Jackson Free Press

I normally don't openly endorse candidates, and especially if the candidate is a 10-year-old, but I think her platform is enough for any citizen to take her seriously.

Yes, it's actually a marketing campaign by the Children's Defense Fund, but the issue is still a serious one - nine million children in the United States have no health insurance. From electsusie.com:

My name is Susie Flynn. I am running for President of the United States of America to help the nine million children who have no health insurance. This is a crisis. These children have been let down, yet the people accountable are doing too little to solve it. By running for President, I intend to make everyone in America aware of the issue so that it will no longer be ignored. Under your next President, every child in America must get the health insurance he or she deserves.

Go to her Web site and sign the online petition. Also, be sure to tell your congressman to support H.R. 1688, the All Healthy Children Act. Do it in the memory of children who died because they did not have health insurance such as Deamonte Driver (dental abscess) and Devonte Johnson (kidney cancer).

Previous Comments

ID

112765

Comment

Sounds cute. But you have to be 35 to run for President. She ain't gonna make it. :)

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2007-05-11T08:57:00-06:00

ID

112766

Comment

LH, it's not an "official" run for President. It's a marketing campaign by the Children's Defense Fund, which I also thought was cute. :-) It's a creative way for them to attract attention to the problem.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-05-11T10:08:52-06:00

ID

112767

Comment

Susie was at a Sicko premiere, and she asked the passersby some pretty good questions: YouTube

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-07-21T22:32:44-06:00

ID

112768

Comment

anyone who hasn't seen "Sicko" yet, go see it!! this film just completely blew my mind.

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-07-21T22:52:59-06:00

ID

112769

Comment

I am going to vote for Susie. It is disgusting the way the people pay through the nose for things that are low cost or free in the rest of the Western, democratic world. The way people lose their homes and their hope simply due to health care issues.

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-07-21T22:53:54-06:00

ID

112770

Comment

Are they still just showing it at Malco? I'd rather go somewhere closer to home.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-07-21T22:57:22-06:00

ID

112771

Comment

Izzy, just make sure you sign the petition at electsusie.com. Tell your friends!

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-07-21T23:05:50-06:00

ID

112772

Comment

Someone believes Mikey Moore? E Gads....

Author

Ironghost

Date

2007-07-21T23:27:15-06:00

ID

112773

Comment

Sicko is showing for another week at Malco in Madison (off I-55). It will blow your mind. Egads to someone who disses on Moore without having seen the film. He's making very concrete arguments based on interviews with average people, so it's not purely rhetoric. Why is it that only the US of all the western, democratic world doesn't provide reasonably priced health care? Why is it a woman can pay $10 for her medicine in France or Canada but is charged $120 in the US? Who do you think is benefiting from this system? You? How much is your health care premium? I'm serious. Before I saw this film I never thought about it much. I assumed our way (US) was the best way because "that's the way it is." All I'm saying is, look around a bit and see what others are doing and make up your own mind. Don't just assume you know the facts.

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-07-22T09:24:44-06:00

ID

112774

Comment

Izzy, this is Michael Moore we're talking about. His methods are legendary and well documented. I wouldn't trust him with anything.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2007-07-22T10:22:45-06:00

ID

112775

Comment

what do you mean "well-documented" ? Just curious. If someone is interviewing 30 - 100 people where's the fear of a set up? Have you even watched a Michael Moore film to see for yourself? Also you aren't answering my argument - even if you don't approve of Michael Moore what about my questions? Are you content with our health care system? Do you think it's fair that people can lose their homes due to lack of ability to pay for medical treatment?

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-07-22T10:44:22-06:00

ID

112776

Comment

Also, at least regarding this health care issue, I can see how insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies could be quite motivated to smear somebody like Michael Moore. I don't agree with all of what he has said, but this latest film is certainly more populist than political, in the sense that HMOs, premium prices, treatment denials and huge costs effect conservatives and liberals alike.

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-07-22T10:52:34-06:00

ID

112777

Comment

I think it's sad when people are so swayed by political demonizing of a media persona that they don't even engage the issue at hand. they pick their side, hold their hands over their ears and sing "Jingle Bells." Folks there are countries out there, most all of them in the democratic world, where people are able to receive health care at NO cost. Think about it. Who can argue their systems don't work? We are the exception and is it honest to say, yes, well, that's because everyone in American is brilliantly satisfied with their health care premiums, treatment and options. Everyone just simply LOVES not having dental or eye care covered by their policies. Everyone ADORES being rejected for a pre-existing condition. Aren't we LUCKY to not live in a place where everyone can pay $10 for any prescription - we have simply got it made.

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-07-22T10:58:13-06:00

ID

112778

Comment

affect, Izzy. Health care can be very unfair and my own travails with the system are something I won't relate here. Mikey Moore, however, is indisputably a horrid filmmaker. He makes the fact fit his thesis, and films it. Every film so far is a hack job on the facts of a situation, from the beginning to now. Only those who wish to believe will believe him.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2007-07-22T11:02:01-06:00

ID

112779

Comment

Iron, has this film been fact-challenged in a credible way? I really don't know; I haven't followed anything on it.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-07-22T11:05:40-06:00

ID

112780

Comment

So far the Cuba scenes have been challenged, in that the local doctors have admitted they got VIP treatment, not what the locals actually get. That's what I've read around the web. I'm not too keen on studying his crap, honestly. I'm sure there are other problems.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2007-07-22T11:17:17-06:00

ID

112781

Comment

You aren't too keen on studying his "crap" but you are keen on dismissing it. That's interesting. Also if you think healthcare can be unfair & you've had travails with the American system, you may be more in agreement with Michael Moore's film than you think.

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-07-22T12:06:03-06:00

ID

112782

Comment

And thanks for the correction on "affect" - that one always gets me. Here's a link to wiki on Sicko It has info on the criticism, esp. the parts on Canada and Cuba.

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-07-22T12:09:44-06:00

ID

112783

Comment

Here's a quote from another wiki article, this one comparing health care in Canada and in the US "Canadians concede that waiting time is a problem that stems from the country's lower costs and commitment to universal coverage. In a letter to the Wall Street Journal, Robert S. Bell, M.D., President and CEO of University Health Network, Toronto, said that Michael Moore's film Sicko "exaggerated the performance of the Canadian health system — there is no doubt that too many patients still stay in our emergency departments waiting for admission to scarce hospital beds." However, "Canadians spend about 55% of what Americans spend on health care and have longer life expectancy, and lower infant mortality rates. Many Americans have access to quality health care. All Canadians have access to similar care at a considerably lower cost."" The second paragraph is what convinces me - wait times may be longer, but they have a longer life expectancy and pay about half what we do. Source of Article

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-07-22T12:15:11-06:00