I think it’s funny that people try to dispute the facts in Michael Moore’s films. Why? Because the facts are correct and easily verifiable. Then again, so are the facts on the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide: A substance that kills millions and devestates entire economies each year. On the streets, this substance is commonly known as “water.”
It is also a fact that virtually 100% of violent crimes are committed within 24 hours after injesting… bread.
What should be disputed is the perspective which Michael Moore presents. For example, in SiCKO it is stated that “there are nearly 50 million Americans without health insurance.” This is a verifiable fact. However, this fact alone fails to give viewers a complete picture.
Allow me to explain: The population of the United States is just over 300 million. That means that roughly 17% of Americans are uninsured. That’s a pretty big chunk - about one in six people - so let’s break it down further to make sure we are not being mislead.
About 11 million of the 50 million uninsured Americans are elegible for government healthcare plans that already exist. That leaves about 39 million, or about 13% of the population that may be involintarily without insurance. That’s not quite as bad, but can we do better? Yes.
Of the 39 million people that do not have insurance and are not eligible for existing government healthcare plans, about 7.8 million of them can afford their own health insurance.
Given these additional facts, the number of people truely in need is actually about 31.2 million, or about 10% of the US population.
So how much did Michael Moore misrepresent the numbers? By about 70%.
I thought that movie was about those of us that actually had insurance, but still couldn’t get coverage. Are you misrepresenting SICKO?
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I’m sure that you mean 7%.
No, I mean 70%. Think of it this way: The number 17 (Moore’s figure) is what percentage larger than the number 10 (my figure)? I’ll give you a hint: It’s more than seven.
Good post, appalling maths. Moore’s figure is 50 million, your is figure 31.2 million, amount overstated is 18.8 million, which, as a percentage of 50 million is 37%. So he overstated the amount by 37%, roughly half your overstatement.