A letter from Michael Moore
Posted on 21. Nov, 2010 by Raja Mujtaba in US
Dear Friends,
How Corporate America Is Pushing Us All Off a Cliff …
When someone talks about pushing you off a cliff, it's just human nature to be curious about them. Who are these people, you wonder, and why would they want to do such a thing?
That's what I was thinking when corporate whistleblower Wendell Potter revealed that, when "Sicko" was being released in 2007, the health insurance industry's PR firm, APCO Worldwide, discussed their Plan B: "Pushing Michael Moore off a cliff."
But after looking into it, it turns out, it's nothing personal! APCO wants to push everyone off a cliff.
APCO was hatched in 1984 as a subsidiary of the Washington, D.C. law firm Arnold & Porter — best known for its years of representing the giant tobacco conglomerate Philip Morris. APCO set up fake "grassroots" organizations around the country to do the bidding of Big Tobacco. All of a sudden, "normal, everyday, in-no-way-employed-by-Philip Morris Americans" were popping up everywhere. And it turned out they were outraged — outraged! — by exactly the things APCO's clients hated (such as, the government telling tobacco companies what to do). In particular, they were "furious" that regular people had the right to sue big corporations…you know, like Philip Morris. (For details, see the 2000 report "The CALA Files" (PDF) by my friends and colleagues Carl Deal and Joanne Doroshow.)
Right about now you may be wondering: how many Americans get pushed off a cliff by Big Tobacco every year? The answer is 443,000 Americans die every year due to smoking. That's a big cliff.
With this success under their belts, APCO created "The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition." TASSC, funded partly by Exxon, had a leading role in a planned campaign by the fossil fuel industry to create doubt about global warming. The problem for Big Oil speaking out against global warming, according to the campaign's own leaked documents, was that the public could see the "vested interest" that oil companies had in opposing environmental laws. APCO's job was to help conceal those oil company interests.
And boy, have they ever succeeded. Polls now show that, as the world gets hotter, Americans are getting less and less worried about it.
How big is this particular cliff? According to the World Health Organization, climate change contributes — right now — to the deaths of 150,000 people every year. By 2030 it may be double that. And after that…well, the sky is literally the limit! I don't think it's crazy to say APCO may rack up even bigger numbers here than they have with tobacco.
With this track record, you can see why, when the health insurance industry wanted to come after "Sicko," they went straight to APCO. The "worst case," as their leaked documents say, was that "Sicko evolves into a sustained populist movement." That simply could not be allowed to happen. Something obviously had to be done.
As Wendell Potter explains, APCO ran their standard playbook, setting up something called "Health Care America." Health Care America, according to Potter, "was received by mainstream reporters, including the New York Times, as a legitimate organization when it was nothing but a front group set up by APCO Worldwide. It was not anything approaching what it was reporting to be: a 'grassroots organization.' It was a sham group."
Health Care America showed up online in 2007 (the year "Sicko" was released) and disappeared quickly by early 2008. You can still find their website archived here. As you'll see, their "moderated forum" allowed normal, everyday, in-no-way-employed-by-the-
"Moore shouldn't be allowed to call his film a 'documentary.' It should be called a political commercial. We need to fix our health care system, but we shouldn’t accept a Hollywood moviemaker’s political views as the starting point."
Here's what Wendell Potter revealed about the insurance industry's media strategy:
"As we would do the media training, we would always have someone refer to him as 'Hollywood entertainer' or 'Hollywood moviemaker Michael Moore.' They don't want you to think that it was a documentary that had some truth."
Thanks for your perspective, "Nicole"!
Now, how big was THAT cliff? A pretty good size — according to a recent study, 45,000 Americans die every year because they don't have health insurance.
And here we are in 2010. A lesser PR firm might be resting on its laurels at this point, content to sit back and watch hundreds of thousands of people continue to be pushed off the various cliffs they've built. But not APCO! Right now they've taken on their biggest challenge yet: leading a giant, multi-million dollar effort to help Wall Street "earn back the trust of the American people."
We may never know the size of this particular cliff. But we can be sure it's gigantic. According to the New York Times, one of the things Wall Street's recession gave us is "the crippling of the government program that provides life-sustaining antiretroviral drugs to Americans with H.I.V. or AIDS who cannot afford them." Internationally, organizations fighting AIDS and other diseases are "hugely afraid" of cutbacks in funding.
