Michael Moore's 'Sicko' available online

[sabrina 1]

If you missed Michael Moore's 'Sicko' on the Movie Channel tonight, or you don't have TV, you can see the full movie at this site: http://freedocumentaries.org/film.php?id=133

The site has many excellent documentaries all of which can be viewed free. The following link is to a trailor of 'Sicko' ~

www.youtube.com/v/8BJyyyRYbSk&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"

To see the full length film, just click on the first link ....

I read on another thread that people are having viewing parties when the film is shown on TV. That is a great idea as the more people who see this film the better, imo. It could be done with the online version also.

After seeing it, it was clear why the Medical Insurance Industry worked so hard to discredit it.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html

In the above Bill Moyers interview with Cigna Whistle-blower, Wendell Potter, whose resume includes this description of his work for that company ~

With the chief medical officer and his staff, Potter developed rapid response mechanisms for handling media inquiries pertaining to complaints." Direct quote. "This was highly successful in keeping most such inquiries from becoming news stories, at a time when managed care horror stories abounded."

Moyers asked Potter about Moore's film and what he really thought of it:

BILL MOYERS: You were also involved in the campaign by the industry to discredit Michael Moore and his film "Sicko" in 2007. In that film Moore went to several countries around the world, and reported that their health care system was better than our health care system, in particular, Canada and England. Take a look at this:

Video excerpts from 'Sicko' are seen here

BILL MOYERS: So what did you think when you saw that film?

WENDELL POTTER: I thought that he hit the nail on the head with his movie. But the industry, from the moment that the industry learned that Michael Moore was taking on the health care industry, it was really concerned.

BILL MOYERS: What were they afraid of?

WENDELL POTTER: They were afraid that people would believe Michael Moore.

BILL MOYERS: We obtained a copy of the game plan that was adopted by the industry's trade association, AHIP. And it spells out the industry strategies in gold letters. It says, "Highlight horror stories of government-run systems." What was that about?

WENDELL POTTER: The industry has always tried to make Americans think that government-run systems are the worst thing that could possibly happen to them, that if you even consider that, you're heading down on the slippery slope towards socialism. So they have used scare tactics for years and years and years, to keep that from happening. If there were a broader program like our Medicare program, it could potentially reduce the profits of these big companies. So that is their biggest concern.

BILL MOYERS: And there was a political strategy. "Position Sicko as a threat to Democrats' larger agenda." What does that mean?

WENDELL POTTER: That means that part of the effort to discredit this film was to use lobbyists and their own staff to go onto Capitol Hill and say, "Look, you don't want to believe this movie. You don't want to talk about it. You don't want to endorse it. And if you do, we can make things tough for you."

BILL MOYERS: How?

WENDELL POTTER: By running ads, commercials in your home district when you're running for reelection, not contributing to your campaigns again, or contributing to your competitor.

BILL MOYERS: This is fascinating. You know, "Build awareness among centrist Democratic policy organizations--"

WENDELL POTTER: Right.

BILL MOYERS: "--including the Democratic Leadership Council."

WENDELL POTTER: Absolutely.

BILL MOYERS: Then it says, "Message to Democratic insiders. Embracing Moore is one-way ticket back to minority party status."

WENDELL POTTER: Yeah.

BILL MOYERS: Now, that's exactly what they did, didn't they? They--

WENDELL POTTER: Absolutely. <more ... >

If you didn't see the interview it is an excellent expose, or confirmation of what many Americans already knew, and well worth watching also.

I hope millions of people get to see this film, and those who believed the smears against Michael Moore, should watch Wendell Potter's interview with Bill Moyers and his Senate testimony along with the film. I think it will help to change a few minds influenced by the smear tactics of the Medical Insurance Industry outlined by Potter himself.

[ControlledDemolition]

1. Every member of the Senate should watch 'Sicko' before they cast a vote on health care. n/t

[sabrina 1]

8. Even if they did, and maybe they have

do you think it would make a difference to them? According to the movie, there are four Med. Insurance lobbiests for every Congressman and they are all being paid huge amounts of money for their re-election committees. The government has been bought. This is one of the saddest movies I've seen and it should make every American sit up and ask themselves, as Wendell Potter finally did 'what country is this'?

