The filmmaker Michael Moore was on Piers Morgan’s CNN show a couple of nights ago and was asked (via Twitter) how he squares the fact that he’s benefitted enormously from capitalism while turning into one of its leading critics. In the exchange that followed, Morgan asked (rhetorically, he thought), “You’re in the top one percent, right?” To which Moore replied, “I’m not in the top one percent. No.”
Now just for the record, the latest data shows that the top one percent means you’re a person with an adjusted gross income of roughly $380,000. Michael Moore’s net worth is estimated to be around $50 million. Which means he’s closer to being in the top one-tenth of one percent of earners in America. But no matter. Moore had a lie to tell, and tell it he did, and several more times. Piers Morgan, knowing Moore was misleading him and his audience, said, “I need you to admit the bleeding obvious. I need you to sit here and say, ‘I’m in the one percent.’ Because it’s important.” To which Moore said, “Well, I can’t. Because I’m not.”
“You are, though,” Morgan said.
“No, I’m not. I’m not,” Moore insisted again.
“You’re not in the one percent?” an exasperated Morgan asked again.
“Of course I’m not!” Moore shouted. “How can I be in the one percent?”
“Because you’re worth millions,” Morgan said.
To which Moore said, emphatically, “No, that’s not true.”
Except that it is true. And everyone knows it’s true.
The only thing Moore conceded is that he does “really well.” As for the line of questioning, Moore plaintively asked, “What’s the point?”
Since he asked, let’s see if we can help Moore answer that question.
The point is that in roughly four minutes Michael Moore, icon of the left, established beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is both a hypocrite and a liar (though not a terribly good one; he’s clearly not Clintonesque when it comes to delivering repeated lies). Being a left-wing ideologue is bad enough; being an unprincipled one is worse.
Moore is clearly a conflicted man. He hates capitalism even though he’s (over) eaten from the fruits of its tree. He’s made tens of millions of dollars on a system he considers irredeemably corrupt. And in the interview he tries, with comic ineptness, to portray himself as virtuous.
But the filmmaker is a fraud, from hat to toe. And the wonderful thing is that it’s all been caught on camera.
The whirligig of time brings in its revenges.
Moore's act is all part of his con, similar to the way Obama breaks out the ghetto slang when he leaves his fancy soirees for the mean streets. Makie the suckers think he's one of them so they'll be favorably disposed to shell out $20 a ticket for a boring propaganda film masquerading as a documentary. The whole ruse is so pathetic, it's laughable save for the drooling idiots who believe crooks like Moore "speak truth to power" or some such nonsense. It's shocking that Morgan had the nerve to call him out on it. Being that CNN is owned by Time Warner which has had an interest in promoting Moore's garbage (as well as being a big liberal booster), he'll probably be getting a call from upstairs in the near future.
@JNewton22: Typical left-wing rhetoric. ‘The end justifies the means’ even if you lie your way to get the end result.
Michael Moore has dedicated his life to improving the lot of less fortunate people through media. This cannot be done without money, and lots of it. How many movies revealing the truth can be produced by the destitute? None. There is no reason why someone who is wealthy cannot act on behalf of the people who have been savaged by corporate America. Michael Moore is the single most important voice for the trampled. If he has to stay wealthy to continue his excellent work, so be it.
Oh, so it's OK to be rich as long as your wealth suits Leftist aims? But if you're not producing propaganda like Michael Moore with your millions, being wealthy is evil.
So are you implying the so called 1% that Moore pretends he is not a part of never helps others ? You generalization is insulting & just plain wrong Moore is a hypocrite just like many of the wealthy left. Its ok to be rich as long as you use the money the way the left deems ok- well good thing thats not America. BTW who pays the salaries of the working class or the Unions ? Moore ? I dont think so- How many jobs has he created ? He has made money complaining about others and adding to the very class warfare you also promote
The war of classes has been going on for decades, but the losing side only learned about it just recently. The ruling elite have run the world into the ground at the expense of ordinary people. They have been waging secret warefare against the ordinary man with the most advanced weapons in existence and now tell their adversary that they are welcome to bring a pen knife to the battle. They own everything, and will never see a day of real hardship. America is in debt to the tune of 14 Trillion. Do you know where that money is? It is in the bank accounts of the 1%. America is not in debt 14 Trillion at all. Only the bottom 99.9% are in debt. It is interesting that those who own and control everything have no debt. Think about that for a while. Job creators? Yes, there are those who would have us believe that if we would only let the ruling elite and corporate barons have more power and less taxes everything will be just fine. It is easy to see through this facade.