Of course, there are the 101 ways recessions kill quietly. For instance, children's hospitals are seeing a sharp 55% rise in the abuse of babies by parents.
And that's just the previous cliff. If APCO and its Wall Street co-conspirators lull us into turning our backs on them again, we can be sure the next cliff — the next crash — will be much bigger.
Anyway, this is all just a way for me to say to APCO: No hard feelings! My getting mad at you would be like a chicken who's still happily pecking away getting mad at McDonald's. Compared to the millions you've already turned into McNuggets, you've actually treated me much, much BETTER! Spying on my family, planting smears and lies about me, privately badgering movie critics to give the film a poor review, scaring Americans into believing they'd be committing a near-act of treason were they to go to the theater and see my movie — hey, ya done good, health insurance companies of America. And, most important, you stopped the nation from getting true universal health care. Good job!
There's only one problem — I'm not one of those "liberals" you fund in Congress, the ones who fear your power.
I'm me. And that, sadly, is not good for you.
Yours in good health,
Michael Moore
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Rehmat
21. Nov, 2010
Michael Moore is no Saint either. He, while criticizes some of the US government policies – he, like Chomsky, is a 'Crypto-Zionist'. Just read his book 'Where is my country, dude?' and his movie based on that book, which doesn't mention a single world about Israel's involvement in the 9/11 terrorism. He simply blame everything on Dubya Bush and the Saudi 'royals'.
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2009/12/13/911-the-lie-that-refuses-to-go-away/
James
22. Nov, 2010
Mike, please. You are no better than the corporations you suck off of.
stevor
22. Nov, 2010
Is your doctor bad? Mine isn't.
Is your health plan bad? Mine isn't.
If yours are bad, get a better one (while you still can before ObamaCare makes it so we're all stuck in a plan as Canada has, which is SINKING.
You compared this to Global Warming. I have no interest in oil companies. In fact, I pretty much hate them and am glad that I'm able to do my commuting by bicycle.
Still, I think "Global warming" is a concoction by those who OWN Al Gore (who have invested extraordinary amounts in BUSINESES, which you seem to be against, that already have already made Al and others rich) and it's meant as a TAX that will go to the Unied Nations to fund their projects (which might be to fight "global warming" but are more likely to just make them more powerful so they can BE the New World Order).
phishy
23. Nov, 2010
Hey jacknut, maybe learn about that “crippled” canadian system before you spout off talking points. It’s not crippled, or broken. Won’t take a Canadian’s opinion on the CANADIAN system? Go check any of the healthiest counties, best healthcare, lists and see where the good old USA sits. I can tell you this much, is sits much father down than Canada, always has and probably always will.
don’t get me wrong, i totally support your right to die because you can’t afford treatment, or to become homeless to pay for the treatment.
Since none of you morons will actually ever research any of the topics you talk about let me explain some things:
I can go see any doctor I want in my province, for free, by showing my medicare card. Out of province? That’s fine too, might have to pay a 50$ fee for not having a card.
Do I wait for life saving treatments? Not any longer than the average (non millionaire) american. Do I wait for non life saving elective surgery? Yup, and I have no problem stepping aside and waiting another month for my shoulder, to let the guy dying of cancer go ahead of me. I know, that’s not the american way, it’s the Canadian way.
Is the equipment/ treatment in Canada as good as the us. Actually, it’s better, again though, don’t take my word for it. take the average Canadians 10+ years they live LONGER THAN YOU.
Why is it this way? Because we treat healthcare as a right of citizenship, not a business.
Why are so many americans so against this:
2 reasons:
1. they are, as Moore mentioned, PAID to have that opinion and spread it everywhere, including here.
2. uneducated, all information comes from MsM which is nothing more than the ministry of propaganda.
Why do so many americans hate Canadian healthcare? Because they were told to hate it, simple as that.
Critical thought is dead.
profnasty
23. Nov, 2010
I put Canada wa-a-ay up on a pedestal until they elected Harper. He is a Zionist piece of shit just as was Babydoc Bush. Canada ought to be ashamed of it's government. I'll just bet Harper is trying to cut back on the medical system. And, when good Canadians defended Ernst Zundel's right to study and publish historical reports, the Canadians allowed the Jewish minority to have him deported-straight to jail for studying history. Not cool Canada. You lookin' mo' like 'melica ebry day!
