lodged a request under the US freedom of information act to find out what motivated the treasury to begin its investigation. “They have to tell us why they did it and what they did,” said Weinstein. “And they are not too happy about it.”
Weinstein believes the investigation has a political agenda. “We want to find out who motivated this. We suspect there may be interference from another office,” he said. “Otherwise, I don’t understand why this would have come about.”
Weinstein named no suspects in this putative political interference, but referred to outspoken critics of Moore on the Republican right - who tend to accuse him of peddling propaganda rather than of undertaking serious journalism - including presidential hopeful Bob Thompson.
“Senator Thompson has come out with a tirade against Michael. Michael said he’d debate him, but Thompson turned him down,” said Weinstein.
He also said that insurers and pharmaceutical companies had “already sent out letters advising employees how to react when the film comes out”.
Weinstein appeared to be enjoying the brouhaha that the film is stirring up before it has even screened. “I’ve already told the Treasury that they are saving me money on advertising.”
In Cannes, the Weinstein Company’s offices are decorated with a mural of the rotund Moore sitting in a hospital waiting area flanked by a pair of skeletons, and Sicko sticking plasters are being given away as promotional gifts.
Moore’s underlying thesis in Sicko relates to the structure of American society. “Others see themselves as a collective that sinks or swims together,” he told Variety.
“It’s important to have a safety net and free universal health care. In America, unfortunately, we’re more focused on what’s in it for me. It’s every man for himself. If you’re sick and have lost a job, it’s not my problem. Don’t bother me.”
The insurance companies are a negative force, he believes. “They get in the way of taking care of those who are ill. They make it worse. We don’t need them,” he said.
The health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, may be surprised by Moore’s ringing - if strictly speaking, factually inaccurate - endorsement for the NHS. “The poorest Brit is healthier and lives longer than the wealthiest American,” he said.
Of his journalistic style, he said: “It’s the op-ed page. You don’t say that’s not journalism. I present my opinion, my take on things, based on indisputable facts. They could be wrong. I think they’re right.” Moore’s biggest hit to date has been Fahrenheit 911, which took $222m (£112m) worldwide. He made Bowling For Columbine, his acclaimed film about US gun culture, in 2002. The rightwing backlash has spawned a number of documentaries questioning his methods, including Rick Caine and Debbie Melnyk’s Manufacturing Dissent. Moore has hired Al Gore’s former press secretary, Chris Lehane, to help him to deal with “the forces I’m up against”.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
As a family physician in NJ I am looking forward to this one. Moore has the gonads to get after the big boys. must be difficult..Looks like the end of the line for my free lunches
I am a U.S. citizen that has a son and daughter in-law living in Belfast No. Ireland . They had a son that had some very serios health problems at birth which had him in intensive care for 3 weeks and many hospital visits afterward. He is now in excellent health and will soon reach his fourth birthday. There was no charge for these services. My daughter in-law received the mandated 6 month maternity leave at full pay.Would someone like to tell me how bad that is?
What happened to free speech? I guess its only free if its favorable to Bu$h Inc. Another right lost in the worst government in US history.
I love Michael Moore, he is like a court jester, making fun of the powerful.
Americans do not have universal health care because we have become a selfish nation that can’t stand to see someone get something for nothing. To Americans, human dignity is a worthless term because there is nothing successful about it.
American individualism and American exceptionalism is the foundation of American Empire, in reality the predatory force of global capitalism.
Censorship is alive and well in the US of A republic of free speech.
Way to go!
Having spent almost twenty years in the Medical field in Diagnostic Imaging I left because of the absolute infiltration of corrupt corporations, Pharmaceuticals, and others and yes, even corrupt Hospitals.
I do not think that any of this will change until the political system is changed. The politicians do not serve the voters, they serve the financiers who pay for the campaign that puts the voters in the booth.
Socialized Medicine works every where in the world that the PEOPLE want it to work.
It has a long way to go in the USA.
Yellow Horse
”
Americans do not have universal health care because we have become a selfish nation that can’t stand to see someone get something for nothing. To Americans, human dignity is a worthless term because there is nothing successful about it.
American individualism and American exceptionalism is the foundation of American Empire, in reality the predatory force of global capitalism.”
I basically agree, but I think it’s incorrect to call selfishness anything but selfishness.
Frankly, I think that the health care situation is only possible because the majority believes that there are humans
(who deserve health care) and subhumans (who don’t deserve health care).
I just learned today from inside sources that The Republican National Committee plans to sue Michael Moore for Trademark and Copyright infringement should “Sicko” be released.
“It’s total Propaganda,” said an unnamed spokesperson, “and we filed a copyright on that last year. We own it, so who the hell does this Michael Moore jerk think he is, anyway?”
Intellectual Property Lawyers for the Republicans say they are preparing their case, and are certain they will win.
