Arkansas Blog

Suddenly, I love Meghan O'Hara, even though I've never heard of her before. Unfortunately, the kind of people who listen to Huckabee aren't going to be listening to O'Hara--instead, like Huckabee, they'll judge the movie without ever having seen it.

Woo-hoo and congrats to Meghan O'Hara!

Somebody might want to clue her in though--no twinkies, Velveeta!

He didn't judge the moive, how come that is so hard to figure out. He judged the concept of Universal Health Care. And he pointed to Moore as an a example of why our healthcare system is so expensive.

It should be noted that Gov. Huckabee, who was suffering from a very nearly fatal disease when he was morbidly obese, is alive and healthy today because he received free government-sponsored health care from UAMS.

Yes...Woo-hoo for Megan! She pretty much summed up the shallowness of Huck's approach to a serious problem like the country's health-care CRISIS. Yes, let's stay on the same damn course that's led us to the current health-care crisis. There are only 45 million Americans without insurance and a whole bunch more who're barely hanging on to minimum coverage. Oh yeah, let's have more of the same Republican crap...

...might as well stay in Iraq forever, too.

Our healthcare system is so expensive because people like Huckabee become tremendously sick then depend on the taxpayers to fix their problems. In Huckabee's case, he required individual treatment at the premiere hospital and by most expensive doctors in the state (which you and I paid for). Those 10s of millions that don't have any healthcare insurance? They still get treated, only the doctors and hospitals don't get paid. Our economy is further damaged by those patients being unable to work and declaring bankruptcy.

I'm pretty sure Moore can pay whatever health bills he has out of pocket. If Huckabee wants to blame fat people other than Moore, maybe he should have aimed at members of his immediate family.

James B,

Whatever Huckster did, the notion that Michael Moore's weight is the reason our health care system is so expensive is just plain ridiculous. As Spock would say: illogical.

I think your neurons need replacing, son. They sure aren't working very well today.

"And isn't he a minister? I don't remember Jesus blaming the sick for their ailments." O'Hara nailed the key point that struck me.

Huckabee's ilk would separate out the deserving from the undeserving ill (just as the do the deserving and undeserving poor).

Fat? Your fault. Go away. AIDS, well...where to start? Cancer? Should have adjusted that diet sooner, and been born with better genes.

Gout? Right this way Mr. Cheney.

There's a cliche from maybe ten years ago that my family wishes I would drop. My answer to them? Nope -- I like it.

Megan, you go, girl.

And who the heck brought up Velveeta? Now I've got to rummage through the pantry for a can of Rotel and some tortilla chips.

Sorry. Meghan, you go, girl.

Is that James Boulder repeating the same lies again or the buzzer on my washer telling me the load is off kilter again?

In a game of wits Huckabee will lose every time. Unless it's something about the tiny 8 and a half pound Baby Jesus, Huck is as clueless as they come. Oh sure, he can spout facts about God, but are there really any provable facts about God?

I swear my biggest dog can read Braille...but I can't prove it.....does that qualify me to run for President? No....but I suppose if I worked it right, I too could be an unemployed man with a dysfunctional family running for high office on someone else's money. Just what America needs!

Huckabee is compassionate about himself only. He has no real regard for the 40+ million Americans without insurance. He doesn't give a flip about those Americans mistreated by their insurance companies. His goal is to suck up campaign money from the filthy rich insurance companies and giant medical concerns.

Michael Moore's message in Sicko is for America to live, the giant health insurance and medical monopoly as we know them, must die. And I do mean die.......go out of business....go away completely and be replaced with a government system that makes sure no one suffers and no one goes bankrupt because they were unlucky enough to get sick. And trust me....everyone will get sick.

So Moore's message is one of revolution. England saw the light in 1948 amid the rubble of WWII. Think of the number of Americans who have needlessly suffered, died and gone bankrupt because of their unavoidable medical bills in the last 59 years.

If all the other leading countries in the world can have universal health care coverage for their citizens....so can....so must the United States.

Where will little worms like Huckabee get campaign money if Big Insurance, Big Hospital, and Big Pharma are dead? Forget the teaching of Jesus.....there are the 3 institutions Huckabee worships and depends on to continue to live the life of a rock star.

I judge anyone who argues that universal health care would be more expensive than our current system as either ignorant or stupid. That includes Huck.

Wanda,

Would that "free government-sponsored health care from UAMS" include a gastric bypass surgery? Because we all know that f*er didn't loose the weight on his own accord... Look at his wife and children.

There's nothing more infuriating than being preached to by a recent convert, be it weight loss or Christianity or what have you.

I wish people would wait awhile and see if it takes, before they try to tell me what to do.

In addition to the taxpayers forking over the boodle for Huck's weight-loss treatment they also paid to hire him a so-called press secretary whose real job was to train him to run a marathon in order to lay the publicity foundation for his current campaign.

Okay, I exaggerated. Huck's press secretary did have other duties than taking him out for his daily training runs.