Frank
24. Nov, 2010
As long as Canada and Mexico leech off us americans, just look at the american industry they stole from us,,and not support our causes and wars that protect your sorry asses,, kiss my American ass!!!
Marks2Much
22. Nov, 2010
I love Michael Moore's passion and contributions to the political and cultural dialog of this country. We need more crusaders like him.
However, I don't think Michael has the matzo balls to take on the other elephant in the room: The overwhelming and detrimental influence that Israel and American zionists are having on our government and this country.
wayne pacific
22. Nov, 2010
Absolutely nothing new here. It’s all college sophomore truths from 30 years ago and nothing has changed very much. Our political system isn’t working and will get much worse. Nothing will be achieved through politics because the voters don’t get good information from the major media. We will are entering a spiral down, which could ignite into chaos and then severely brutal marshal law within a few years.
Parabombastus
22. Nov, 2010
Yeah, where you at on 911 Mike?
Robert McDougall
22. Nov, 2010
Moore either shamelessly or naively promotes the World Health Organization as an authority to trusted and believed. Has he done any reading about this organization by reporters and analysts who do not tow the globalist line? Global warming last year killed 150,000 people, comes the claim. Hooey. In light of revelations about the long standing fraudulent science behind C02-based global warming, Moore, like the WHO, is full of nothing but hot air.
acudoc
22. Nov, 2010
Michael—I love your muckraking, but…
Get acquainted with the Austrian School of Economics, and go after the institution that makes a travesty of a true capitalist system, in which the future is funded by ordinary people saving and cutting back on consumption in the present.
Your critique of capitalism is flawed because we don't have a true capitalist system. We have what is more correctly termed a mercantilist system which distorts the free market in so many ways, the major flaw being that so-called money is issued by a privileged few. It is not possible to have a capitalist system under such an arrangement!
Check out:
http://www.plata.com.mx/mplata/articulos/articles.asp
for some eye-opening economic thinking along the lines of the Austrian School of thought in economics. Then go after the banks in your next docmunentary without bashing the only system that can assure the freedom of the little guy, if it were allowed to operate freelyYBNY.
acudoc
22. Nov, 2010
Michael—I love your muckraking, but…
Get acquainted with the Austrian School of Economics, and go after the institution that makes a travesty of a true capitalist system. Ture capitalism funds the future when ordinary people have enough money to save and cut back on consumption in the present.
Your critique of capitalism is flawed because we don't have a anything that resembles a true capitalist system. We have what is more correctly termed a mercantilist system, or even a fascistic system, which radically distorts the free market in many ways, the major flaw of our present system being that so-called money is issued by a privileged few only out of our debt in the form of promissory notes. It is not possible to have a capitalist system under such an arrangement!
Check out:
http://www.plata.com.mx/mplata/articulos/articles.asp
for some eye-opening economic thinking along the lines of the Austrian School of thought in economics. Then go after the banks in your next docmunentary without bashing the only system that can assure the freedom of the little guy, if it were allowed to operate in an environment of freedom and honest money.
Paul
22. Nov, 2010
Stevor you have a good doctor and health plan so good for you and screw anyone not so lucky. But I AM a Canadian and it is clear from your comments re: Canadian healthcare and Global warming that the scope of your ignorance is breathtaking. But hey, keep drinking the cool aid!
Diana Mitchell
22. Nov, 2010
I too am Canadian and scratch my head every time an American or anyone outside Canada says our health care system stinks. It is wonderful! We love it. Canadians at polls constantly, unremittantly say "Raise our taxes, but do NOT take away our Medical Services Plan". It is absolutely fantastic. The movement Michael Moore talks about, of muckraking and piad lobbying to convince Americans the Canadian health care system, which is universal here, is poor sure works. Americans continue to bleat in protest against our marvelous medical services plan, to the detriment of the poor folks who don't have what we have…and we are 1/10th the size (in population) of your country. I think the only reason you hear criticism of what Canadians are SO fortunate to have, by way of universal health care, is that we are right next door. You don't seem to hear criticism of the National Health Care programs in the UK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands. They are too far away for the USA government and industry so-called 'leaders' to worry about. Well, we LOVE our health care in Canada.
