smear job

[46zilzal]

September 14th, 2007 11:03 pm
Open Letter to ABC's John Stossel ... from Julie Pierce, American SiCKO

Dear John,

My name is Julie Pierce. My husband was Tracy Pierce. I am featured in Michael Moore's documentary 'SiCKO.' In the movie, I share my deceased husband's story — his unsuccessful battle with our insurance company to receive what could have been life-saving treatments for kidney cancer.

I just read your Wall Street Journal article written on Sept. 13, 2007, titled "Sick Sob Stories." You begin by talking about Tracy's role in 'SiCKO,' and claim the bone marrow transplant denied by our insurer would not have saved him. You also accuse me of "sneering" over our situation.

In your 'reporting' of this story, you did not contact me, and you did not contact my husband's doctors. I cannot believe that a publication like the Wall Street Journal would print such an accusation without talking to anyone involved — especially in such a personal matter, which resulted in the death of my 37-year-old husband and the father of my child.

If you had contacted me, I would have told you that bone marrow transplants became a last option, only after our insurer denied many other treatments again and again and again.

I would have shown you a letter from our doctors at the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at the University of Kansas Hospital, in which they argued strongly for the bone marrow transplant, citing "strong evidence" supporting the past success of that treatment — they wrote that it could "give him a chance to achieve complete remission." In fact, they called the bone marrow transplant "his only chance of survival."

Instead of calling me up and doing real reporting, all you can do is throw around studies from 1999 about the supposed inefficiency of bone marrow transplants for breast cancer patients — even though Tracy didn't have breasts. He had kidney cancer! I understand that you want to try to prove that private insurance in this country really isn't that bad. And I can see that you won't let the facts get in the way.

You go on to claim that Tracy wouldn't have received his transplant in a country with socialized medicine, either. Where is the evidence? Not only are more bone marrow transplants performed every year in Canada, but they invented the technology! So much for your ridiculous claim that "profit is what has created the amazing scientific innovations that the U.S. offers to the world. If government takes over, innovation slows, health care is rationed."

You are simply carrying water for the for-profit insurance industry that killed my husband. And then you have the nerve to accuse me of "sneering" about it. My husband has only been dead since January 18th, 2006. It is still fresh to me and my family, and comments like this are inhumane.

I have since tried to contact you via email, but you have not responded. I don't expect an answer. People like you just write with an agenda, without coming to the source or getting any facts, because your main goal is to try to discredit Michael Moore and universal health care. I understand it's a game — you did it without thinking about how you would hurt a family who have suffered — and are still suffering — such a tragic loss.

My family is not a "Sick Sob Story." We are a normal, American family that has had a significant member die from a horrible cancer that ravaged his body due to repeated denials from a health insurance company. We will never know for sure what would have worked because Tracy was never given a fighting chance. Over 18,000 Americans die each year because they don't have health insurance. I suppose theirs are "sob stories," too.

I don't want a hit-piece. I want answers. Why does our wonderful profit-driven system of medicine kill 18,000 Americans each year? Why do we pay far more for our health system than any other country, but have some of the lowest life expectancies and highest infant mortality rates in the Western world? Would you discredit the work of your late colleague Peter Jennings who, while suffering with lung cancer, did an excellent report titled "Breakdown: America's Health Insurance Crisis"?

I hope you have answers, but I am not optimistic. I pray that you will never have to go through what we went through — if you did, you wouldn't be so quick to cheerlead the system we were victimized by.

Julie Pierce
Mission, Kansas

[ljb]

If you happened to catch 20--20 last Friday, you would have seen an hour of Stossel putting on a propaganda piece for the Insurance industry.
And we all know the Wall Street Journal is another neo-con mouth piece.

[46zilzal]

If you happened to catch 20--20 last Friday, you would have seen an hour of Stossel putting on a propaganda piece for the Insurance industry.
Sensationalisitic press is a big pass as I was involved in taking photo finishes that night until 11PM. That show has long since been associated with the likes of Inside Edition.

Give me FRONTLINE anytime.

