My Mom's Boss is Paying Employees to see SICKO!!!

[romantico]

My Mom's boss is buying a Saturday morning screening of SICKO next weekend for her employees. Employees who show up and see it will be paid for their time. Its not mandatory or anything like that, its just a treat. I think this is really cool. This is not a small company either. I hope other business owners do the same!!

[democracyindanger]

1. Universal healthcare is in the best interests of business

A lot of companies have figured this out

[jtrockville]

6. It's sad to think this is the criteria

What if providing health care wan't in the best interest of business? Would that mean we couldn't/shouldn't have it? Has this country become a nation where we only do things that are good for business rather than things that are good for people?

[MADem]

9. This country has always been a nation where we do things that are good for business

We're a nation of capitalists. We've all been raised on the 'work hard and be rewarded' ethic. We honor the businessman, especially the small businessman. We find value in, and honor, companies that have been in business for a long time and have traded fairly with their customer base.

There's nothing wrong with things being 'good for business.' Business is what keeps the engine of our economy chugging along.

It's nice when the interests of business and the interests of individuals converge, though. It's actually hopeful. And we could use a little hope nowadays.

[jtrockville]

10. We've been raised to think other things too.

Sure, there's nothing wrong with doing things that are "good for business", but it shouldn't be the ONLY criterion. When the constitution of this country is amended to say "of, by, and for business", then we can base decisions solely on that. Until then, we need to do what's right for the people.

[MADem]

13. Well, once upon a time, business was a part of the community. The businesspeople were your friends

and neighbors.

Business isn't the enemy, here, and to suggest that they are is simplistic thinking.

Greedy bastards are the enemy. Greedy bastards who own businesses, and who are predatory in nature. These are INDIVIDUALS who are doing that kind of shit.

Without businesses, no one has a goddamned job. Then we'd have real trouble--we'd be worried about eating. Health care would be a luxury. Not many businesses in Darfur, and see how well they're doing?

I know plenty of businessmen, and women, who aren't bastards. They share their profit with their workers, don't take obscene salaries, and plow what they can back into their business to make it better.

Put the blame where it belongs. On the greedy PEOPLE who take advantage of others.

[jtrockville]

24. Who suggested business was the enemy?

People need health care. Whether or not it's good for business should be irrelevant.

Kinda like seat belts. Remember when the car industry cried about that? Back then, when we had a government who served the needs of the people, government ordered the car industry to comply with the safety needs of the people. If the seat belt issue were on the table today, I'm not so sure our government would consider our needs, because it seems the needs of business outweigh the needs of the people.

Certainly in many cases, health care determines whether you live or die - even more so than seat belts.

btw - there was a time not so long ago where people worked in whatever craft they were good at and sold goods/services to others without any "business" entity at all. People still worked, earned a living, and survived. Frankly, we might be better off without "business".

[MADem]

31. You alluded to an "either-or" criterion in your post number six.

The truth is, if we have no business, we have no nuthin'. Even in the most primitive societies, there's barter, there's exchange of labor, there's "You wash my back, I wash yours." And that's BUSINESS. Those crafty people you view through misty eyes, well, they were running a business. Even though you choose not to see it that way, that IS what it is.

The image of nefarious CEOs isn't, in and of itself, business. It's one aspect of it, but it's not the whole entity. The guy I buy vegetables from, whose family farm is over a hundred years old, is a businessman. The guy who paints my house, who inherited the "business" from his father, is a businessman. If you are selling goods or services to others in order to make your way in the world, you're in business. If you are using money to buy stuff, you are patronizing businesses. You aren't in business, either as a business owner or patron, ONLY if you're growing all your own food, making all your own clothes, creating all of your own shelter and warmth with your own two paws, and not interacting with anyone else for your survival.

Without business, like it or not, we're living in caves without fire or clothing. It's not, in and of itself, a bad thing. It's unreasonable greed that causes the difficulty with business, not businesses in and of themselves.

[jtrockville]

34. No matter how you slice it,

"business", even as all-inclusively as you describe it, exists to serve needs of people. Not the other way around.

[Th1onein]

27. They coincide here, don't they, though?

What's right for the people: universal healthcare

What's good for business: universal healthcare

[jtrockville]

29. Yes they do, but what if they didn't?

What if health care wasn't good for business? Do we live in a society that holds the needs of business above the needs of the people? Does our government hold the the needs of business above the needs of people?

What have we become?
Why are the needs of business even relevant in a topic that is critical to meeting the needs of people?

[Th1onein]

37. I think we've got enough problems, without imagining them.

But, yeah, we DO have a society where the good of business is above the good of human beings.

[high density]

22. What's wrong with that?

If businesses get on board with this, and I think just about every one of them will (except for pharma and health insurance companies), then that's a big driving force to get this stuff done. The idiots in DC seem to like listening to businesses more than they do people, anyway. I share the cost of my health insurance with my employer 50/50, so I'd get about a nice raise if I didn't have to spend money on health insurance, while at the same time the cost of employing me as seen from the business would go down as well.

[Matariki]

26. You are right of course, but it IS good to have businesses behind this cause.

It's good for everyone. Except insurance companies.

Speaking of which, what is up with Massachusetts making health insurance mandatory? That must be some sort of wet dream for insurance companies and *the* most fucked up 'cure' for the health care crisis possible. Why not just knee-cap the middle class while they're at it?

[IronLionZion]

32. Doing the right thing is profitable,

spiritually and financially. Coincidentally, what's good for people is good for business, always has been, always will be. Unfortunately this isn't taught in US business schools and companies only look ahead to the next fiscal quarter and care only about their stock price and the executives care only about their own incomes.