Yes, the one percent have so abused their wealth and power, that America has become the richest nation in the history of the world. Our poor are wealthier than the middle classes of 95 percent of the world's other nations. Why is it that the world's poor flock to this country, and a thousand times more would come if they could get green cards ? Because they want to be enslaved and "run into the ground" ? Get real, this is about the only place on the planet that one can come to without any money, often without even speaking english, work hard, and become rich. Look up the evolution of that 14 Triion debt and you'll find that 80 percent of it came about by the overspending of the Democrat majority Congress beginning in 2006, then skyrocketing once Barack Big Spender Obama became President. Years, not "decades", of government spending beyond it's means. The wealthy are wealthy precisely because they don't do that with their own money. n n
You, sir, are a deluded person. I pity you and all like you.
actually, moore infamously mistreats his non-union film crews. but you won't hear that truth from the hollywood hills. as long as your "message" is "correct" you can be the most onerous liar on the planet. that's how the left rolls, folks…..
Moore is a liar and a scoundrel, and if you believe one word of the drivel you posted, you're a fool.
So here we see the classic Leftist position. It is only acceptable to be rich if one is so horribly racked by guilt that they can’t even admit to being wealthy. God forbid that you feel you earned it, even if you came from nothing and made it all yourself. I’m guessing the old grasshopper and the ant story did not go over big with the liberal set when they were kids.
if there are a lot of people in this country as clueless and naive as you, we're in deep trouble. moore is a classic scam artist, using dupes (that's you) to promote his propaganda, all while stuffing his pockets (and his face) fat. if he's on your side, why doesn't he donate all profits above his "cost of living" to the OWS movement? why does he live on 5th ave. in NYC? is that the only place befitting him? you are such a fool, it's sad. moore and obama, faux dictators, playing their acolytes for the simpletons they are. good luck pal.
Did you say "excellent" work? Well, if by excellent you mean cutting, splicing, resplicing, and masking the truth, then yes, he's a master. Otherwise, he's a liar and hypocrite. His next fact-filled book or movie will be his first. He only worked ONE DAY at GM, grew up in a town that was NOT Flint, Michigan, and has never lasted long at any job he's ever had (see Mother Earth News, Rolling Stone). While it is true no movies, true or full of lies, can be made by the truly destitute (at least without some financial banking), Moore has NEVER made one truthful movie. He isn't acting on the behalf of the poor, he's acting on the fat,bloated carcass of ego that is Michael Moore. And it's a pity you're too blinded by the bull to see it. Oh well, Barnum was right in your case………
I would quibble with you about the excellence of Moore's work – I think it is spurious and poorly presented at best – but I would have no problem with Moore being wealthy if he would at least be honest about it. n nThe problem is that he can't be honest about it without exposing his hypocrisy. He could have answered Morgan with the line of reasoning you present here and he might have gotten away with it. But to butter your bread and then condemn the dairy farm is just lunacy.
G-d bless Michael Moore. We should have more Jews (joke) like M. Moore – especially helping the downtrodden Palestinian people – so badly savaged by the racist aparttheidnik ZioNazis.
Hmmm… Your very close. If someone is rich but uses their wealth in a very noble way like trying to advance the cause of the less fortunate by producing movies that tell the truth about how the system is broken, or rather designed to only to serve and protect the most powerful people, then indeed, this is a special situation which excludes one from being an evil wealthy person. You have to expand your thinking to realize that Mr. Moore would not be able to help those who are being trampled if he was poor. He use his vast wealth almost exclusively to help people by advocating for a more fair economic and social system. n nYes, anyone who is wealthy and thinks that each and every person who has lost their home, has no medicare, or is in dire straits has no one to blame but themselves is evil to the core.
"you're" n nyour argument is unbelievably dumb. he doesn't have to personally profit to "help" you (and how exactly is he "helping" you, making his silly movies and putting money in his own pocket?). he has a corporate entity that houses his business activities, he doesn't have to take large personal profit out of it. and besides, whatever you think of his motives, he FLAT OUT LIED on CNN. man, you've got to be really stupid to be fooled by this guy.
Notice how it's okay for a leftist to lie to another leftist, just as it's okay to make $50 million if you are a leftist, because you've made it the "right" way (and they will decide what that means on a case-by-case basis). n nThese lying hypocritical, "progressive" buffoons have no honor nor virtue.
