Disclaimer

Lets continue to explore the merits of capitalism... I'm going to take off my, what I call "normal", hat and put on my "free market system fixes all problems" hat.... and go. Why make a difference between state and federal welfare? Lets get rid of it all and rely SOLELY on charity and see how far that gets us. If you disagree with state welfare and are able to move to a different state, then why can't you move out of the country if you disagree with any federal welfare subsidy too? It's going to be funny when the US crumbles like the USSR because you'll end up with a system that forces all the poor and "underprivileged" into states that have generous welfare programs and the rich into other states - de facto segregation. If you have a bunch poor people sucking on the welfare system, how is that state going to attract rich people to fund it? So you're going to end up with states that can't financially support themselves to the point where they're sucking on the Federal teat (which you're against), and why not just cut them off Federally too? Once that happens, they fall into an economic abyss that no one wants to support -- where do those people flock to? Other states, and we still end up having to pay for them one way or another because they'll just go around using services they can't pay for and stiffing people on the bills. Which will land them in jail... and someone has to pay for jail too... where's the loop stop? No one is talking about that... I'm just asking if any taxes or gov't fees (local, state, or otherwise) are acceptable for funding a fire dept versus just privatizing the entire thing. If they privatize it, would you want to get into the firefighting business? Pretty large investment in equipment and manpower without a good idea on how profitable the workload will be. Still disagree, people know the risk of non-payment - I think I heard they lost 3 or 4 pets in the fire. If you start having stipulations, then I'd just tell the fire dept a person is inside and have them put out the fire. There will be a lot of "balloon boys" happening if that's the case.

Yea, pay or you're sleeping with the fishes see. Sorry, I didn't have time to photoshop a fire engine into the background.

Mayhaps...

But we're getting off topic now... lets go back to the $75... Is charging $75/yr extra in taxes ok, or not? Is charging that $75/yr as a gov't fee ok, or not? Should fire rescue be privatized? These answers are important because fire rescue does MORE than just firefighting... maybe it's an a la carte thing? $75 to respond to your fire, $150 to respond to your vehicle accident, $10 to respond to 'cats in trees', etc... ALL must be paid in advance. Like insurance. Same thing with health care, should you pay 'X' dollars ahead of time to guarantee you care? Put you on a list, or wear a bracelet that says you're paid up and should be treated?

And the gov't lets you do that... you can reduce your tax liability through charity.

I'm just taking this to an extreme, everything I say has undertones of sarcasm, c'mon -- I'm the token labeled "liberal" on here remember? Welfare helps people, does it not? What if we just changed the name from that icky "welfare" word, and called it "charity"? Would that make everyone feel better?

That didn't answer the question... and misses the point.

How many people richer than you have had karma bite them in the ass? How many do you know that've had that "fall from grace"? I bet very very very few. It's been documented that, typically, the more money you make, the less charitable you are when based on a percentage of your income (http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/05/27/new-study-shows-poor-give-greater-percent-of-income-to-charity/)

I've decided that anyone who isn't as valuable as me (i.e. not making the same salary or greater) isn't contributing their fair share to society, so why should I be charitable to them? The fact that they can't pay their bills is of no consequence to me... they should've worked harder, or been born less disabled, or not been blind.

I wasn't necessarily directing that at you... but, even the electric bill is a horrible example. People who can't afford electricity can still have it kept on if they have medical emergencies. Why is that fair either? Let the market "deal with" the problem... shut their electric off and let them freeze to death, or move to a warmer climate area. Why is that not a viable solution? It's not my family or friends that'll have that happen to, so why do I care? C'mon you tea party capitalists, who's with me!? PS. Being human has EVERYTHING to do with how the economy and government are structured...

You know how I know Parks is gay?

I'm not following you. There was a choice to pay $75 or not, choice was made -- so consequences are what they are. Why have all these other stipulations of "Well, if people were inside then..." or "Trapped pets" or whatever? You pay the $75 or not. No, "well, just charge them whatever afterward" -- no no no, thats not how it works. What if they can't pay it? Someone ("us") is still going to have to foot that bill... this is almost identical to all the healthcare debates on here. You don't want to pay for it ahead of time (via insurance or taxes or fees), then you get no treatment -- yet in the healthcare field, people are treated regardless of their ability to pay and it's broken the system. Why don't the same rules apply here?

I'm kinda shocked at this thread and the opinions within it, especially knowing how many of you are opposed to taxes, social safety nets, and the "liberalization" of America. Where are the hardcore preachers of capitalism and personal responsibility/accountability now?

The bike and the truck... simplifying a little bit? New expensive hobbies in your life? Ohh wait, you've gotta girlfriend.... n/m. That explains it all.

Pics or it didn't happen.

Better my neighbors than me.

I dunno why you'd take offense to that... it means they still think you're young enough to be irresponsible and/or apathetic about politics. Be happy people think you're young.

:slapfight:

I don't think turning firefighting into a private enterprise is the best way to handle it, but to each their own. It's easy to armchair quarterback this until you're in a spot of trouble yourself. Not just with fire, but anything you've ever made a mistake and regretted. A little schadenfreude makes you smug, but not evil. Unless you're the guy who was on the short end of the misfortune-stick. Then it makes everyone else evil.

I cry because you drag your teeth. *BURN*

I'd have to hear your motor noises before I could tell you that. Your midget voice could probably wind that 600 motor pretty tight. Good enough for 1:40s at MidOh.

How about for $3, I'll send you a high res picture of a 600 and you can make motor noises?

I'd support your platform of free burritos and taco dip as long as illegals aren't preparing them -- ohh, and you don't increase my taxes, raise the deficit, or cut any social programs that I use to give me those free burritos.

This thread will get good soon.