“We also own the courts,” said the unidentified spokesperson.”
Isn’t is interesting that the elected officials making decisions about the health care of their constituents have free health care for the rest of their lives, free at the expense of those who elected them, the taxpayers?
“Isn’t is interesting that the elected officials making decisions about the health care of their constituents have free health care for the rest of their lives, free at the expense of those who elected them, the taxpayers?”
I think they just deserve it.
But, frankly, if people accept everything …
Hard to believe.
Keep on it, Michael Moore.
I work as an Adult Nurse Practitioner. I’m in the “system.” I completely support Universal Health Care. It’s a basic right of being human. Kind of like eating and drinking.
Terry Hess
Weinstein is trying to create publicity to increase his profits from the film. Weinstein’s exploitation of America’s troubles for personal gain should be banned.
rtdrury:
If what you say about Weinstein is true, then he is simply following the lead of big insurance, big pharma, and for-profit hospitals. Anything wrong with that?
rtdrury writes:
“Weinstein is trying to create publicity to increase his profits from the film. Weinstein’s exploitation of America’s troubles for personal gain should be banned.”
Ahem… Is this a conservative who thinks that using publicity to increase profits is BAD? Or that capitalizing on any segment of desire/need is WRONG?
A true conservative like rtdrury should be venerating Mr. Weinstein… not calling him out. If what Weinstein is doing is WRONG, our nation’s house is built on sand. If we actually banned such behavior, the American economy would come to a screeching halt.
Then again, I’ve been saying for years that an economy built on greed and usury IS a house built on sand… but I’m not masquerading as a conservative, Mr. Drury.
“Weinstein’s exploitation of America’s troubles for personal gain should be banned.”
Shouldn’t you possibly insert “Corporate” instead of Weinstein? “Labor is the source of all wealth”, therefore, not allowing the labor force adequate health care in a country based on capitalism only amounts to, gasp, exploitation…
The truth to Republicans is like water to the Wicked Witch of the West. He is EXPOSING the troubles with America. At this point, the truth is so rare, it SHOULD make money when spoken. They could always make their own counter claim movie and show us how wrong he is!
The only thing more disgusting and disagreeable than Michael Moore are the situations he lampoons. I will be looking forward to his next movie and wishing that he were unnecessary at the same time.
Looking forward to the new film, but then again I like Mike.
The only question I have about this article is why the yanks tolerate the gov’t telling them which country they’re allowed to visit? Is taking a trip to Cuba really a crime if you’re a yankee???
It’s about time America caught up with the progressive civilized society that is Europe and Michael Moore is just the one to stick it up Money Grabbing White Corporate America!!!
“stick it up Money Grabbing White Corporate America!!!”
Wrong again.
I can assure you non-white corporate America can be as grabby
These are all diversions
Being Canadian and having to go through medical recovery after having cancer at the age of 35. I would have to declare bankruptcy if I would have been in the USA. Me who has been involved in sports all my life since I was 7, watching my nutrition since I was 16 and went to university, all that wasn’t enough to stay healthy. Universal coverage is not a luxury, it is a common sense. Everybody will suffer from illness at one point in their life, soon or later you will need medical assistance. Don’t be ignorant, pool your money together to get medical assistance. It is not communism, its community awareness.
skippyagogo- I don’t think it is technically illegal to go there, it is just illegal to spend money there — even fully sponsored. So, as soon as you drop a dime, you’ve broken the US embargo. And if you lie on the little paper that asks you where you went while you were out of the country, that is another Federal offense, which is where I think they really get people. So far, the government has steered away from prosecuting people who are attempting civil disobedience in order to challenge the validity of this law in court, but they do go after individuals in a rather initimidating way.
“The only question I have about this article is why the yanks tolerate the gov’t telling”
Well, the yanks tolerate much more - wage slavery and lack
of universal health care, for example.
I used to have a fond liking to Moore…before his “AnyTHING but Bush” involvement in the 2004 election. However, my respect for Mike as a documentarian is still intact.
For more than 10 years of working in the medical profession (front office work in various physicians offices) I witnessed, and on occasion, participated in faxing political letters etc. to various politicians (as a part of my work) and worked around an office full of stressed out workers who were heavy drinkers, smokers, obese, and/or were anything but “health care GIVERS”. I left after being tired of telling ill people at the front desk that the doctors could not see them because they had the WRONG health insurance coverage. There is only so much a person can take before they become desensitized enough to look at their job as just that “A JOB”.
I am raising my hand and asking:
Why does Bush have health care, but millions of those who care for children, the elderly, the sick, etc. (paid or not) don’t have.
I have a feeling that increasingly only criminals, preferably mass murderers, have comprehensive coverage.
So, my second question is:
Is this normal?