Real honour and virtue is bestowed upon those who do the most for those who have the least.
Real honor comes as a result of character building. It's an inside job and has to do with spiritual principles. It's turning away from those things of the body, and those things of the material To really test Moores character he would have to give all of his money away because it's easy to preach to others about capitalism being bad while your own pockets and bank accounts are full. Take those things away to see his true character
And exactly who has done more? n nA capitalist like Sam Walton or Steve Jobs who builds a company from the ground up and provides thousands of jobs for familes and millions of dollars annually in charity (United Way anyone?) n nOr the hypocritical disingenous pig who rails against the very system that allows for success stories like his? I don't have a problem with him holding a different opinion on capitalism than I do. (Although it would behoove him to educate himself just a little so he doesn't sound quite so ignorant). It's the blatant hypocrisy and lies that anger me.
Walmart is a scurge. Virtually all of its inventory comes from Asian quarter countries, and the stores have wreaked havoc with small and mid sized retailers in towns and cities across North America. But more importantly, my question did not ask how much money one gives away to charity. However, if that is going to be the critieria by which we will judge who has done what, then I invite all 1%ers to join the Giving Pledge established by Bill and Melinda Gates. If everyone joins, all problems will be solved almost overnight, and liberals would not be able to say a peep.
Real honour is bestowed to those who tell the truth. Moore tells comforting lies to the people who have the least.
Then that excludes lying progressive propagandist Michael Moore.
Then tell me, who has done more to bring attention to the poor, the sick, and the uninsured? Who has done more to bring attention to those who have lost their homes or jobs from outsourcing to other countries or bottom line boosting through attrition? Who has done more to shed light on the criminal activity of scores of banks, corporations, and Wall Street fat cats? n nI am a reasonable man, and I have a very open mind. Give me the name of just one person who has done more, and I will give full consideration to the charges leveled against Mr. Moore. Here is a legitimate opportunity to get me to take all of you seriously.
Ronald Reagan, Calvin Coolidge, Newt Gingrich…those were champions of American free enterprise and wealth creation on a historic, monumental scale. They are great men because they are leaders who encouraged free people to realize their potential. n nLiberals like Moore do just the opposite. Moore has amassed millions by taking advantage of our free enterprise system, yet he discourages others from even trying. He must think that what he has done is so special, that no one else could possibly ever be as successful. He is typical of liberals who kill ambition, self reliance and promote a grinding culture of dependency and squalor. n nA kind slave owner is still a slave owner.
Champions of free enterprise and wealth creation at the sacrifice of the working class, perhaps, but such has nothing to do with any of the criteria I outlined. The idea that all one needs to create wealth is ambition and free enterprise is the great lie being perpetrated by wealthy die hard capitalists. n nThere are lots of ambitious and hard working folk who still managed to lose their homes after giving everything they had to corporations who then dispensed with them when more money was needed to fill the coffers of the elite.
Liberals luv to redistribute wealth while punishing the folks who risk their capital, invent, and produce that wealth. Libs luv jobs, it's employers they hate. What you advocate is legalized theft. n nFor the end game, see Greece, Soviet Union, Cuba, East Germany, Mao's China, Venezuela, etc, etc. n nSocialism fails when you run out of other people's money. n n
Good Lord, Reagan's policies alone created the working poor, homeless families & killed the family farm. He was no friend of the common man.
Sure comrade, the economy was just terrible under Reagan. Everyone knows that. n nPoor folks have done oh so much better under 0bammunism. n nLibs are good at redistributing a shrinking economic pie until everyone is equally poor.
If I remember correctly, there was a Scottish immigrant by the name of Andrew Carnegie who arrived in America poor, but by dint of hard work and determination, built up a mighty steel-producing empire, selling ot off for millions. His wish was to die penniless, and to do so he gave millions away through the Carnegie Foundation. He didn't quite achieve his fonal goal, but it wasn't for lack of trying. n nH. Ross Perot- this diminutive Texas (yes, there is such a thing) has done countless things with his wealth to the betterment of his fellow man. n nBill Gates- worth billions, he's given money away as well. n nOthers have given several excellent examples here. Surely you can't be that close-minded to not believe there is such a thing as a charitable rich person. If none of these examples change your mind, then you, sir (or madam), are a hopeless case.
