Michael Moore Is Getting Closer to the Truth

Michael Moore's latest film, Capitalism: A Love Story, is his best effort to date. He continues to zero in on the core issues affecting America's decay and demise. I feel that Michael is doing a much better job at flowing back and forth from factual to anecdotal information. I am also always impressed by the before-unknown information he manages to bring to light. For example: corporations' "dead peasants" life insurance policies taken out on low level workers, without the knowledge of the insured, with benefits going solely, and quietly, to the corporations; the number (and names) of corporate banking executives (especially from Goldman Sachs) shuttling back and forth in and out of high level policy-affecting government offices; the friendly, modern, and open Cuban health care system willing to see and treat American heros that have been rejected by our own health care system; the bin Laden family members being whisked away--the only planes/passengers allowed to fly out of the U.S.--after the events of September 11, 2001; the 2001 Bush inaugural motorcade riot that was so effectively covered-up; the U.S.-compared-to-the-rest-of-the-world crime and prison statistics; etc. I am impressed with this film most of all for its willingness to take on and expose the abuses and corruption of the most powerful corporations and institution in the world: the banking financial center of Wall Street. That governments now serve as mere puppets to corporate interests is well established in the film but more time could certainly be devoted to it. Perhaps in his next film.

My admiration, enthusiasm, and inspiration, however, were dashed in the last scene of the film. In it, Michael is bravely wrapping a yellow and black "crime scene" ribbon around a building (assumedly on Wall Street). Over the scene his narration is waxing about his dream of a return to democracy. Then he asks for our help. I was crushed to realized that he will probably never get that help because the vast majority of Americans are stifled by the fear that comes with their own enslavement to the capitalist system. Their debt, job insecurity, health care expenses, retirement worries, and diminishing constitutional rights will prevent them from rising to the occasion (to help fight for a return to democracy). Plus, our exceedingly effective education system and corporate media mill has masterfully succeeded in numbing, dumbing, and distracting us from truth and reality. Sorry, Michael! Too many robot sheep out here to help you on your crusade. BUT: We wish you luck!