Michael Moore Film Blames the Rich for Economic Crisis

Controversial filmmaker Michael Moore is set to release his latest movie this coming October. Though the film does not yet have an official title, it is an examination of the factors that have lead to our current global economic downturn. Judging from Moore's description of the picture, one possible title might be, "Blame the Rich." Here's Moore:

"The wealthy, at some point, decided they didn't have enough wealth," the statement quoted Moore as saying. "They wanted more--a lot more. So they systematically set about to fleece the American people out of their hard-earned money. Now why would they do this? That is what I seek to discover in this movie."

That reductive description of how the world finds itself in such economic trouble may be hard to swallow for many viewers, especially those who favor a "Blame the Poor" explanation. That band targets Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Barney Frank as the singular culprits for extending mortgages and platinum credit cards to people who could scarcely balance a check book.

Moore, as demonstrated in earlier films, isn't much of a fan of our corporate system, so it's no surprise that he'll be targeting the rich and powerful. Does he have a point? Sure. And so do the people who finger the Senate Banking Committee. Lost in both arguments is the fact that practically everyone in America, rich and poor, got swept up in the economic exuberance that reigned over the past two decades. Individual citizens, as well as corporations and government entities, made a whole host of bad decisions.

Did there need to be greater regulation in the marketplace? Yes. Did government get carried away with the idea of never-ending economic growth? Yes. Did the American public get drunk on an endless supply of credit? Yes.

While Moore's films often serve to spark much-needed debate, it remains to be seen how his expose on corporate guilt will resonate with audiences not already pre-disposed to that very point-of-view.


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