Helping the poor would be to open a hospital for the poor, or make a donation to a charity. It would be opening libraries, or giving grants to aspiring film makers. Helping the poor does not equate to filming propaganda. n And who gave you the moral authority to pass judgement on anyone? Especially those that already pay the lions share of taxes in this country? You have not the wit to realize how morally bankrupt you are.
Your first 2 sentences just described Rosie O'Donnell. Ha!
Bill Gates is a gazillionaire, is a leftist, and helps millions of less privileged people in many ways every year. Guess what? He doesn't condemn the capitalist system he profits from, and he doesn't lie about his wealth either. Tadaa!
It is beyond amazing that anyone tries to defend the hypocrisy of someone like M Moore. He has become rich blaming others , telling you whats wrong in America & telling who you should blame for it the same liberal divisive policies that this President supports. There is nothing wrong with wealth in fact your assumption that only a Moore helps others as if he is not part of the so called 1% is laughable. The real fact is that Moore has gotten rich but how many jobs has he created, how many union employees that he loves so much are on HIS payroll ? Bottom line the very premise of your assumption is absurd- People like more are hypocrites plain & simple. Please try to live in reality and stop trying to distract deceive & divide like other liberals
The actual means one uses to improve the lot of others is a personal choice. Michael Moore simply does what he does best. And I am not a liberal.
can you explain what it is he does best?
Sure. He reveals how the system has been skewed to take advantage of honest hard working and ordinary people to satisfy the greed of those who run and own everything. He delivers this message through the vehicles of books and movies, which are the domains where has the best prospect of effecting change by getting the truth out.
'He reveals how the system has been skewed to take advantage of honest hard working and ordinary people to satisfy the greed of those who run and own everything' n nBut 'the system' (which is actually many systems, including the Constitution that permits us freedom itself) does NOT do that. That is a myth, a bedtime story, a salve for bewilderment and anger about the imperfection of the world. Human institutions can do only so much. They cannot make us all rich and beautiful, and it's unreasonable to demand that they do.
And what Michael Moore "does what he does best," that usually involves eating doughnuts.
The real reason some people do not like Mr. Moore is because he is ratting out on the brotherhood of the elect. Everyone wants him to do what is expected, which is just enjoy the money and keep his mouth shut.
He isn't ratting out on anyone. If you are interested in what the salaries are of these Wall St Brokers all you have to do is Google it. You have to admit that if you had the chance to work on Wall St, you would. The protesters on Wall St are taking their orders from the big boys now, the ones who are capitalist. I even hear that one of the group incorporated as OWS because they had 1/2 million dollars in donations in the Bank of America, whom they protest. THEY ARE BECOMING THAT WHICH THEY PROTEST. It's like the cooks feeling used and no one wants to share with the homeless. Think of the irony. We are the 53% who pay, so that you can park your camping asses down there to whine and complain. I have 3 jobs, how about you?
Your response so perfectly sums up the problem with your side. What makes you think I would work on Wall Street if I had the chance? Principle alone would prevent me from working on Wall Street. n nYou have three jobs because you have been duped into believing if you slave long and hard enough, you are going to be able to be a corporate baron too. There is nothing immoral about wanting to have a normal job, raise a family, and have some small security, yet this is the very thing that is becoming impossible for many today.
Hmmm IF Mikey Moore 'kept his mouth shut', he might not take away so much food that would help the less fortunate….
Good post. I don't think people are watching what he has been saying though because Americans are their own assassins in this. Moore is a hypocrite PERIOD. Don't make any excuses for him and no body should. He hasn't defended anyone and has blown money on large film budgets and made millions back. He is the 1% and is a fat pig at that. I'm not here to diss socialism but moore says socialism is democracy then he should be a good socialist and give away money. I bet he could give each wall street protestor food for a month and still keep amazing riches. If Cuba's health care is so great moore should get his fat ass down there and get skinny. Other than that its going to take a revolution to silence these hypocrites. Just don't invite Pelosi to the first rally because we will have to use guns other wise;)
Just as many liberals hold that it is impossible to be a racist if you are a member of a minority group, could it be that Moore thinks it is impossible to be in the 1% if you are a leftist? That is, being in the 1% is more a state of mind than an amount of wealth? Of course, this still does not let him of the hook for being a liar.