She also spent a lot of time thwarting Brantley's attempts to cover the Huck administration.

Moore makes sense.

While none of the existing plans are perfect, US should cherry-pick the facets of each plan from Canada, France, Germany, UK, that works well and implement them here.

I wish some folks I know working 60 hour weeks could hear the young Parisian expats in "Sicko" talk about their 35 hr work week and 5 week paid vacation, but they are too busy shouting "USA, USA, USA, WE'RE #1 !!" to hear anyone else.

/dumbasses

While I support universal health care completely, there are plenty of other areas where reform is needed. I can't find the stats, but some HUGE percentage of health care costs go to those in the throes of death, to prolong their "life" maybe a few hours, or days at the most. Oregon and Dr. Kevorkian have it right.

While improving dramatically, we still have too many Docs who rely SOLELY on diagnostics and whose treatments run the (binary) gamut of prescribed drugs or surgery. MUCH more emphasis is needed on preventive care and holistic treatment approaches.

However Huck DOES have a point - look at the skyrocketing obesity growth in this country!! Too bad his 'glibness' overwhelms the tiny bit of substance. Meghan got it right, all right.

http://volokh.com/posts/1184263095.shtml

http://volokh.com/posts/1184263095.shtml

More baseless crap Prouster.....try harder. Whoever this is...is still saying the answer to health care in America is to lose weight. And I say to starving people.....eat more! To black people....try to be whiter. To bald people...try to grow more hair.......so simplistic...too simplistic.....

I am not overweight, I have never been overweight. So what part of Huck's message of weight loss will help me with the 3 hereditary health problems I have? Huh? I know, I know....pray to Jesus......

Gee, James Boulder, didn't you say Huckabee wouldn't criticize the movie without seeing it? Yet he's whining about the Cuba scenes. Huh.

Huckabee's own private health insurance paid for his weight loss. UAMS might be publicly owned, but that doesn't mean it is free. Besides there is alot of you on here who could stand to lose a fews pounds.

You guys keep missing the point with Huckabee....you really do.

Taking a shot at Moore Moore is like going to speak to the teachers union. They both are good, solid moves for a campaign without a lot of money that is trying to stay visible.

A presidential race is about surviving the stage you are at, to play again at the next stage with fewer candidates...until there is only one person standing.

Huckabee has already moved from the third tier GOP list to occupy the only real spot in the second tier....and McCain just metled down before our eyes. Rudy has three wives and a pro abortion stance to worry about, and Romney has his own set of issues.

Thompson is getting this great honeymoon period but he has a few wives and apparently lobbied for a pro choice group.

Anything is possible....so for Mike the job is to simply stay visible and viable.

And yes...it is a simple fact that overweight people access health plans more than average weight people.

Plus Moore is a disgusting creature who has never, ever let the facts get in his way. I actually think Huckabee threw just the right punch.

Now boys and girls...watch the line get picked up everywhere in the next 48 hour news cycle and watch Huckabee get more cable tv time...watch the frontrunners melt away.

It's possible gang. It is.

Also...my fellow bloggers...just remember Hillary has to win a couple of states Kerry lost. She simply has to....and it will be a different race when it is her and one repub rather than a stage full of people.

Not quite there Fast-Draw wiggle.
Huck's GOVERNMENT PAID private health care plan paid for it.

"America spends about 17 percent of our Gross Domestic Product on health care, the highest percent of GDP of any nation in the world. Imagine what we could do with the savings, if we were able to prevent disease, instead of having to treat it"
Ex guv Huckabee

Huckabee just gave the best reason in the world for doing away with insurance deciders, who decide who will live and die and charging an OUTRAGEOUS amount to do it.

Are we one nation or not? Two Americas or One?

See "SICKO" for free on your computer, the entire, uncut version. You must have broadband (high speed) connection.

Click bluename link and many thanks Rev. Mojo Ryson for the link from yesterday.

While none of the existing plans are perfect, US should cherry-pick the facets of each plan from Canada, France, Germany, UK, that works well and implement them here.
Posted by: Rev. Mojo Ryson

Thanks for a little common sense. So every industrialized nation has national health insurance except us, and thus we must make every mistake every other nation makes? What the hell kind of logic is that. Why can't we improve on the international model? Are we so dumb we have to only do the stupid stuff?

Speaking of wives...wait till the general public gets a load of Mrs. Huckabee. End of campaign!

I have been a fan of Michael Moore since his Roger & Me days. He gets his facts right. Proof of it is he's still making powerful life changing movies. If he was the liar the wingers make him out to be, no one would know his name today.

And remember....when he found out that the wife of the owner of the most violently anti-Michael Moore website was sick and the owner needed 12,000 bucks to pay his wife's co-pay, Moore sent him the money anonymously, to pay off her bills so the website could stay up.

Of course that's pretty crazy, but it's putting your money where your mouth is and furthering his idea that we're all in this together and we have to take care of each other.