[NoDayJob]

I hope Ms. Clinton gets elected and is able to get free [who's goina pay fer it] medical insurance for all. I expect, unearned income taxes to go back to the 91% that I paid, until the late President Kennedy successfully lowered them to 40%. I luvs socialism. Bring it on. :lol:

[o0xst!]

sad

[Tom]

Originally Posted by ljb
If you happened to catch 20--20 last Friday, you would have seen an hour of Stossel putting on a propaganda piece for the Insurance industry.


Sensationalisitic press is a big pass as I was involved in taking photo finishes that night until 11PM. That show has long since been associated with the likes of Inside Edition.

:lol: Oh man, you two are a gas. Now of course, MM cartoons are never sensationalized, huh? And MM is not cherry-picking stats to support HIS agenda, huh?

Either of you guys need a bridge in Florida? I have a nice one on the Gulf side......give ya a deal, being PA memebers and all. :lol:

[Tom]

I hope Ms. Clinton gets elected and is able to get free [who's goina pay fer it] medical insurance for all. I expect, unearned income taxes to go back to the 91% that I paid, until the late President Kennedy successfully lowered them to 40%. I luvs socialism. Bring it on. :lol:


Deja vous all over again:

1. OJ is in jail
2. Hillary rolled out a nit wit health care program
3. Dems are talking tax hikes
4. Senator Larry Craig is STILL not gay

[Light]

Stossel has done other cheap reporting jobs like this in the past, such as his downplay of organic foods vs conventional foods. In the organic food debate,Stossel was reprimanded,ABC was forced to apologoze and the shows producer was suspended. Stossel also downplays Global warming.It goes on and on.The guy's profile defends various forms of big business. Wouldnt be surprised if he gets a kickback to put out this kind of crap.

[46zilzal]

Stossel has done other cheap reporting jobs like this in the past, such as his downplay of organic foods vs conventional foods. In the organic food debate,Stossel was reprimanded,ABC was forced to apologoze and the shows producer was suspended. Stossel also downplays Global warming.It goes on and on.The guy's profile defends various forms of big business. Wouldnt be surprised if he gets a kickback to put out this kind of crap.
Wants to go after the crowd who hollers "I don't buleeve none of them damn lerrned guys in those schools, the long harred hippies." You know the ones who think fearless leader is one of them,,,,,,well he is.

[kenwoodallpromos]

Universal health care for all is not doable unless it is limited to catastrophic health care, and unless there is better control of free research and education at the government universities benefitting the private companies and doctors, and unless there is better scutiny of the costs at hospitals.
I do not believe universal health care will be achieved as long as doctors get low-cost state U. education and are not required to pay back by free srevices to some on governement plans; not as long as drug companies use University research and then get exclusive sales of drugs; not as long as hospitals jack up the charges unreasonalbly.
But I have not heard of many private insurers trying to get cost under control.

[o0xst!]

nothing matters.

the boldes will always be able to say whatever they please.

[Maji]

I don't mind tax dollars being spent to treat a poor guy's cancer. However, I hate to have my tax dollars spent to pay the devil to protect the wrongdoers... aka the mercenaries who protect the likes of hellbutton.

[Greyfox]

September 14th, 2007 11:03 pm
Open Letter to ABC's John Stossel ... from Julie Pierce, American SiCKO

Dear John,

My name is Julie Pierce. I want answers. Why does our wonderful profit-driven system of medicine kill 18,000 Americans each year?
Julie Pierce
Mission, Kansas

As this your post Dr. 46Zil , and knowing that although you are living in Canada, you have presented a post wherein Mrs. Pierce....makes a very angry assertion.

Do you Dr. 46Zil stand behind the assertion that:

"our wonderful profit-driven system of medicine kill 18,000 Americans each year?"


And, if you do, in your own words, what proof do you have. (Please not references, your own words.)

[JPinMaryland]

That guy Stossel is a jerk. left or right whatever your politics, his stuff really annoys me.

[46zilzal]

As this your post Dr. 46Zil , and knowing that although you are living in Canada, you have presented a post wherein Mrs. Pierce....makes a very angry assertion.