A hypocrite is someone who says one thing but believes and does another. Mr. Moore says the working class and the poor are being savaged by the ruling elite, and he believes it. He believes it so firmly, he has dedicated his life to doing something about it. n nThe idea that he could somehow avoid being labelled a hypocrite if only he would give all his money away and carry on the battle from a one room flat in downtown Flint is preposterous. When America goes to war, it does not send its generals to command from the front lines. But as it is, Michael Moore gets dirtier than any general has in the last fifty years.
gee, idiot, is there a middle ground between a studio apartment in Flint and a 5th avenue address in NYC? do you like getting skewered for every simpleton-esque thought you provide?
He doesn't have to give all his money away. Moore could have said, "Yes, I'm worth more than $50,000,000, and my point is NO ONE should be worth that — not when others have so little. So I'm using my wealth to try to bring about some financial equality to America." And then we'd be able to debate that in earnest. But he WASN'T honest, and in fact went on and on pretending he earns less than the $380,000 figure we're talking about, and that is the issue.
Thta's what make MM a special human being. A 1%'er in that area….
It’s on account of people like Fig Newton here that ugly Michael has laughed all the way to the bank. But the joke is on Figgy — and on Michael, actually.
It's on account of people like Fig Newton here that ugly Michael has laughed all the way to the bank — but the joke is not just on Figgy but also on Michael, whose struggle to elevate his angry confusion to the level of virtue will never work and will never ennoble him, much less make him beautiful. n nI'd rather have my clarity and character than his $50 million, even though I could really use a few mill for my dreams. Back to work for me now.
Any adult who needs to resort to mere school yard taunts like figgy and ugly is already lacking in character, and clarity.
I was trying to keep it impersonal as a matter of fact — Figgy is hardly a taunt, do lighten up — and yes I do think that Michael is an 'ugly American' — in his own singular way. The man is a liar and a hypocrite as the article says, but he's also profoundly ungrateful for what freedom gives him, and in this case that's despicable, since he has made a fortune by turning people against their own country and by poisoning foreigners' views of us. n nBy the way, your idea in your first comment about Michael not actually being a hypocrite and caring so much he was willing to do something about it does have a certain persuasiveness: he doesn't use his money to abuse people, no. But then again, I think you'll find that most rich people don't, unless for example they insist on building a wind farm near residents and thereby ruin their view, create noise pollution, and bring strobe-effect light into their homes. That *might* be an abuse. Also, I would actually prefer the term 'two-faced' to 'hypocrite' for most Dems: they often say one thing but truly believe another, whereas a real hypocrite says one thing and generally supports it but sometimes *does* another. See the difference? A two-faced person wants exceptions for him and all his kind (his party), but a hypocrite just wants an exception to be made for himself. n nOn second thoughts, though, your comment is funny. Yes, Michael cared so much about the poor, he was prepared to get rich doing something about it. Heh heh heh.
So he should show gratefulness by keeping silent about injustice?
He should try beinghonest about himself and his motives, and put his money where his mouth is. SHould just about fit, too.
"On second thoughts, though, your comment is funny. Yes, Michael cared so much about the poor, he was prepared to get rich doing something about it. Heh heh heh." n n——————————————————————————————————— n nIt's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.
Which, alas, he has not. Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic is not my idea of a whorthwhile hobby, but whatever makes you happy…………..
The header on this seems to have nicely encapsulated the subject matter
I love these guys like Moore who can't wait to tell you how much $$ they have given away or donated to causes. I thought character was measured when people were not looking…..
vacuous AND stupid would be the proper words, to name JUST two.
Well after Bernie Mad(e)off, what can I say about the Commentary magazine bunch's beneveolence? n nPssst, interesting but 'Ol Berne never bragged about the people he helped (and I don't mean 'helped out of their money , LOL!).
Jnewton22 must be a plant. no one could actually be that empty-headed.
Who knows- Jnewton may actually BE Moore.
Seems to me he got rich on the backs of the camera men and workers on his films. He got all the money and paid them less then they were worth. At least according to Micheal Moore that is what he did. After all, he believes that the profit is wrong and that money is what the worker was worth but you kept from him. Now if he really believed that, he would have paid them more. But as a typical socialist, he believes that about others and not himself.
Moore is not only in the top 1 percent, he is not only in the top 1 tenth of one percent, he is the ultimate hypocrite: a businessman who makes great profits from attacking capitalism. His movies are an unending series of outright lies, misleading presentations, and false "facts". Realise that if he is willing to sit in that interview and tell an outright lie, which anyone can disprove by simply googling Michael Moore net worth {correct answer: over 50 million}, then imagine how willing he is to lie in his films, which lies are more difficlut to disprove. Moore's followers are the folks that Lenin {Vladimir, not John} called "useful idiots". Moore scams them for their money and laughs all the way to the bank. A reverse Robin Hood, as he robs from his poor followers, and gives to his rich self.
tut-tut, seems you've forgotten your prozac pill today, amigo.
