Mr. Lamparty is right -- it's a horror show. This reminds me of the stories of structures that burn down and are not replaced because the owner did not ever apply for or keep up his payment on structure insurance. These situations is similar to health insurance that should be free to everyone and you should only pay the monthly fee the month you need the service - no fees the months before or after. I would suggest that all the people in this rural fire protection subscription service change the rules so that they don't have to pay any fee until their house catches on fire. With this mass influx of cash, the non tax payer supported fire dept. could pay all their dept. salaries and overhead and maintain a finely honed force to fight any fire at any time. Anybody that thinks that free subscription fire service is not feasable either got their economics degree at K-Mart or is like Mr. lampary who has comitted himself to poverty, stays in contact with his local subscription fire dept. and donates his personal cash to balance the fire dept. books so others don't have to. Mr. Gramp's foundation is supplying the cash to cover those whose homes burn and are not insured by those rich and greedy insurance companies who refuse to cover those that are not covered. Ayn Rand indeed...
Nurse! One dose THC, STAT!
Interesting. I suspect that most of these people would sympathize with the Tea Party agenda, yet they recoil from the logical extension of its philosophy.
The comments ran the gamut of the guy should have paid his $75 to that was not a christian thing to do, not a neighborly thing to do. Being more conscious of spending tax dollars wisely is a little different than cut taxes no matter what.
The article I just posted on how the police sent out a helicopter to look for a guy who stole a phone ... how responsible was that $$$' The city of SF to start billing the person responsible for a car crash for cleaning it up .. of course, when that person is an illegal alien in that safe haven town and has no insurance how will they pay for that?
All the insane pensions that state, city employees have now, is that negotiable> Local and state govts are in a big hurt due to spending more than they bring in - interesting times ahead.
Well, before you attack public employees for having decent pensions and job security, consider this: Back in the roaring 90s, those of us working on the private sector made fun of the public employees who made a fraction of what we did. I've worked in companies where mid-level people got quarterly bonus checks that were several times what the public employees that we dealt with got on a monthly basis. Now we, the bonus-getters, have fallen on hard times and we resentfully attack the government workers, forgetting the sacrifice that they made for years and years in pursuit of our public business.
Does that really justify anything?
It justifies the rest of us not pissing and moaning about them having job security in the bad times.
Limited government sounds good as long as it it being limited for other people.
It is the ultimate in narcissism. Cut spending for the stuff that benefits all those other people, but I better have good roads to drive on and a state of the art airport to fly out of and police, fire, rescue, and a health care infrastructure for ME ME ME!
And of course we don't want a penny wasted on anything that might benefit someone of a different ethnic, racial, or religious background than mine mine mine!
Cut my taxes but keep the services coming, but just for me, if that is okay.
ME ME ME .. take care of ME Uncle Sugar, cuz I can't take care of myself. I fully endorse federal agencies taking care of people who are disabled .. how about those that could work .. that don't work and get money from govt - state of fed.
WTF .. we are talking about the fire dept here now anyway how did you start injecting racism?
You live in a state that doesn't have state income tax .. try forking over another 9-10 % of your check before you start espousing how swell govt can WASTE your money.
Mac .. when a public employee can retire at age 50 with virtually full pay and full benefits ... there is something really wrong with this picture?
The problem Mac with your analogy is that those working in a business they were getting paid of the fruits of their labor - the profits from sales .. now that business is bad - many of those folks are out of work. With public employees, they more than likely will have a job for life - living off taxpayers .. many of the same ones that don't have jobs anymore .. the public employee- he is still working, still has great benefits - he is not ties 'yet' to how well the govt is doing. There should be layoffs, and there are in many cases at the local and some at the state level. What about the federal level??? They keep hiring! I know in our area they ran the salaries of the states and local govts highest paid salaries. Mac you'd be glad to hear that a vast majority of those at the top worked in hospitals - administrators, some surgeons, psychiatrists, .. we're talking 5-600$ K a year .. all the way down to 400$K Then you get into the Fire chiefs and police chiefs and the town administrators form 350 -> 450K. Did I mention they could retire at age 50 with full benefits. Some may say, well that's what they would be getting if not more in private practice ... fine - let them work in a private practice at that salary the term public 'servant' is an oxymoron. Gee I wonder if there is any relation between there salaries and the rising cost of health care?
Shoot when I was growing up we had volunteer fire departments with a couple of professionals - we can't do that anymore since the unions have stepped in and made it so darn expensive.
I tell you what Gramps .. if your house was on fire and I lived next to you I would try and help you out, even if you are a stubborn old coot .. these days though - everyone expects to be paid, and this guys house burned to the ground.
Having not paid the fee, I can certainly understand the fire department not coming out past city lines to fight the fire. However, having arrived next door to prevent the fire from spreading to a paying customer, it is morally and ethically impossible to justify standing there to watch it burn. Of all the comments supporting the city's actions I'd bet money that very few came from firefighters. Firemen live by a code. I wonder how many of them were able to look themselves in the eye? A lot of firefighters are EMTs, too. Had Mr. Cranick inhaled a lungful of smoke would the city be justified in not treating him? Could the firefighters ascertain from next door that no injuries occurred, or that injuries would not occur through their inaction?
Yes, they may well have a job for life, but that's part of the deal. They agree to get less, SIGNIFICANTLY LESS, in the good times. In return, they get job security. Fair is fair. And it's NOT fair for you to attack them now that the rest of use are having a rough time. When I was a kid, my dad worked a highly skilled, low paid teaching/admin PhD job at a college. Everyone else in the neighborhood worked at the lumber/paper mill making an average of 50% more. This went on for TWO DECADES. Now those same people, and seemingly you, have the nerve to whine about him making a decent retirement. Screw you. You enjoyed the good times, grasshopper, now let the ant enjoy the fruits of his labor while you tough out the bad. Man up!
Oh, by the way, a fireman's lungs are shot by age 50. 55 is about the maximum they can work. Show some gratitude.
Sounds like your father made a conscious decision to be a teacher for a vocation and you have some issues about that. There were certainly advantages to be a teacher in college vice working in the mill which you make it seem like it was a walk at the park. The Mill was probably a union job - and higher than average wages. Teaching has it's rewards - I will never say anything bad about a teacher and what they earn. Not every thing is about earning a dollar.
I could be making more money than I am now in a different job - but I am happy doing what I am doing now and enjoy the work and it's challenges
I've been working longer and paying taxes, sonny, than you've been alive, so you can save you grasshopper spiel for someone else.
Really? This was the 60s and 70s. And yes, he made a conscious decision, and you attacking him, and others like him, at this point is just wrong. Don't be a dick.
You're the one who is being a Dick, I am not attacking your father. You're the one who brought it up. I said he made a decision to be a teacher and that teaching is a noble profession .. so is being a priest - they aren't highly paid either, nor is a marine biologist etc .. all require education. I hope you can choose your profession for the love of it and the challenges, not for the money.
I know, sorry about the dick comment. The issue is a pet peeve of mine.
What did the left ball say to the right ball? What out for the guy in the middle, he's a real dick.
lamparty
Well this is another take on the Firemen let house burn down story! Yeah, this might be a little bit slanted to the left! Like whoever wrote this need a prop to keep from falling over!