[Nikki Stone1]

2. I LOVE your mom's boss.

What kind of company does she work for?

[romantico]

14. She provides

Nurses and aids to go into people's homes who are disabled and elderly. Lots of young clients who suffer from various diseases (when I say young I mean as young as 24)This 24 year old girl has MS and she has really gone down in the past few months. Theres a 57 year old woman who was in a car accident and can barely get around her home. I am amazed at how many people out there are disabled at such a young age. Breaks my heart.

[Nikki Stone1]

16. Wow. That makes sense. For that kind of company, "Sicko" is personnel training!

Kudos!

[babylonsister]

3. Wow! Recommend and commend the boss! nt

[polichick]

4. Very cool...

Now that's PATRIOTIC! :patriot:

[soothsayer]

5. highly cool!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

7. How cool is that?!

:bounce:

[havocmom]

8. Tickled PINK to put your mom's boss on the Greatest Page!

:woohoo:

There are great bosses who KNOW what is good for employees/citizens is ultimately good for business. We ALL do better when we all do better. The greed monster eating the middle class and all the worker bees will end up eating businesses too in the long run. Smart bosses know we are human beings and human beings need care.

Tell your mom to thank her boss from this evilDUer!

Hope the boss visits DU. Betting the boss does ;)

[BlooInBloo]

11. Supercool!

[Jackpine Radical]

12. How wonderful.

Does the company show other signs of progressivism as well? What kind of company are they? It would be cool to do an anti-boycott to kinda push their sales or whatever up a little as a mark of our recognition for doing the right thing.

[keep_it_real]

15. One payer plan like medicare is the way to go . . .

all else is bs

http://www.alternet.org/story/46550/

[IndyOp]

21. Welcome to DU keep_it_real.! That is an excellent article...

This part is disturbing:

Before leaving the subject of political viability, let me briefly address the healthcare proposal put out by the Center for American Progress, which threatens to become the Democratic Party proposal. In general, CAP's proposal would provide coverage for the uninsured through the existing private insurance system, funded by a national ad valorem (i.e., sales) tax. I had a long conversation with CAP's CEO, John Podesta, shortly after it was published, and while John is intellectually honest enough to recognize the advantages of single-payer, his advocacy of the CAP plan was more based on political viability than operational efficiency or effectiveness.

In any case, trying to impose a regressive national sales tax to fund insurance for 47 million people through an expensive, inefficient system not only makes no economic sense, I fail to see how it would be politically attractive, or even politically possible. It would make Democrats look like your daddy's Democratic Party -- you already can hear the Republicans, "Here they go again, another big, costly Democratic welfare program."

Boosting the sales tax will be greatly, greatly resented -- and deservedly so because it is the most regressive tax we have.

C'mon Dems - do what John Edwards' has suggested: Fund a single-payer system by rolling back Bushes' tax cuts on the wealthy!

[progressoid]

17. Coolerific.

[Booster]

18. Sounds like your Mom's boss is a very open-minded employer.

This country could use a whole lot more of them. It's one thing to buy a screening of the movie, but it's way beyond and above to pay her employees to see it. Cool lady.

[mnhtnbb]

19. How cool is that!

[Warpy]

20. Your mom's boss is being pushed up against the wall

by skyrocketing premiums. This is enlightened self interest. The only way this cruel nonsystem is ever going to change is when we the people get angry enough to force it to change.

Good for the boss. She knows what's going on and how to start to correct it.

[Spazito]

23. Wow, that is very cool!

I applaud your Mom's boss!

:applause:

[ikojo]

25. What kind of work does your mom do?

I SERIOUSLY doubt my workplace pays for us to see a film that advocates universal healthcare.

[GreenPartyVoter]

28. How many are doing it and what do they think after seeing it?

[romantico]

30. Its this Saturday

and even thought I don't work there, I have been invited. I'll post next week, but I am guessing there will be LOTS of reviews from DU members next weekend.No one is forced to go. She mentioned it and said they will sign in on a clipboard and do a head count. Those who go will be paid. Its not mandatory, its just a treat. The theatre is literally across the street from the company. No discussion afterward on pressure to go. The theatre holds 400 people, so thats not cheap. From what Mom says, everyone is going as far as she knows. Even those who hate Michael Moore can not refuse a free screening and to be paid for it.I think she is pretty clever. My Mom's boss is only 33 and I have never heard a woman who I hardly know say the things about Bush that she says.God Bless Her!

[SNAKE MAN]

33. GREAT BOSS!!!!

What movie theater are they going to?? I will contact the theater and buy everyones drinks and snacks if there is a way to do it!!! Your Mom has a great boss!!!

[orleans]

35. she sounds wonderful. pass on a link to du to her--or maybe she's

already posting here.

if is isn't--she might like this website.

(i believe it's www.democraticunderground.com)

hehe.

[Liberal Veteran]

36. I have a feeling that many companies really want universal health care.

Given the sheer burden they carry in providing most working people with insurance and those smaller businesses that can't afford a group rate, universal health care is becoming more and more attractive. Hell, my union is behind it. The shit they have to go through in negotiations over health care when putting together a new contract has got to be tiresome.

I think if anyone can ever bring the health care crisis to the forefront of the vox populi, we might just teeter over into joining the rest of the industrialized world.

Will this movie do it? Maybe....it's worth a try. It's already got the insurance and for-profit health care companies shaking in there boots to the point of unleashing PR people to spin the wonders of our system.

I'll support anything that puts the spotlight on the awful truth about what passes for health care in the US.