Michael Moore Says ‘America Is Not Broke’

By on March 6, 2011 in News 11

In retrospect, it’s taken progressive celebrity Michael Moore an awfully long time to insert himself into the political shenanigans taking place in Wisconsin, but now that the millionaire moviemaker has found the time to reach Madison, he’s making himself heard amidst all the union-busting noise, as reported by the Wisconsin State Journal:

Protesters in Madison have “aroused a sleeping giant” in the national fight for workers’ rights, filmmaker Michael Moore told thousands at the Capitol Square on Saturday, as rallies opposing Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposals wrapped up their third week.

“Right now the Earth is shaking and the ground is shifting under the feet of those who are in charge,” said Moore, the Oscar-winning maker of “Bowling for Columbine,” whose documentaries also include “Fahrenheit 911″ and “Capitalism: A Love Story.”

“America is not broke … Wisconsin is not broke,” Moore said. “The only thing that’s broke is the moral compass of the rulers.”

Police estimated the crowd at 30,000 to 40,000, less than the past two Saturdays. Moore urged those gathered not to retreat. “You are not alone,” he said. “America is with you.”

As people inside and outside of the Capitol continued to speak out against Walker’s plan to eliminate most collective bargaining rights for most public employees, their messages took on a broader scope in response to last week’s release of the governor’s budget for the next two years.

Walker says major changes are needed to close a $137 million gap in this year’s budget and a $3.6 billion deficit over the next two years.

Librarians, nurses and artists drew attention to proposed cuts in the biennial budget that could affect them…

[continues in the Wisconsin State Journal]

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  • Dan

    Christ, once upon a time I actually considered Moore’s opinion. Now he’s just a laughing stock.
    Yes, America is broke. That doesn’t mean the events in Wisconsin are appropriate or ethical, but it’s not something to be discarded in an attempt to gain publicity or give feel-good speeches.

  • Dan

    Christ, once upon a time I actually considered Moore’s opinion. Now he’s just a laughing stock.
    Yes, America is broke. That doesn’t mean the events in Wisconsin are appropriate or ethical, but it’s not something to be discarded in an attempt to gain publicity or give feel-good speeches.

    • rtb61

      The US owes the money to someone, all that happens is that taxes need to be raised upon those who have engineered the US debt for their own personal advantage and the debt will rapidly disappear.
      The other alternate is with it’s huge military, to simply invade and take over all the tax havens, a quite simply take back all the money the US tax cheats have hidden away, with fines double what was recovered at the tax havens.
      The invasion might be a bit harsh but those tax havens have basically declared economic war upon the US to enrich themselves via the hidden assets of ‘Drug Dealers’., ‘Terrorists’, ‘Traitors’, corrupt corporations, corrupt politicians, basically criminal vermin of every imaginable ilk. So declaring war upon the supporters and enablers of every known crime upon a global basis seems pretty reasonable, after all, all they have to do is hand over the criminals and the stolen money.

  • Higdon12605

    Wisconsin, Legalize Marijuana!
    Wisconsin could probably generate between $140-210 million from taxing and regulating marijuana, which would be sufficient to cover this year’s $137 million shortfall.
    SEE: http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/2011/02/28/50-state-chart-how-legalizing-taxing-regulating-marijuana-would-help-state-budget-problems/

  • Higdon12605

    Wisconsin, Legalize Marijuana!
    Wisconsin could probably generate between $140-210 million from taxing and regulating marijuana, which would be sufficient to cover this year’s $137 million shortfall.
    SEE: http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/2011/02/28/50-state-chart-how-legalizing-taxing-regulating-marijuana-would-help-state-budget-problems/

  • http://www.victoriangothic.org Haystack

    Moore aside, I have to wonder if this bill won’t create massive blowback for the Republicans by mobilizing unions in advance of the 2012 elections and turning workers in states like Ohio against the GOP.

    The first thing the Republicans did was give/extend massive tax breaks to rich people. Now their idea is to spend the following two years cutting social programs and busting unions to pay for it. I can’t imagine that people will turn out in droves calling for smaller government now that it is apparent just what that consists of.

  • http://www.victoriangothic.org Haystack

    Moore aside, I have to wonder if this bill won’t create massive blowback for the Republicans by mobilizing unions in advance of the 2012 elections and turning workers in states like Ohio against the GOP.

    The first thing the Republicans did was give/extend massive tax breaks to rich people. Now their idea is to spend the following two years cutting social programs and busting unions to pay for it. I can’t imagine that people will turn out in droves calling for smaller government now that it is apparent just what that consists of.

  • Anonymous

    The US owes the money to someone, all that happens is that taxes need to be raised upon those who have engineered the US debt for their own personal advantage and the debt will rapidly disappear.
    The other alternate is with it’s huge military, to simply invade and take over all the tax havens, a quite simply take back all the money the US tax cheats have hidden away, with fines double what was recovered at the tax havens.
    The invasion might be a bit harsh but those tax havens have basically declared economic war upon the US to enrich themselves via the hidden assets of ‘Drug Dealers’., ‘Terrorists’, ‘Traitors’, corrupt corporations, corrupt politicians, basically criminal vermin of every imaginable ilk. So declaring war upon the supporters and enablers of every known crime upon a global basis seems pretty reasonable, after all, all they have to do is hand over the criminals and the stolen money.

  • Bwmmiller

    Sadly enough, Capitalism, Corporatism are not designed to support the proletariat, the precariat, the working slobs! Capitalism, Corporatism, work hand in hand to enrichen the share holder – no one else, it is mandated this way! Michael Moore, the pied piper of the working class can tell it like it is, if he wishes, fact is: control was given to the Uber-Rich back in 1913, with the first corruption of the American constitution in favor of the Uber Rich.

  • Bwmmiller

    Sadly enough, Capitalism, Corporatism are not designed to support the proletariat, the precariat, the working slobs! Capitalism, Corporatism, work hand in hand to enrichen the share holder – no one else, it is mandated this way! Michael Moore, the pied piper of the working class can tell it like it is, if he wishes, fact is: control was given to the Uber-Rich back in 1913, with the first corruption of the American constitution in favor of the Uber Rich.

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