Michael Moore interview

The guy just makes me laugh. No, really, here are some excerpts from a recent interview:

Are there any good things happening in American business?

I see very little support for the things we really need to be investing in. Where's the cure for cancer? Where's the bullet train to take us from New York to L.A. in 10 hours? Where are the alternative energy systems to save us when we run out of oil?

Moore should read The New York Times, which earlier this month ran a story about pharmaceutical companies -- motivated by profits! -- pouring more money and research than ever into finding a cure for cancer.

As for the bullet train idea, why would you want to take a train from New York to L.A. -- which would require traveling at around 280mph assuming no stops -- when you can take a 5 hour flight? What is the obsession with inferior technology?

Alternative energy systems, meanwhile, already exist but don't make economic sense as they are more expensive than conventional energy sources. Moore is, in effect, wondering why we are solving a problem that isn't all apparent (as evidenced by fuel prices that are typically only $2.30-$3 per gallon, which reflects large supply).

Then there's this:

If capitalism is evil, what's the solution?

Some people say to me, democracy is not an economic system, it's a political system. My answer to that is, you think capitalism has nothing to do with politics?

Let's quit talking like we're back in Economics 101. Capitalism is not only an economic system that legalizes greed, it also has at its foundation a political system of capitalism that is, "We have to buy the political system because we don't have enough votes. We're only 1% of the votes. We have to buy the people, and we have to buy the people by convincing them if they work hard, they too can be rich one day." [Americans] have gone along with it for the last 30 years.

Essentially, what Moore is complaining about is that the government is in effect being hijacked by corporate interests he finds distasteful and which don't share his agenda. Well, yeah, that's the problem with being in favor of Big Government. What Moore would really like to see is a system where we have a huge government that can't be influenced by people he doesn't like. This, of course, is an impossibility, as people of all political persuasions throughout history have attempted to influence those in power.

If one really opposes corporate interests using the power of government for its own agenda then what should logically follow is an embrace of limited government powers. This is a reality Moore is unwilling to face.