Mike's Open Letter to Republicans -- Michael Moore, Director of Sicko, on Healthcare Reform

BUZZFLASH GUEST COMMENTARY
by Michael Moore

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 preexisting 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?