Second hand smoke
22. Nov, 2010
Factories put out tons of disposable garbage all wrapped in plastic. Industry is outsourced to countries with fewer environmental protection laws because its cheaper.Nobody gives a damn about global warming. As far as national healthcare goes,great just get illegal aliens off it and stop funding abortions.That will save alot of money. And so what about people who smoke,I thought the world was overcrowded? Get a clue Mikey,your an idiot.
James
22. Nov, 2010
It’s now official – there’s no actual shortage of Holocaust Survivors :
Quote from The Holocaust Industry by Norman G. Finkelstein of the City University of New York, published by Verso in the year 2000:
'The Israeli Prime Minister's office recently put the number of "living Holocaust survivors" at nearly a million.' (page 83)
Rabbit
22. Nov, 2010
Sorry Mr Moore but you're not among friends in the truth and activist community anymore. Your attitude towards 9/11, the most transparent great lie we've seen for decades and silly defense of this rubbish Anthropomorphic Global Warming nonsense makes you nothing but a gatekeeper of some truths. You are good in your little chosen issues but you are careful not to upset the important apple carts all the same.
The anti-AGW people didn't need oil company money, we could see ourselves that we're being sold a load of crap, science needs more than a bunch of big names to say something is so, especially when they get caught lying.
jone
22. Nov, 2010
What global warming?
It's global COOLING now and this year the ice grew up in north pole with another 28% from last year record growth.
The Gulf stream is stopping and the ocean temperatures has dropped several degrees.
There are Records beind made with this years winter already, Last winter, records was broken all over the world but they are being destroyed this year.
We were told that this christmas was going to be without snow, well we already got plenty off snow and more is on it's way and we have had record colds for this time of year and it's getting coolder.
But goons like you blame it on Co2 like with everything else.
REAL data shows a dropp in temperatures WORLD WIDE for the last 7 years and Leaked E-mails revealed how Phil jones and Al gore have been scamming the WORLD with global warming.
They made it look like it was warming even thou it was cooling.
They faked the data and it's has all been revealed and Phil Jones Later ADMITTED to have done just that.
World Spinner
22. Nov, 2010
A letter from Michael Moore | Opinion Maker…
Here at World Spinner we are debating the same thing……
AgreeToDisagree
22. Nov, 2010
Dear Michael,
Please adopt the below to reforsm in USA as well :
Third Force (Malaysian Green Party)
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_161380297228234&ap=1
1) Freedom from Apartheid/Fascism
2) Freedom from Religious-Persecution/Religious-Supremacy.
3) Equality for all ethnicities and faiths in all aspects of policy, Law and Constitution.
The above group is just in case Haris/RPK themselves are also trojans (I'd say a clique of closet elitists distancing themselves from the iteneratnt bloggers via
moderation to oblibvion of comments – but only THIS CRIME against humanity so far). We as citizens can't trust any political parties (even NGOs) and have to
run as independents if needed.
Until they prove to be trojans though, I consider MCLM's 3rd Force viable and a foil to hide behind till they foul up big if ever . . . The real 3rd Force is always
the NEUTRAL citizen, no one else with any agenda whatsoever. Who knows they might grant everything suggested !
Apart from the above 3 items we neutral citizens need to :
Disallow ANY Oligarchy/Nepotism
End/Buy-Up Toll Concessions
End Forced Military Conscriptions
End Vehicular-APs
Block VAT / Block GST
Lower Election Deposits from 15,000 to 15.00 (so everyone can join and not be prevented by this plutocratic deterrence the poorest man has a right to join and
15,000 is prohibitive, must be lowered to allow the poorest)
Then study the below as well for good measure :
EDUCATE YOURSELF ON TYPES OF DEMOCRACY
USA, UK and Malaysia, are representative democracies (2nd class version) and thus not truly open systems being limited to the whims and fancies of
parliamentarians alone.
*Participatory Democracy* (1st class version) is a process emphasizing the broad participation of constituents in the direction and operation of political systems
not in isolation of populist political groups but inclusive of academic and bureaucratic groups.
*Participatory Democracy* avoids the concept of the people having a single view with the inevitable limitations that come from trying to agree what that view is.
Government is heavily decentralized into smaller independent groups to allow personalized preferences within groups to be expressed in a functional manner
PREFERRED by each particular group.