Has anyone ever heard of Huckabee being generous about anything? He's against stem cell research that might cure me. He's against universal medical care that might extend my life AND allow us to eat.

And he thinks he's so smart he can make comments about something he's never watched. Ain't nothing generous about any of that. In his mind generosity only flows one way......directly into his own pocket. He's fluff.

And has anyone noticed, that no other nations are stampeding toward duplicating our model? Maybe a detail here or there, but, hell, can't we use what we can do and adopt and improve the world model.

When did we stop being "Can Do" people?

Polecat, I think "can do" disappeared with that "mission accomplished" BS, which translates to "thought we could but we didn't".

And he thinks he's so smart he can make comments about something he's never watched. "

Shades of Dr. Frist doing remote diagnosis on Terri Schivao eh?

Oh my. The Right Wing Mafia and their illogic, lack of compassion, greed, greed, greed, greed. Oh btw, did I mention greed?

We need to wipe out heath care for elected officials until the poor peple have it first..
SPoiled reformed fat rich kids will never get it, will never demand it be shared nor will they ever belive or demand Gov't can or should privide good services..

If you believe something long enough it has this strange way of manifesting...so we are in a military quagmire because our leaders believe a lot of false information and fear it.. We have the worst functioning goverment ever because our republican leaders despise goverment so much they took it over and are now draining it both financially for their own personal gain, like we have never seen before, and draining it of qualified workers.. therefore gov't sucks..

It doesn't have to be this way..

Michael Moore was on Olbermann this evening and he said something close to, No other western contry's citizens ever go bankrupt or lose their home or are denied health care from a preexisting condition.. none of them.

It simply does not have to be this way if enough of us will belive it...along with lots of work, and refusing to elect people like Huckabee... even on a school board level!!

Go away Mike.. you are a greedy, heartless man... I want you to have health care for the rest of your life... but for pete sakes leave the driving to someone who believes and gives a damn.

WillettWatch: I rarely enter into this fray but when political mercenaries such as yourself inject lies into the discussion, then I must respond.

Gov. Huckabee had free state-sponsored insurance that paid for his health care. If he had been burdened with the kind of health insurance that we, the normal working class, must use, he could not have afforded the large deductible required for this regimen, including personal trainers, therapists, special diets and continual monitoring of his condition by top-flight physicians.

(And to respond to ArgentaGirl, no, I don't believe he had gastric bypass surgery or any variety of such.)

From my experience with Gov. Huckabee I have found him to be a good man who surrounds himself with non-threatening mediocrities who provide ill advice and who are fearful of counseling him against his worst impulses.

Should he have actually wanted to differentiate himself from the tattered Republican field, he would have found common ground with Michael Moore. Gov. Huckabee created an insurance program in Arkansas for low-income families with children. He understands the gravity of this problem. Gov. Huckabee could have been the kind of leader this nation needs at this moment of many crises but he has squandered it by prostituting himself for the conventional Republican mess of pottage. He has chosen to become a kind a campaign harlequin. a lightweight quipster of no consequence, which has been a serious mistake.

It's sad to say that I now consider Gov. Huckabee to be a failure, not only as a leader but as a human being who could have made a difference by merely listening to his own heart.

When the state was debating welfare reform Huckabee was asked about the plight of single working moms. He said she could get a second job and, if that wasn't enough, a third one.

Compassionate, indeed.

Of course, subsequent analyses have proved Michael Moore correct on every fact he stated, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta (and Anderson Cooper) wrong.

Same with Huckabee and his PR people. They're either ignorant of the facts of Moore's CNN interview, or they hope YOU ARE, or they're liars.

Just saw 'HuckAbuck' on channel 11...he is the problem for health care-- what an IDIOT. STFU Mike Huckabee!!!

wanda,
What very nearly fatal disease was Huck suffering from before he lost that weight?

If you're referring to diabetes I believe you're overdramatizing quite a bit. He was never hospitalized in diabetic ketoacidosis, wasnt on a kidney transplant list because of diabetic nephropathy, didnt lose his vision due to diabetic retinopathy.

he lost weight and his diabetes came under excellent control, and that's great. Not for one minute will I ever believe he didnt do that without surgery, but thats my opinion.

I agree with StrangeTimes. Huckabee's getting TV time and media attention. That's the whole basis for this thing. Michael Moore is a crock. All he does is Bush-bash (The main activity of most people) tells us that the government lied, the government's full of a bunch of cheats, then wants the government in charge of his healthcare, which he so desperately needs.
Some people are missing the point. Theinsurance companies will pay for you gastric bypass surgery, but won't pay a $50 consultation fee about your health. What people want is to eat all they want, not exercise, and not pay the penalty for it, let taxpayers pick up the tab. I've got to pay for my own healthcare, I don't want to pay anybody else's.

Sicko has NO Bush bashing. Go see the movie.

Oh, and everyone is ALREADY paying for health care for others, and millions for the CEOs of the insurance companies.

But, not for the 18,000 that die each year for lack of care, mostly WORKING poor.