Do you Dr. 46Zil stand behind the assertion that:

"our wonderful profit-driven system of medicine kill 18,000 Americans each year?"


And, if you do, in your own words, what proof do you have. (Please not references, your own words.)
Simple neglect kills thousands a year, when intervention could have been helpful. I see this especially in the homeless pysch patient crowd or the geriatric group with chronic illnesses.

[PaceAdvantage]

Stossel has done other cheap reporting jobs like this in the past, such as his downplay of organic foods vs conventional foods. In the organic food debate,Stossel was reprimanded,ABC was forced to apologoze and the shows producer was suspended. Stossel also downplays Global warming.It goes on and on.Didn't the NYT once have a fake reporter writing fake stories.....oh yeah....I forgot....we're not supposed to remember that one....

Sorry! My bad....(that was for o0xst!...it's an inside joke)

[Greyfox]

Simple neglect kills thousands a year, when intervention could have been helpful. I see this especially in the homeless pysch patient crowd or the geriatric group with chronic illnesses.

Probably so. But, the word kills still bothers me.
Are you willing to back up Mrs. Pierce's thousands? KILLS?
Yes? or No?
Your own summarisation, in your own words, please.

[Greyfox]

nothing matters.

the boldes will always be able to say whatever they please.

If nothing matters, why be so bold to post about nothing?

[o0xst!]

Yah. The authors name was JUDITH MILLER

next topic please


Didn't the NYT once have a fake reporter writing fake stories.....oh yeah....I forgot....we're not supposed to remember that one....

Sorry! My bad....(that was for o0xst!...it's an inside joke)

[46zilzal]

Probably so. But, the word kills still bothers me.
Are you willing to back up Mrs. Pierce's thousands? KILLS?
Yes? or No?
Your own summarisation, in your own words, please.
When a life is lost that could be saved, the manner in which it occurs makes no difference to the fatality. Neglected to death is such a common sentence that befalls loved ones that I could see another using her words to describe the same thing and not be that far off the mark.

[Lefty]

Yah. The authors name was JUDITH MILLER

next topic please
You have to get this one right first. Long before Judith Miller there was a black guy(you got time, google him)that submitted several fake stories to the NY Times and finally he was exposed and terminated.

[Lefty]

Any and all of you that believe MM is the bastion of truth and really believe you can get better health care in Cuba, I invite you to go there and live healthy ever after.
I hear about rafts from there to here but curiously haven't heard of any going from here to there. Hmmmm...

[46zilzal]

Any and all of you that believe MM is the bastion of truth and really believe you can get better health care in Cuba, I invite you to go there and live healthy ever after.

The major message of the movie was that managed health care is in shambles and needs fixing, but of course you didn't see the movie or you might know that.

[o0xst!]

Yes we all know about him. The NYT owned countless far right leaning tv stations at the time (including 2 in my home town) and made just as many bluders, but they were ignored...but that isnt the point. The point is that ol' Jason's lies werent quite as harmful as Miller's. And they weren't as disrespectful of our troops. Might want to read some of their accounts of her embedding experience, they have NOTHING good to say about her and quite a few bad things.

You have to get this one right first. Long before Judith Miller there was a black guy(you got time, google him)that submitted several fake stories to the NY Times and finally he was exposed and terminated.

[Lefty]

ooooxt, you're just wrong, in your opinion i mean.
zilly, big deal, MM pointed out a problem we all know about, the point ishow do we fix it. Hillary Care's nottheanswer, but there is an answer in medical savings acct, but logical things like that don't help the dimdebs win, so they point out probsthen suggestthings that make them worse and pooh pooh logical fixes. Even better, they mess it up then wait for a Repub to get elected then blame him.
I'm pretty sure the HMO's was orig a dem idea.
So we knowthe problems, don't need a disgusting moron like MM to point them out. For 110 billion we can get hillarycare. But Johnson missed his projections by 100, so zilly, you educated devil you,what's 100 times 110 billion. Hmmm?

[Greyfox]

Of interest Canadian Member of Parliament, and Frank's daughter,
Belinda Stronach opted to go to the U.S. for her recent medical treatment.