Peter has missed the point. You all have. Moore made his millions without screwing anyone. In the process he made others working for him well off when he didn’t need to, gave out health insurance when he didn’t have to, paid more into society in gobs of ways without being asked, was glad to do it, and didn’t make a parade out of it. He’s part of a shrinking minority within the 1% that give capitalism a good name. Pull your head out.
Moore screwed everyone who paid to see one of his so called documentaries and circumvented the unions while doing so. He is a waste of space._
Moore can do anything (legal) he wants with his millions with no apologies -that applies to everyone else, including Rupert Murdoch, Oprah,Trump, & any other American. He's takes full advantage of the freedoms (e.g., of speech) this country & its capitalist system provides & he's accumulated great wealth pursuing his passion, making documentaries criticizing that very same system. Quite ingenious, even ironic, one might say! However, a little honesty would be nice … that is, he should at least admit that he IS part of the 1% wealthiest Americans. If he were at least honest about that, his diatribe might be tolerable. He could have said, "yea technically I'm part of the 1% $$-wise, but spirituatlly I'm not…." or some such. What I find pathetic is his insistence that he's not part of the 1% $$-wise.
Yes, Michael Moore erred by denying he was not technically a member of the 1% club. I'd like to think that he was indeed thinking that he really does not belong to the group because of his strong social/spiritual positions, along the line you indicated. If this is the worst mistake Mr. Moore has ever made, it's no big deal. I for one will overlook the mistake based on the totality of his work to help people.
IF- IF it weren't the worst mistake. Which it wasn't, compared to his hack films and books. And if you're looking for the totality of his work to help people, don't blink- you'll miss it n
Hasn't given most of his money away to charity though, has he? I mean, what does he want with $50 million exactly? Is he saying that he wants the good life and that his work by itself is charity? Probably that's how he justifies being a fat cat who has made a career attacking fat cats (and employers of large numbers of people who would otherwise be out of work!)
But, again, this is part of his publicity "schtick," that helps advance his interests. That kind of baloney keeps people like JNewton22 kissing his fat butt – Moore knows he has to feed his groupies and how to do it. He's a good, smart capitalist who knows very well that "there's a sucker born every minute!" (like JNewton22)
It is settled science that if Michael Moore gave just a single one of his meals to the hungry poverty would be totally eliminated in the United States. r nr nHe has to be one of the fattest slobs in the world. A r nsign of very little personal discipline or cleanliness. r nr nNo wonder the left adores him.
A hypocrite is someone who says one thing but believes and does another. Mr. Moore says the working class and the poor are being savaged by the ruling elite, and he believes it. He believes it so firmly, he has dedicated his life to doing something about it. n nThe idea that he could somehow avoid being labelled a hypocrite if only he would give all his money away and carry on the battle from a one room flat in downtown Flint is preposterous. When America goes to war, it does not send its generals to command from the front lines. But as it is, Michael Moore gets dirtier than any general has in the last fifty years. n n————————————————————————————————————— n nI posted this remark again because it so succinctly sums up the situation. It is an unassailable statement. n nTo the fellow who suggested Moore could find some place to live that was better than a flat in Flint but not so ostentatious as Fifth Avenue, it is worth noting that he has faced death threats from many nuts, some of whom might be posting in this thread, and he owes no explanation to anyone as to where he chooses to live. Hypocracy is alive and well, in the hearts of his adversaries.
He's a liar.
Did he not lie? Is he part of the 1%? n
Johnny One-Note Newton………………………so, he owes no explanation to anyone as to where he chooses to live, does he? How do you think this is going to go over with those whi are lucky to be able to pay rent on a roach- infested apartment, or worse, may be homeless thru no fault of their own? Arrogance & hypocrisy…..congratulations, you've hit a double.Hypocrisy is alive & quite well in your heart too, I see. n
No, he owes no explanation, and it goes over just fine with the people he is trying to help. All of you are disconnected from the fact that you do not belong to the class of people (and I mean class in the mathematical set theory sense) he is working for, and therefore, all of you are unable to view matters through anyones eyes but your own, but then empathy is precisely the human quality most conservatives are lacking. n nGenerals do not command the Army from the front lines, or conversely, a foot soldier does not have the means to command the Army. Moore uses his wealth and resources -which he built up from exactly the same message which he started with- to raise the living conditions of the less fortunate. Anyone here who claims they would respect Mr. Moore if only he lived as modestly as those he is trying to help, is a liar. You despise the message even more than the man, but the latter is a much easier target.
