Put Down That Hose, Comrade
Since the President was so concerned about "socialized medicine" that he vetoed SCHIP expansion, can we assume that his trip to Southern California tomorrow is to deliver a lecture about the evils of socialized firefighting? After all, if the free market is the best way to fight poverty, injury, and disease, I'm sure the invisible hand would have no problem putting out a few fires. Since America has the best healthcare in the world, maybe the progress against the wildfires would go quicker if the firefighters borrowed a trick from the insurance industry and only concentrated on saving the homes of people whose employers have enrolled them in a private fire protection plan that provided coverage for fires caused by accidents, arson, and acts of god. Just cross your fingers and hope that the fire gets put out before your coverage lapses.
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It wouldn't surprise me at all for some of the Kool-Aid drinkers -- the same ones who think Stephen Colbert is serious -- to advocate exactly what you say in jest, Mr. Saunders. Such is the poverty and utter stupidity of some. Still, I can't help but wonder in an era where those who don't believe in government except to run it into the ground might put their agenda aside for a moment, given the preponderance of white, successful Republican voters affected by these fires. If not, I do hope these voters are mindful of the failures to protect them when it comes time to vote in '08. And if they really think Rudy will save 'em, I suggest they review what he did while in office before 9/11 in terms of disaster preparedness. See any pattern?
Funny that you should mention privatizing fire-fighting services... because ancient Rome's first fire department was in fact a private one.
It was owned by a businessman named Crassus (no, I am not making up that name). When a fire started, Crassus and his amazing team of water-toting slaves would pull up to the building, and start negotiating with the owner for the price to start work. Crassus would offer to buy the burning building from the owner -- and as the fire continued to burn, Crassus' bid would drop. Neat, huh?
History does not record whether Crassus' private fire department also had a Department of Arson.
not as much to be made in firefighting as medical care.
if a capitalists economic system cannot make money off the sick and needy what good is capitalism.
the evangels and for that matter the demos have not as yet figured out the evils of capitalism can be as bad and have many of the traits of their evil devil.
making big bucks off sick poor children hey if that is not evil what is.
Why do you guys keep repeating the lie that America has the best healthcare system in the world? It doesn't. Cuba's healthcare system is far better, as is all European countries', Canada, UK etc. Stop fooling each other.
Firefighting has always been a communal act. Citizens have always turned out to fight fires in their villages, towns, neighborhoods, cities, and forests.
There is good reason for this, as fire consumes all. You help fight the fire down the street so that it doesn't spread to your own house.
The same holds true for healthcare. When we're all healthy and productive, our entire society benefits.
PA Firefighter
"Cogito, ergo Liberal!"
I agree with you, but I believe there was in fact a time when firefighting was a private matter and people had to have a certain medallion in their yard (indicating they were covered by A-1 Firefighting, etc.) or the fire department might simply drive past their burning house.
theyoungturks.com
Yes, there was once such a time.
Each household paid their fire insurance premium to an insurance company which sponsored a local fire department. You got a "firemark" to affix to your home. ONLY the fire department which as "authorized" by your insurance company to fight fire at your home was allowed to put out the fire.
If another company responded, they'd either leave or would put your house out - for a fee which had to be paid up front while your home continued to burn.
Often, fights would break out between competing fire companies over who would douse the flames - while the house burned merrily away.
This archaic system was used in Philadelphia for quite a while. I understand that NYC had a similar system, and that Boston also had it for a short period.
This dangerous stupidity was outlawed and government-funded firefighting was introduced - all to the benefit of the populace at the expense of the insurance companies.
However, prior to the invention of firefighting organizations of any kind, firefighting was a community responsibility.
PA Firefighter
You're exactly right.
The question is, how many *more* programs will current and future republicans underfund, defund and outright mismanage, only to blame their failures on government itself?
What incentive is there for people in the Grover Norquist, Ronald Reagan "the nine most dangerous words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'" mold to run government programs efficiently and effectively?
Why bother when running them into the ground makes the case to privatize everything so much easier?
Sort of like social security. The fact that it may run out soon is blamed on "baby boomers" (at least according to the media it sure seems that way), but who mentions that Reagan and Bush have spent hundreds of billions of dollars from the social security trust fund?
PS---People who despise government have no business trying to get elected to any government position. It's just as illogical and counterproductive as hiring someone who despises capitalism to be the CEO for a large corporation.
We need people who BELIEVE in government and therefore have an incentive to *improve* it, not do away with it.
theyoungturks.com
Bush with his guitar, ignoring Katrina victims;
http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/7/J/j/bush_guitar_neworleans.jpg
Nice Post, But seriously, I'm really looking forward to this visit from the "decider". Such a wonderful distraction from everyones unhappiness, to hear a sincere, heart warming and inspirational speech from the demented frat boy.
I wonder how much it costs to fly him and his entourage of toadies to California and back? Probably enough to rebuild quite a few houses.
Same questions I had when his "Poppy" did his little Loma Prieta tour....all you saw was this nicely cuffed hand waving from the darkened limousine window that had been FLOWN ACROSS THE COUNTRY just for this 'moment'.
We were standing in line, waiting to be let into the grocery store to pick up the water and toilet paper.
We didn't bother waving back.
But you should have waved ... you middle finger that is.
Funny how the chimp will take a 'socialized' flight to get to California and use 'socialized' secret service agents for his protection. Airforce 1 and 2, used to fly the President, is paid for by our taxes as is it's maintenance and fuel. If he were consistent with his ideology of no social programs for America, he would have his own Boeing 747, paid for with his own money and would have his own private industry guards instead of using our taxes to pay for the secret service to save his As*.
Imagine how fun it would be to have Blackwater as the prefered security contractor for the chief executive!!
A Free Market is fine for some things- a few things...Okay, one or two things.
Firefighting, policing, schools, roads, sewage, water and electricity are just a few that the Free Market cannot handle. Healthcare is clearly another.
What planet are you living on? How can you stand on a position that free market is the answer when it clearly has failed and millions of americans are without any benefits. How can there be any equality or equity in young children dying, or homeless people, or for that matter anyone. This country is way too wealthy not to care for it's own. It seems a trivial decision to declare a Trillion dollar war on another country while at the same time denying basic healthcare to millions of americans. Where is the civility in that? If a free market could make it work, don't you think it would have by now?
And you'd better hope that you've never been in a fire before, or your coverage will be denied on the basis of having a "pre-existing condition."
I'm laughing when I should be crying.
Brilliant!!
The ash in the sky makes the sunsets so beautiful.
i wish he'd come over here to palm springs while he's in socal and i'd give him a socialized kick in the a#@.
I think I will print this out and hand it around to folks! Love it.
Excellent piece of satire... It's so nice to be a debt peon in America, and have our incomes gobbled up by the corporations who own us.
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