Story at
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070914/belinda_Stronach_070914/20070914?hub=Health

[46zilzal]

Of interest Canadian Member of Parliament, and Frank's daughter,
Belinda Stronach opted to go to the U.S. for her recent medical treatment.

Story at
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070914/belinda_Stronach_070914/20070914?hub=Health

Of course she did. She is wealthy and didn't want a ward room as very few have that Waldorf Astoria quality that she would be able to "purchase" down south.....

[46zilzal]

ooooxt, you're just wrong, in your opinion i mean.
zilly, big deal, MM pointed out a problem we all know about, the point ishow do we fix it. Hillary Care's nottheanswer, but there is an answer in medical savings acct, but logical things like that don't help the dimdebs win, so they point out probsthen


If you were EVER able to make a comment without DEM LIBS of Socialists, I swear I would faint on the spot. Mr. Black and White has spoken again in the same polarity as always.

[Dan Montilion]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070914/belinda_Stronach_070914/20070914?hub=Health

The comments in this article are very telling.

[Tom]

If you were EVER able to make a comment without DEM LIBS of Socialists, I swear I would faint on the spot. Mr. Black and White has spoken again in the same polarity as always.

If you were EVER able to make a coment without RUTABEGA or THUGS, I swear I would faint on the spot. Mr. Black and White has
spoken again in the same polarity as always.


(Remember the old cartoon where the dog fought his own image in a mirror?)

[o0xst!]

Like I stated in another thread, in 1980 the % of GDP that goes to health care has doubled...therefore a lot has to be fixed and you can't just give the private sector a get out of jail free card on this one. The meds I take for epilepsy are the most simple drug out there. It now costs $500/mo w/o health care, however the generic in Canada is $60/3 months. It is impossible to mess up this drug and I will always trust the generic version. Never had an adverse effect and never had an episode.





ooooxt, you're just wrong, in your opinion i mean.
zilly, big deal, MM pointed out a problem we all know about, the point ishow do we fix it. Hillary Care's nottheanswer, but there is an answer in medical savings acct, but logical things like that don't help the dimdebs win, so they point out probsthen suggestthings that make them worse and pooh pooh logical fixes. Even better, they mess it up then wait for a Repub to get elected then blame him.
I'm pretty sure the HMO's was orig a dem idea.
So we knowthe problems, don't need a disgusting moron like MM to point them out. For 110 billion we can get hillarycare. But Johnson missed his projections by 100, so zilly, you educated devil you,what's 100 times 110 billion. Hmmm?

[Lefty]

ooxt, so easy to point out the problem. So hard to comeup with viable solutions. But I think medical savings accountswould be a start. Prob too late for us old folks but now we have to look forward and make sure our kids and grandkids won't be in the same fix. Hillarycare with a price tag of 110 bil not the answer. BTW, I heard that was 100 bil more than it costs now!

Tom, you made the same reort i was going to make having just got hom,e. The EDUCATED one can't debate and he can't talk about the Pres without the offense name he uses. He doesn't like to be called a socialist cause he is one. I'm honered to be called a conservative but liberals don't like to be tagged as to what they are.

[NoDayJob]

I hear about rafts from there to here but curiously haven't heard of any going from here to there. Hmmmm...

I have a couple of used rafts, in the garage, that I will gladly give to anyone who wants to go to Cuba for medical care. You pay the freight, though. :)

[Lefty]

NDJ, if they want em and promise to use em, I'LL pay the freight!

[GaryG]

I have a couple of used rafts, in the garage, that I will gladly give to anyone who wants to go to Cuba for medical care. You pay the freight, though. :)They would probably get by automatic gunfire before reaching shore.

[NoDayJob]

They would probably get by automatic gunfire before reaching shore.

Not if they wave the Cuban flag. :)

[Tom]

Ljb whined about this being a police state. Anyone seen Hillary's acid trip of a health care plan? What a total fool that bitch is. It is really hard to imagine people are actually as downright stupid as the dem leadership is. One brain, damaged, shared by at least twenty people!