Wow, JNewton22's Posts are so insightful, so persuasive, so articulate and yes… UNASSAILABLE!!.. that he must post them TWICE to make sure we've all been treated to his brilliance! Once would not be enough!! Moreover, posting the same thing TWICE relieves one of the obligation to say something new, to refute an argument with facts…. extremely handy technique for a blowhard. Kind of like Obama running around the country repeating endlessly… in case you didn't get it the first time…."corporate jet owners…EVIL & BAD!; hedge fund managers…EVIL & BAD!" What a bunch of morons.
By the way, JNewton22, it's "hypocrisy," not "Hypocracy." Go back to school and this time pay attention. Also I love the way JNewton22 states so ominously that Moore, that lion-hearted brave man, may have (cue the scary music) ….faced death threats from someone " posting in this thread… oooooh, that's SO scary, Newton, I wonder which one of us it is! Man, you really adore that fat slob don't you. I'd love to see you at a gathering of actual people (other than Occupy Wall Street, that is) trying to make those sad arguments! You'd be laughed out of the room. Crawl back into your cardboard box.
Good catch. Curiously, The Urban Dictionary has an entry for hypocracy, but thanks for acting as "official" spell check regardless. n nIt is true, sometimes certain people require information to be repeated, for clarity, and I have already posted enough original argument here that I have earned the right to indulge in the occasional repetition. That my point is unassailable is demonstrated by how much it has raised your ire and how quickly you are drifting into the school yard bully lingo. n nYou need resources and capital to do what Mr. Moore does, which is wage war against wealthy sociopaths. To expect him to surrender it to satisfy his detractors is bordering on the absurd, but then logic is not the strong suit of his adversaries.
Umm, I wouldn't trust an Internet dictionary not compiled by experts elsewhere for guidance on anything but the newest slang. May I suggest Merriam-Webster online? And for help with British usage, Cambridge Dictionary online (gives US and UK spellings and meanings, which often differ).
Oh, and one other thing Doug, you would be at a much greater disadvantage arguing with me in the flesh.
Are you serious dude? You are making yourself angry for no apparent reason. You're not convincing anyone here and I think you're beginning to crack up. Your man crush for the big fat slob is getting real creepy.
How do you know it's a man? I think much more likely a woman.
He exhibits the petulance and single-mindedness of a pimply-faced teenage boy. I'm not so sure any self-respecting woman would so openly profess her adoration for such a repulsive hypocrite. What's your take?
Mmm. It's an enigma, but I'm still plumping for a woman — if I had to guess — not that it matters, of course. It's unfortunate, man woman or child.
It is hardly adoration. Michael Moore's viewpoints just happen to be similar to mine. As far as I am concerned, Mr. Moore is getting out virtually the same message I would if I had his resources. In fact, I could make a fair argument that Mr. Moore is doing my work.
Why: Are you a hot toasty babe, then?
Ooooooohhhhhhh…….talk about schoolyard bullying behavior………are we to be scared. As we say here in the REAL America- pack a lunch, you're in for a long day.
I believe that there is a real logical disconnect between the left and the right. The left sees morality as tied to political positions, and the right sees it tied much closer to personal behavior. So Al Gore can live in a house that consumes twenty times as much energy as an average house, fly in a private gulf stream jet, and take limousines wherever he goes and see no contradiction to his position on global warming. Hollywood actors can rail against the rich and, like Jennifer Aniston, recently purchase what I recall was a 37 million dollar home and see no disconnect. Same for Michael Moore. He lives like a rich man but judges himself based upon what he says and what his politics are. Problems are that the solutions of the left always entail ever larger government, denial of liberty, and eventual enslavement. I prefer, as our founding fathers preferred, improvements in personal behavior. But that entails character development and oftentimes, heaven help us, a good religion.
That is a brilliant observation, David. It's the same with carbon credits. If you buy them, you can wipe your conscience clean even if it never actually lowers carbon emissions.
Comical, Newt!You seem to think that if you “assert” something, it will be accepted as true.Typical liberal fantastical thinking. How could you possibly know whether you’d prevail over me in person? You can’t, but you think if you say it, it carries weight. The fact is you & 1000s of others are being played by Moore. You help make him rich & enjoy doing it. “Useful idiot” comes to mind. You know for sure that he’s laughing all the way to the bank!
