Michael Moore

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“I Think That American Exceptionalism Will Be The Death Of Us”

September 9, 2015 in Excerpts, Film, Politics | Permalink

More than any other reason, Donald Trump has supporters–a loud minority, no matter what he says–because some Americans feel awful and want to stamp their feet and say they’re great. That’s what people do when they’re at their worst, their most bitter. Easier to do that than seek real solutions.

Michael Moore is releasing a new documentary about American militarism, the brilliantly titled Where to Invade Next, and sat for a Q&A with the Vice staff. (They’ve labeled it an “exclusive” because Moore is famously shy and probably won’t do any more press for the film.) I interviewed Moore years ago and he’s a nice, bright guy, though I don’t agree with his political purity. That’s what led him to support Ralph Nader in 2000, in the ludicrous belief that there was no difference Bush and Gore. It’s what drove Moore to lambaste the Affordable Care Act, a flawed piece of legislation I’ll agree, but a marked improvement and a huge step in the right direction. Whether it’s some demanding exceptionalism or others accepting only perfection, it’s puzzling when adults see the world in only black and white.

An excerpt from Vice:

Question:

But don’t you also think that the country has to be open to introspection? The narrative of American exceptionalism—the idea that this is the best, bravest, most free country ever—to me suggests a culture that is not introspective. Do you think Americans are introspective?

Michael Moore:

Well, I think that American exceptionalism will be the death of us. It’s almost like saying we don’t really need to find a cure for cancer ’cause we’re big enough and brave enough to suck it up and get through it. It’s the sort of belief that we’re on top when we’re not.

Question:

What do you think politicians are trying to say when they talk about American exceptionalism?

Michael Moore:

They’re trying to make people feel good, who deep down inside don’t feel good… In America we keep saying, “We’re number one, we’re number one,” and it’s at the point now where we need to think about who we are really trying to convince.

The facts don’t bear it out. We’re not number one in education, we’re not number one in mass transit, we’re not number one in health care, we’re not number one in… name it, you know?

Question:

So is your film documenting the death of the American dream?

Michael Moore:

I think you could say that about my earlier films, but I think that that so-called dream is already dead. And people know it. But they also really realize that it’s also just what it says it was: a dream. It wasn’t the American reality. It was a dream. And the dream has become a nightmare for millions of people because they’re not going to get the life that their parents had, and they know their kids are not going to get to have the life that they’ve had.•

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“Obamacare Is Awful…Obamacare Is A Godsend”

January 1, 2014 in Excerpts, Politics, Science/Tech, Urban Studies | Permalink

Obamacare is far from perfect, but for tens of millions of Americans it’s the difference between life and death. I can’t believe how often that point gets lost in the discussion. As if we aren’t all unique people who mean something special to those close to us. People with health insurance don’t face death panels, but people without it potentially face them every day.

I think there are a few economists who read the blog, and it would be appreciated if you could refer me to any studies of what tens of millions of newly insured people will mean to the economy. I would think it would be a boon, but I’d like to read what non-demagogue professionals have to say.

From a new Michael Moore op-ed in the New York Times that looks at both sides of the Affordable Care Act:

“TODAY marks the beginning of health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act’s new insurance exchanges, for which two million Americans have signed up. Now that the individual mandate is officially here, let me begin with an admission: Obamacare is awful.

That is the dirty little secret many liberals have avoided saying out loud for fear of aiding the president’s enemies, at a time when the ideal of universal health care needed all the support it could get. Unfortunately, this meant that instead of blaming companies like Novartis, which charges leukemia patients $90,000 annually for the drug Gleevec, or health insurance chief executives like Stephen Hemsley of UnitedHealth Group, who made nearly $102 million in 2009, for the sky-high price of American health care, the president’s Democratic supporters bought into the myth that it was all those people going to get free colonoscopies and chemotherapy for the fun of it. …

And yet — I would be remiss if I didn’t say this — Obamacare is a godsend. My friend Donna Smith, who was forced to move into her daughter’s spare room at age 52 because health problems bankrupted her and her husband, Larry, now has cancer again. As she undergoes treatment, at least she won’t be in terror of losing coverage and becoming uninsurable. Under Obamacare, her premium has been cut in half, to $456 per month.

Let’s not take a victory lap yet, but build on what there is to get what we deserve: universal quality health care.”

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“I’ve Always Felt That Flint Was Far From Normal”

August 27, 2013 in Excerpts, Politics, Urban Studies | Permalink

David Harris is a police reporter in his hometown of Flint, Michigan, which is American’s most dangerous city according to FBI statistics. He just did an Ask Me Anything on Reddit. A few exchanges follow.

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Question:

All of my family is from Flint and lives all over the city and the township. With current unemployment rates being reported at just above 10% in Flint and about 7.1% in Flint township, unemployment seems to be effecting Flint like other cities in the US. What do you think is the main cause for the violence other than unemployment and the economy.

David Harris:

Not necessarily in order: Lack of education, loss of hope, declining police force, lost city services, breakdown of the family structure, lack of respect for life.

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Question:

I lived in Flint and went to Kettering. I used to live on Sunset over by Mott Park and the golf course.

David Harris:

One thing that always intrigued me about Flint was that it was this crime-ridden town with all kinds of violence and theft, yet you could go weeks at a time without realizing you were in that sort of a town. It just seemed like an interesting dichotomy to me. We would go to school and walk past normal middle class neighborhoods and then, one day, we’d randomly see a guy hanging by his neck from the bridge over the Flint River.

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Question:

Knowing what you know and seeing what you see, do you ever fall into that illusion that Flint is a “normal” town from time to time? Or is that now impossible for you?

David Harris: 

I’ve always felt that Flint was far from normal. I think covering it up close has made me realize that even more. 

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Question:

What do you think about the stark contrast between the cities in Michigan? Ann Arbor, where I live, is constantly in the top five cities to live in (lists based on various criteria.), yet you have the most dangerous city in the country not too far away.

David Harris:

This is just my opinion, but cities like Ann Arbor, and Grand Rapids for that matter, were not as tied to the auto industry as Flint and Detroit. They have much more diverse economies with different businesses, including universities. Flint has never been able to put back in what GM left.

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Question:

Is there anything nice about the city? Parks, attractions, etc.?

David Harris:

There are many good things about the city. The downtown has seen a revival the last 10 years or so with new bars, restaurants and residential apartments. The local colleges, the University of Michigan-Flint, Kettering (formerly General Motors Institute), Baker and Mott Community College, have grown. 

Plus we have two really awesome events, The Crim Road Race and Back to the Bricks car show, that bring hundreds of thousands of people in the city.

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Question:

What are your thoughts on Michael Moore? Do you think anything he has produced has impacted Flint in any way? 

David Harris: 

Michael is certainly a controversial figure in the city. Flint would certainly be less known nationally if it wasn’t for his movies.

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Question:

What steps, if any do you think the city could take to reduce crime to a more manageable level?

David Harris:

I’ve said this before: If I had millions, I would start a program similar to the Kalamzaoo Promise that pays for college education for kids in that city and if I had superpowers, I would entrust respect of others into everyone.•

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The “Pets or Meat” segment from Roger and Me:

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