It is part of our christian heritage,
part of the christian creed
If you prove yourself in small matters
more will be given to thee
So if you’re considered a sinner
or possibly a saint,
you won’t get too far in this life
by lending yourself to complaint
Feel free to share your opinions
You are thanked for your time
and I’m sure they’ll go in the proper hole
Right next to all of mine.
Have a nice day, LMJ
Yea Weinstein, give us more Moore. A-Man
Annac21 said:
I am raising my hand and asking:
Why does Bush have health care, but millions of those who care for children, the elderly, the sick, etc. (paid or not) don’t have.
The answer is pretty simple. To keep the “have nots” enlisting in the work that the “haves” almost never do. Like infintry military service.
So this is normal.
Have faith. Keep positive. And turn the other cheek. The savior that will arise is you. Anyone else that comes along will almost certainly disappoint you.
It is time to get a simple meme out: Medicine and healthcare are inherently counter to law-of-the-jungle market forces. In the jungle, the sick (and elderly) are left to the predators for the survival of the pack. It a uniquely human trait to care for the infirm, and I believe allowing medicine and healthcare to be provided by publicly traded corporate entities (that are required by law to make a profit for their shareholders over social responsibility) undermines our very humanity.
Another activist who experienced extreme censorship by the government and big pharma is Ed McCabe. Simple hydrogen peroxide has been a tried and true treatment for pneumonia (among other things) for nearly a hundred years. No treatment resistant microbial strains have resulted and it costs pennies a quart to manufacture. But the patents ran out some time ago and there is very little profit to be made in hydrogen peroxide sales. Ed McCabe first brought this to public attention in the ’80s, and he faced a dubious IRS tax evasion charge. After a year of incarceration (including solitary confinement) without trial, he was released with the “clerical typo” excuse that he wasn’t the Ed McCabe they were looking for. More recently, a major pharmaceutical company threatened to pull its funding for an AIDS walk if Ed was allowed to have a booth at the event.
I believe the professionals in our medical field are swamped with distractions, paperwork and legal garbage.
The cost of doing business is so much greater the cost of treating the patient.
Why does the taxpayer fund research only to have Big Pharma, reap the profit?
Like the teachers are used as a funnel for government approved information to the student; doctors are a funnel for medical products to the patient.
There is a lot we can do to bring the Doctor/Patient relationship back to some sanity.
ALOHA !!
Medical costs have been on the rise for one reason. Pure and simple … “monetary inflation”. You can thank both the Republicans and Democrats for that, neither party cares about the US voters and both are owned by the BIG banks and BIG corporations.
I possess my grandfathers insurance card from his employer that is dated 1952. Minor surgery was covered as $15 and major surgery was covered for $35. A semi-private room was $2 per day. Please ask yourself what has changed about the services offered, a bed is a bed, even in 1952? X-ray is an a-ray? Asprins are the same? Hospitals have rooms with a nurse-call button? Ambulances have four wheels? Doctors still have two legs and one mouth?
When you hire politicians to supply you with “free” services that causes them to spend and when they spend they create monetary inflation which makes prices rise. Why do you think we now have $50trillion nominal debt? That is not a rumor it is a fact stated by the US Comptroller General. He even went on 60 Minutes to get the word out … to BLOW the whistle! It seems nobody cares … Do you think your taxes will stay at the same level with socialized medicine? BIG pharma will profit even more!
Come to your senses … there is no such thing as a “free lunch” … no matter who you vote for! What good is free medical when you cannot afford to eat or have to work three jobs to make ends meet? Whats next free gas? Free houses? Free TVs? Free hookers? Not even the Communists made that work! Why are there close to 40million Americans in poverty and 10million homeless children? Who isn’t dependant on a US government check now days? Even Lockheed and Goldman Sachs suckles at the welfare teat!
Our Founding Fathers freed us from the “tax” slavery of the British King over two hundred years ago and all you guys can do is embrace the “King” as fast as you can. Your problems are not the medical industry. Your BIGGEST problem is BIG government. BIG government is the cause of all your ills and yet blind people keep voting the same rabble into power. Whats the definition of “crazy”? I believe it is something like … “repeating the same mistake yet expecting a different result!”
I’d love to see Michael Moore tackle the cause not the symptoms. The cause is the US government and the US Federal Reserve since they are the proprietors of corrupt money. The exact Reps and Dems you guys vote into office every four years, that I call the “two party aristocracy” … thats what they are now and you have elevated them to the position of KING. OH MIGHTY KING … SOLVE ALL OUR PROBLEMS FOR US WE ARE BUT CHILDREN SUCKLING AT YOUR TEAT, WE HAVE NO BRAINS, THINK FOR US … Please-e-e-e … Is that what they taught you in school? QUESTION AUTHORITY!! DUMP THE TWO PARTY GOVERNMENT!!