I didn't say I would prevail. I said you would be at a greater disadvantage in the imaginary gathering of actual people in the room you said I would be laughed out of. Doug, details evade you.
Eh? Hmm, okay, maybe because I used a bad word. My point was, I reckon MM deserves all his riches, given that the people didn't listen to him, indeed, they were handed the info on a plate via the TV screen, and still they re-elected Bush. Go enjoy yourself, MM, if I was you I'd feel so let down by the people. Let 'em figure it out for themselves and/or just continue living their lives reacting and responding by the usual default.
The lady who said, "he has made a fortune by turning people against their own country and by poisoning foreigners' views of us" n nUm, no, MM didn't poison my view of the US, the policies of your government, the fools you voted in, poisoned, and continue to poison, my view of the US, and as for Americans turning against their country? I've seen no sign of that. Most Americans I know and/or read the comments of, are still patriotic to the core, and heaven forbid if I bring up 9/11 being an Inside Leg. Turning against your country doesn't mean that you necessarily harm your country, now, standing up for your country, and what it used to be, by turning away from mass media created default responses to crimes that your country has committed against you, well, now there's something to chew upon.
I just read an article written by Michael Moore where he tells about making his first movie and getting paid an unbelievable, to him, $3 million. He says he proudly paid his taxes of nearly $1 million. Let’s assume nearly means he paid $900,000 in taxes. That’s 30%. Which means in 1989 he proudly paid at the Reagan top rate of 28%, plus MI state tax. He did other things with the money that sounded good, but he did what he wanted with his remaining 70%, not what the government decided to do with it. Had Mr Moore earned that money anytime form 1951 to 1964 his Federal rate would have been 91%. Say 4% for MI state income tax and Mr Moore would have kept less than $200,000 of the $3 million he had earned. Even 10 years earlier in 1979 before Reagan the top rate had gone down only to 60%. So he likely would have kept just over $1 million. Having benefited so richly from the Capitalist system that allowed him to make a movie and sell it for $3 million, and the Reagan tax cuts that let him keep most of the money he had earned, its sad an ironic that Mr Moore wants those 91% tax rates, that he never paid, back. Had he sent the IRS a check instead of doing as he please with the money, including his choice of charity, I might believe he isn’t the biggest fatest hypocrite in the world. But he didn’t, and sitting on net worth estimated at $50 million he isn’t just the 1%, but the top 1/10th of the top 1%. And I don’t see him sending the IRS a check for 90% plus? Do you?
To quote Dean Vernon Wormer: "Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life " n
No, but it's great if you live in Hades!
Well people, due to other pressing matters, and barring some thoroughly outrageous slight that must be answered, I will have to disengage. n nThe irony is that I do not agree with every social and societal position Mr. Moore has taken a stand on, but I have followed his work for a long time, and I have listened to him speak with the kind of penetrating scepticism all of you have. My conclusion is that Michael Moore genuinely cares about less fortunate people, and he is doing the best he can to improve their lot with the resources he has at his disposal. The good news is one day we are going to find out who was right.
And Bunky, it won't be YOU! My conclusion is unprintable here, and not for decent company, but suffice it to say of you were a toilet, judicious use of a Roto-Rooter would be in order. n
Stooping to vile toilet grade insults and low class remarks about weight or appearance seems to be a hallmark of many people on your side of the argument. Feel free to do a statistical analysis of all comments in this thread. This is some of the clearest evidence as to why good and decent people who believe in helping their fellow man find themselves on the right side of history and are going to prevail. The truth has a certain sting to it.
The problem always comes down to "who gets to decide." Lefties like Newt always want some presumably wise (and left-leaning) group of bureaucrats to decide how much people should make, how much corporations (if they are even allowed to exist) should make, how they should make it, etc. They never seem to realize or acknowledge the unnaccountable power and opportunities for mischief that creates. They want all real power centralized in the government to "prevent abuse" and to "make things fair." The problem is that although that may be a nice thought, in practice it rarely works out that way. You know, like Solyndra…
'Jabba the Filmmaker' couldn't tell the truth if his life depended on it.
And, like all right-wing propagandists, no evidence that 'Michael Moore’s net worth is estimated to be around $50 million.' Oh wait, saying 'And everyone knows it’s true.' must be proof positive!