I just watched it again and it is heart-breaking to see how US citizens are treated by their own government while citizens of other nations are taken care of.



I see the anti-healthcare for Americans crowd are right here on DU, unrec'ing posts like this. Someone doesn't want this movie to be seen.

Thanks for the motivation. I'll be emailing this film to everyone on my email list asking them to mail it to everyone on theirs. Your unrecs make me realize just what we are up against, and what MM was up against.

[lindisfarne]

12. Has Michael Moore authorized this (I doubt it). I'd be very CAUTIOUS about clicking on a link from

youtube to another site which claims to have a full-length version of any movie - there are many potential security risks on the internet, and such claims seem very suspicious.

[sabrina 1]

15. See my post below in response

to your concerns. The site linked is a very reputable site I and many others have been using for a long time. Their videos are all good quality and I have never heard of them having any problems with those whose documentaries they link to.

As for MM authorizing the free circulation of the movie, I have quoted him below on that also.

[ControlledDemolition]

16. Ironically, a lot of those who have been bought, are 'pro-life'! n/t

[Gabi Hayes]

2. all here, too, in ten minute segments:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lloKi4k46yA

right hand column has the others....

[sabrina 1]

3. Thanks for the link ~

[Amos Moses]

4. Great Post, Sabrina

:applause:

K&R

[sabrina 1]

5. Thanks Amos

I wanted to include the battle between Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Michael Moore on CNN when 'Sicko' was first released but it was getting too long. Gupta badly mis-represented the movie, and MM went after him on the air. At first Gupta insisted he was right but MM was relentless, and really angry and eventually forced 'Dr' Gupta to issue an apology.

I never trusted that guy, I bet he too gets his marching orders from the medical industry.

Here's a Utube link to Larry King discussing the controversy with Michael Moore and Sanjay Gupta. I hope Gupta learned a lesson, but I doubt it. Eventually Gupta had to admit he was wrong and Moore was right. There's a segment with Wolf Blitzer defending his 'colleague' Sanjay Gupta also, they do stick together, these media hacks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjvlGRfozss

[Bolo Boffin]

6. And how about that Surgeon General we got instead of Gupta?

Dr. Regina Benjamin. She's good people.

[sabrina 1]

7. Yes, I was very relieved when

he was no longer in the running. Dr. Benjamin IS good people, and seems to be much more in touch with real people.

[GinaMaria]

9. Thank you :-)

[sabrina 1]

10. No, thank YOU, GinaMaria

It was in response to your request to spread the word that I went looking for the movie online which I had seen a few months ago ~ saw your post earlier and rec'd it right away as this is so important right now. I'm emailing to everyone on my list right now and will see about inviting people over to watch it, as your post suggested. So, thanks again :-)

[lindisfarne]

11. I would be VERY cautious about clicking on links in Youtube that say they'll provide the

full movie for free. This could risk the security of your computer.

Additionally,
If the movie isn't up on Michael Moore's website, he hasn't authorized it to be on the internet.

[sabrina 1]

13. Thank you for the warning about computer safety

re Utube links for the movie.

Actually, the link in the OP to the full length movie is not a Utube link. The site linked to is a reputable site and has provided access to the full documentary for a long time. The Utube link to the trailor (in the OP) comes from the same site. I've never had a problem with that site. But I get your point about unknown Utube links, so thanks again.

As far as whether MM has authorized free online access to the documentary, this is what he had to say when the movie was leaked on the Internet after the Government threatened to confiscate the film on the pretext that MM had violated US law by going to Cuba without permission:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicko#Legal_controversy

Piracy

The film was leaked onto the Internet two weeks before its official release on June 29, 2007.<53> Moore denied leaking the film for publicity, and an investigation was made into the source of the Internet leak.<54> When asked about the leak, Moore said, "I'm just happy that people get to see my movies. I'm not a big supporter of the copyright laws in this country…I don't understand bands or filmmakers…who oppose sharing, hav their work being shared by people, because it only increases your fanbase."<55>

Edited to add that the Utube trailor (link in the OP) is authorized by the distributor (Lionsgate) of the movie. It was released on Utube to promate the movie when it was released. So, just to be clear, that link IS authorized.

[slipslidingaway]

14. #5 n/t