"Sicko" = Dem Headache?

[StrykerFSU]

"Sicko" is creating an awkward situation for the leading Democratic presidential candidates.

Rejecting Moore's prescription on healthcare could alienate liberal activists, who will play a big role in choosing the party's next standard-bearer. However, his proposal — wiping out private health insurance and replacing it with a massive federal program — could be political poison with the larger electorate...

...In "Sicko," the filmmaker calls for abolishing the insurance industry, putting a tight regulatory collar on pharmaceutical companies and embracing a Canadian-style government-run system.

Advocacy groups are already planning to use the film to pressure the Democratic hopefuls...

..."It's quite effective, [but] it's not a documentary," Robert D. Reischauer, one of Washington's leading health policy experts and a supporter of coverage for all, said after viewing the movie.

"Policy propaganda," he called it.

For most Democratic presidential candidates (Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio advocates a government single-payer program), it's more like a headache.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-movie22jun22,0,5962985.story?coll=la-home-center

We have discussed issues of health care in this country before so what I'm really more interested in is what people think about these advocacy groups putting so much pressure on presidential hopefuls. Hillary was recently booed by anti-war liberals for supporting the Iraq War, Congress approval ratings are lower than the Prez. because they haven't gotten US troops out of Iraq, Moveon.org and other far-left organizations threaten candidates if they appear at certain debates...these are just a few examples off the top of my head. If a candidate is afraid to truthfully discuss their agenda in regards to health care for fear of alienating certain groups how are we to get a sense of what a particular candidate believes?

[DanGenck]

These are problems for both democratic and republican officials. Many people would love to support certain things that the media would eat them alive for, and many people would like to say no to things that they simply cannot because of what party affiliations have become.

I do not think anyone in modern government has the leadership ability to stand up for independent decisions and still succeed. Hopefully those people are out there somewhere, though...

[DanGenck]

I don't think "Sicko" will be a headache for anyone. Everyone knows republicans do not support univeral health care and few democrats are behind it as well. The film should be seen as a humorous lampoon and a call to action, not a demand that democrats MUST back universal health care.

[Campbell]

I do not think anyone in modern government has the leadership ability to stand up for independent decisions and still succeed. Hopefully those people are out there somewhere, though...

Thats because we don't have leaders, we have politicians. One of the few things Bill O'Reilly and I agree on.

[Beta]

Haha our government cracking down on on pharmaceutical companies?!! That has about a snowball's chance.

Huge example...this country refuses to acknowledge that all of these school shooters are taking anti-depressants because it may affect the business...an industry-wide crackdown will NEVER happen. There's too much $$$ wrapped up in it.

[cjwilhelmi]

Huge example...this country refuses to acknowledge that all of these school shooters are taking anti-depressants because it may affect the business...an industry-wide crackdown will NEVER happen. There's too much $$$ wrapped up in it.

I have taken SSRI's for years and you don't see me going on a shooting spree. There are other factors there, to say that anti-depressants cause school shootings is an illusory correlation. I know that there is some research that anti-depressants cause suicidal behavior but that is very few and usually (if I remember reading it correctly) happens when they first start the drug or try to come off it without doctor's supervision.

[Beta]

I have taken SSRI's for years and you don't see me going on a shooting spree. There are other factors there, to say that anti-depressants cause school shootings is an illusory correlation. I know that there is some research that anti-depressants cause suicidal behavior but that is very few and usually (if I remember reading it correctly) happens when they first start the drug or try to come off it without doctor's supervision.

I can't personally see why someone that is seeking mental/emotional help should have a gun.