We are a ‘me’ oriented society. And it’s steadily getting worse in some circles. That is what I see as the biggest single difference between Democrat’s and Republican’s. Republican’s do not want to see the poor get anything, not even decent health care. There would be mass starvation of the poor if the Republican’s had there way about it. They are ‘throw away people’ as far as Republican’s are concerned. They think every person who is ‘poor’ is that way because they want to be or they are to lazy to work. All they care about are big corporations, making money at the expense of the little person and someone else paying their share of the taxes. I have known some average Republican’s (my son is a rabid one and I used to have a friend that was) and that attitude seems to be pervasive with anyone who is a staunch Republican. If you will that seems to be one of the ten commandments of being a good Republican. Have a cold heart and don’t give a s… about anyone but yourself. Where as Democrat’s do seem to care a little bit about the work person, wages, health care and etc. Maybe not as much as they should. But, as far as I can see, they are the least of the evils.
Fred Thompson can kiss my booty. I wouldn’t cross the street to see Richard Gere sex down his wife or wench if he has one.
Okay folks…..DO something! Get your House rep’s on board with Conyer’s U.S. National Health Insurance Act (HR 676). This is a SINGLE payor healthcare plan for ALL Americans.
Check to be sure your member of Congress is an endorser of H.R. 676. Look on our website, read the bill and check the co-sponsors – 69 so far. http://www.healthcare-now.org/resources/hr676.htm#cosponsors. Call your Congress Member if he/she is not on the list. Call on Chairman Rangel and Speaker Pelosi to hold hearings on H.R. 676 now. FREE CALLS TO CONGRESS 1-866-338-1015.
And don’t be misled by “Universal” healthcare bills. It’s not the same thing as SINGLE payer/Medicare for all legislation.
Thanks
The US doesn’t have universal health care because the system is corrupt - all those campaign contributions that are nothing other than legal bribery. That and the utter complete fixation of the political, military, and economic and economic elite on the Empire at the cost of everything and anyone else. “Sicko” goes beyond just the medical robberbarons, but includes the whole system.
… and because people are dumb, selfish and ignorant.
I’ve heard countless times “compassionate talk” about poor suffering Canadians who wait, wait and die etc., and “compassionate/intelligent” declarations that since he/she has good coverage there’s no need for universal health care.
I agree that demanding our government take care of us is like handing them a blank check to feed campaign contributors and further they let them write the laws.
With MEDIA REFORM we could eliminate the need for financing political campaigns period.
kaimu, while what you said may or may not be partially true, need I remind you that other countries with universal healthcare also have fractional reserve banking and opperate in the same international financial environment as we do? The difference between us and them is the removal, or minimizing, of the profit motive and the huge administrative costs of private insurance. Private insurance is many many times more expensive in this country than those with universal healthcare. That and the profit motive is the difference, not fractional reserve banking, at least in regards to healthcare.
The warped policies of “Deliberate Negligent Understaffing” have made working conditions for Medical professionals in the US so intolerable and so dangerous for patient care that it has precipitated a “Nursing Exodus.” Nurses are refusing to risk their patient’s lives by accepting inhumane staffing compromises that are comparable to a third world exploitation. We are threatened with charges of “Patient Abandonment” by Management who keep driving the beleaguered workforce to tolerate unsafe hours of continuous duty without relief. Simplistic excuses for unconscionable levels of understaffing are duping public safety agencies and government regulatory bodies into condoning this abuse:
http://medicintegrity-team.blogspot.com/
WHISTLEBLOWER’S WHO ATTEMPT TO EXPOSE THE TRUTH ARE FIRED, DISCREDITED AND SILENCED: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/938995258 http://allnurses.com/forums/f100/re-do-hospital-compliance-lines-offer-genuine-protection-retaliation-139732.html
In response to the so called “Nursing Crisis,” that was deliberately created by top heavy Healthcare Management to cut costs and bloat profits, the US continues to scavenge Medical professionals from impoverished countries that could ill afford to train them. This morally bankrupt strategy helps to provide a cheap supply of compliant Nurses who endure exploitive staffing policies in silence, too afraid to complain about negligent cost cutting practices and abuse. The UK seems eager to follow this very disturbing strategy. It is a huge credit to Cuba that they have trained and exported so many Doctors to third world countries, possibly more than any other nation on earth.
The corruption is US Healthcare goes way beyond HMOs and powerful Pharmaceutical companies. The unnecessary admin cost of obscene CEO salaries and top heavy Management have depleted the resources available for safe patient care and thorough cleaning of clinical areas. This has lead to an unprecedented rise in Medical Errors, “Sentinel Events” and increased infection rates at a time when the “Patient Safety” hype is working hard to obscure the truth. I applaud Michael Moor’s efforts to inform the public and I hope that the above issues are also fully exposed in his latest film,
Kim Sanders-Fisher.