The system seeks to avoid problems with centralized and electoral governance, while still providing a stable democratic system and ensuring all forms of human
expression especially those diametrically opposed to be allowed expression. For example theocrat moralists / and sin industries (adult or gambling) can all be
represented and functional even while proponents within each group do not use or believe in the other.
All expressions of humanity thus will have their own place, albeit in a highly separated manner. Try the below related links for articles/discussions on Participative
Democracy :
(1)
Shadow cabinet Thursday, October 14, 2010 (Ktemoc) Authoritarianism vs. Seperation of Powers and Complacency of Citizens
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=318515515322&topic=15643
(2)
Unsuitable to Vote : Individuals Causing Notable Conflict of Interest in Local Council Elections – Original Article 6th
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=318515515322&topic=15468
(3)
The column that wasn’t – Marina Mahathir – 3rd March 2010
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=318515515322&topic=13433
Also these charts to prevent conflict of interest / vested interest :
(4)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=318515515322&v=photos
All the above should be 3rd Force Agenda. Any further thoughts and ideas? Remember that we are all leaders, that all citizens are equal in a modern democracy.
The 3rd Force method will be to present a governance paradigm so transparent and attractive and protective of the Rakyat that everyone would vote for 3rd
Force.
MCLM of course can take up the above, which means I will not need to form anything to implement the above, but someone has to address the inclination
towards 'Elegant Silence' or at least 'Harmful Delays'. If they turn trojan on us, then we NEUTRAL 3rd Forcers must be very prepared to run on our own with
whatever little resources or knowledge compounded by sheer lack of ethos (or lack of infamy/infamy) we have.
Finally this series of events below, where DAP looks like it's standards are slipping and all the below abuses are ISA-like in nature though not readily apparent
until applied :
DAP's democracy in Penang (Tuesday, November 16, 2010)
http://apanama2020.blogspot.com/2010/11/daps-democracy-in-penang.html
http://aliran.com/3307.html (read commentaries and be aware that Aliran fettes DAP rather than be neutral)
Compensation for Rep's Kin – by Sunday Star – 18th APR 2010
http://hi-in.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=318515515322&topic=13447
The Gambier Threat – Mid 2010
http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/1378/gambier1.jpg
Invasive By-Laws Against Sovereignty of Title/Land Owners
http://jeremiahfoo.com/?p=5887&cpage=1#comment-100231
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=318515515322&topic=14724
Be prepared readers, for like Aliran which failed to highlight or even suggest a re-election, MCLM could turn out to be an exercise in self promotion that leads
nowhere! Joining Pakatan Rayat to cure it or setting up an Independent's group could be the other option if nothing materialises but then again, true colours would
be revealed by GE13 . . .
Meanwhile Zaid's 3rd Force (not necessarily the same as MCLM???) looks good as any existing party. At least Zaid exhorts ideals. All the commentators here,
how about getting off the armchairs and getting in touch with Zaid? He certainly needs help and we could also set the tone for a better political party.
Please considerb addressing the use of APCO by the apartheid ruling Baris Coalition in Malaysia SICKO style. Best wishes Michael and keep up the good work.
P.S.
Idea for 4 buttons with 4 separate ratings, for comments rating system :
Like (Brightens the comment)
Dislike (Darkens the comment)
Don't Get It (Blurs out the comment)
Report as Offensive (Reddens the comment)
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22. Nov, 2010
[...] A letter from Michael Moore | Opinion Maker [...]
Dano
22. Nov, 2010
I am heartened to read the comments left by readers. All of you seem to be aware of truths that aren't commonly known. Perhaps there is hope. Congratulations to all of you and keep up the good work commentors.
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Naked Truth
22. Nov, 2010
I'm with Dano.
Never stop spreading the truth!!!
profnasty
23. Nov, 2010
Hey Mike! I love your movies and learn a lot from them. But you must admit, even the Great Michael Moore shivers and quakes before the Big Boys, Israel, Wallstreet, Britain,(Mexico), and the 911 attack. Why don't you interview Ernst Zundel. Why is it our counterculture bloggers keep being charged falsely and deported (Chris Bollyn, Edgar Steele, Zundel, David Duke, and the tragic Gary Webb)? Global warming is a tempest in a teacup. The Big Boys are starving the US working class to death and you are worried about a 2degree rise in temp? Get real. It is time for the Big One, so whaddya say? Stand up to DaMann Baby.