Michael Moore image from Wikimedia.

In general, it seems people either love or hate Michael Moore’s documentaries based on whether they agree with his point or not. For instance, most people agree that health care is a necessity and it would be rad if we didn’t have to pay for it. Thus, “Sicko” got 93 percent good reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

Actually, all of Michael Moore’s documentaries got great reviews. So either all of the critics who write for Rotten Tomatoes love Michael Moore, only people who agree with him see his movies or Michael Moore is completely right about everything and makes amazing movies. Who knows? In any case, his new piece of documentary cinema “Capitalism: A Love Story” did get good reviews, but not nearly as good as his previous films.

Michael Moore mayhem

Maybe Moore got easy payday loans from the wrong people for this one and they negatively affected the film, but “Capitalism: A Love Story” movie reviews say only 61 percent of Metacritics liked it, and 73 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Compare that to “Roger & Me,” “Bowling for Columbine,” “Fahrenheit 9/11,” and “Sicko,” which all got scores in the 90th percentile.

People who did not like “Capitalism: A Love Story” say the film isn’t as witty or funny as his previous documentaries, it needs more of a “factual backbone” and they didn’t understand his point. But most critics did like the film. Here are some pieces of the good “Capitalism: A Love Story” reviews.

“Capitalism: A Love Story” reviews

Roger Ebert likes “Capitalism: A Love Story” because of its strong usage of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s philosophy and its shocking revelations. The film includes footage of FDR that has never been seen before. Ebert was also surprised to find out about “dead peasant insurance.” He writes: “Did you know that companies can take out life insurance policies on their workers, so that they collect the benefits when we die?”

I am a pretty big fan of movies that teach me things I didn’t know before, which is why I generally do like Michael Moore’s movies. Owen Gleiberman liked “Capitalism: A Love Story.” He says “Moore pulls the big picture together, and much of the movie is urgent, unsettling, and mischievously funny.”

Watch “Capitalism: A Love Story” trailer.

Don’t count on it

Have you ever heard of “planned obsolescence?” Essentially, mass-produced products are designed to either become obsolete or non-functional after a certain amount of use. This is very useful to the party that controls the means of production, as it creates a never-ending stream of demand for their products after things fall apart.

Things are falling apart now, America

Planned obsolescence has historically played a huge role in the American automobile industry. General Motors, one of America’s “Big Three” auto makers, has consistently operated under the principle of “What’s good for GM is good for America.” While this may have been appropriate during World War II, when GM’s involvement in the defense effort provided many jobs for hard-working civilians, it is an antiquated idea now. What’s “good for GM” may no longer be good for the American people.

For a lighter look at planned obsolescence in action, check out this classic 1940 short film, “Hired!” This is actually Part 2 of the film, but you’ll get the idea. The disposable punch line comes around at about 8:04 – these auto salesmen are hoping to sell a gentleman his next 10 cars. You’d need a heck of a fast cash advance for that!

Consumers are wiser now

They’ll buy sturdier, more economical foreign cars. And despite the current call for greener vehicles with lower emissions, America has taken a rather lackluster approach to this over the years. Don’t expect this to change anytime soon, as building big trucks and SUVs is the “American way” that has enabled the CEOs of America’s big auto makers to become obscenely rich.

The CEOs will take down America to save their own skins

As film director Michael Moore recently said on “Larry King Live,” the Big Three CEOs have no real interest in the capitalist ideal. “Go Capitalism! Free Market! Free Enterprise!” Really? It seems that the handout you’re crying to the government for - $25 BILLION – is their own Socialist safety net. Is what’s good for GM still good for America?

Perhaps not.

You’d think companies like GM, Ford and Chrysler that were losing money hand over foot would make the right kind of adjustments into order to right the ship. Right?

Wrong. Mass layoffs are imminent, yet the Big Three CEOs refuse to work with the government for the benefit of the American people. Didn’t Spock say that “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?”

Capitalism doesn’t work if it means the rich get rich and the poor get trampled

When individuals are ruled by impersonal, irrational abstractions that make up a capitalist system in its purest form, the little people lose. People will be laid off because the CEOs don’t want to give up this kind of money:

• GM CEO Rick Wagoner: $5,000,000 per annum total salary, with the potential to receive a $15,000,000 golden parachute
• Ford CEO Alan Mulally:$22,000,000 earnings the past year
• Chrysler GEO Robert Nardelli: $22,800,000 total earnings

They are being paid this kind of money while workers are being laid off. While they are begging the government for a $25,000,000,000 handout. Cash advance loans, but without that “loan” part written into the deal.

How much money are the companies losing while CEOs sop up cash?

According to Moore when he was on with Larry King:

• Ford: $2,000,000,000
• GM: $39,000,000,000
• Chrysler (not mentioned by Moore): $662,000,000 in the second quarter of 2008 alone!

The end of capitalism as we know it?

And I think, really, what we’re seeing now — with them, with the banks — we’re seeing the end of capitalism. The end of capitalism as we know it and I say good riddance. It hasn’t helped the people or the planet.” – Michael Moore on Larry King Live, Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

Are you listening, government? We can’t give $25,000,000,000 to men who will use it to give themselves great bonuses, vacations, bigger jets and biggers yachts. We have to take a stand now.

Mr. Moore suggests that Obama step in as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt did during the Great Depression and WWII. He told the automakers what to do: build what America needed. Today, if the automakers can employ their workforce in the service of bettering mass transit, hybrid vehicles and more things that will help improve this country’s infrastructure, we’ll be on the road to recovery.

That’s a cash advance in the direction of a modified form of Socialism that the people of this nation can use. A strong nation is what we need. By repairing the economy and our infrastructure, we will achieve. That’s the American way.