tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post7917871170962383862..comments2023-10-17T08:16:35.305-04:00Comments on That's Why: Please Put Your Fire On Hold While We Check Your Accountlisahgoldenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11158660223296807317noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-13507742643524263202010-10-21T16:35:55.641-04:002010-10-21T16:35:55.641-04:00For your amusement: A Bit of Fry and Laurie - Priv...For your amusement: A Bit of Fry and Laurie - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6CkltzGAxY" rel="nofollow">Privatization of the Police Force</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6CkltzGAxY" rel="nofollow"><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6CkltzGAxY</a>Laci the Chinese Crestedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07371541369012938298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-48103831018038352872010-10-21T11:25:44.301-04:002010-10-21T11:25:44.301-04:00Super post. I'll be linking as well.
I wish I...Super post. I'll be linking as well.<br /><br />I wish I could come up with the Fry and Laurie sketch about privatising the police force. I'll try to for my post.Laci the Chinese Crestedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07371541369012938298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-30505280572153439462010-10-14T07:03:04.978-04:002010-10-14T07:03:04.978-04:00Excellent post, I'll be linking.Excellent post, I'll be linking.Daisy Deadheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17993200276152025235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-71439362657888751532010-10-12T11:35:56.161-04:002010-10-12T11:35:56.161-04:00Nick,
the ER doesn't have to treat anyone the...Nick, <br />the ER doesn't have to treat anyone they don't want to if they are a for profit. Only those hospitals that took federal money under a certain program (I don't remember which) have to accept all who show up at the ER. (Saying that all will get treatment at the ER is another Reich-wing lie that keeps getting repeated because if you tell a lie often enough, most people will believe it.) Some years back the media used to do stories about people dying while the ambulance went from hospital to hospital trying to find one that would take someone without insurance. But that was some years back and nobody cares about that anymore.<br /><br />Lisa, good post, right arm!! Or is that right on??Kulkurihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09198195648066700925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-37938008378983191212010-10-11T19:41:40.543-04:002010-10-11T19:41:40.543-04:00I seriously doubt that "Bonnie" is a fir...I seriously doubt that "Bonnie" is a firefighter. If she is, she's in the wrong line of work. A firefighter who would stand there and let someone's house burn (whatever the reason), a police officer who would stand there and refuse to intervene while an assault is taking place -- they're both in that same pitiful category.<br /><br />"Walk a mile in the shoes" of those poor firefighters who are being criticized for their inaction -- LOL.Tom Harperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05610417770240609022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-17089809217027206172010-10-11T15:17:57.912-04:002010-10-11T15:17:57.912-04:00On the other hand, Lisa, all this a la carte budge...On the other hand, Lisa, all this a la carte budgeting might benefit you and me with regard to our spouses' occupations. Class sizes could be reduced with the new "tax-tiered" education plan. Mathman prolly doesn't want to teach all those poor kids anyway.O' Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05584821935299669982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-18389975163349338472010-10-10T23:17:54.922-04:002010-10-10T23:17:54.922-04:00It's absolutely crazy the kind of world we liv...It's absolutely crazy the kind of world we live in. Where has compassion gone?Angie Muresanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13830360358541367259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-17825435568247422032010-10-10T22:30:23.506-04:002010-10-10T22:30:23.506-04:00no Bonnie - you are the delusional and nutty one. ...no Bonnie - you are the delusional and nutty one. And probably a very sad and cold person. Amazing someone trained to save and help can be such an uncaring and evil person.<br /><br />ANyone who thinks that the poor should suffer more than the rich really has some severe baggage. I would bet you voted for George Bush twice.<br /><br />I would not want you coming to fight a fire for me.Distributorcaphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10149154929149577121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-89199945289736241792010-10-10T20:38:15.118-04:002010-10-10T20:38:15.118-04:00You people are all nuts. Over and out.You people are all nuts. Over and out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-232699049865092402010-10-10T19:51:18.451-04:002010-10-10T19:51:18.451-04:00oh and Bonnie
since you believe in the Chinese men...oh and Bonnie<br />since you believe in the Chinese menu style of govt..<br /><br />I want every nickel I spent in Iraq and Afghanistan refunded to me ASAP. I choose not to pay for that expense!Distributorcaphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10149154929149577121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-84399474342339171912010-10-10T19:09:52.209-04:002010-10-10T19:09:52.209-04:00lisa
so nice to see a FIREFIGHTER defending the i...lisa<br /><br />so nice to see a FIREFIGHTER defending the incredibly poor judgment on the part of that fire dept in Tennessee.<br /><br />first - what are we now living - Fahrenheit 451 - where the fire dept goes around STARTING fires to burn books - it is almost as if Bonnie is saying - you are poor -boo hoo - too bad - if you had money we would have saved you - those words are not explicit but it is between the lines<br /><br />ok - so the guy didnt pay - bonnie of ALL people should know that fires wont choose to burn only houses and property of people who didnt pay and leave the neighbors who did pay their fees alone<br /><br />what if a huge gust of wind came by and pushed the flames of the burning non-payer to some open woods or another house - as the firefighters sat idly watching the wienie roast? <br /><br />it floors me to think that there are actually people like bonnie in this country - Ayn Rand has to be smiling from down below (where there are many many flames) - <br /><br />ok bonnie - what if you have health insurance, but i choose not to - tto expensive. we are standing next to each other in line at the supermarket. i cough and some of my germs hit you. i have TB and didnt get it treated - but i am walking around - now you also have been exposed to TB. HAHAHAHAHA<br /><br />no i am not that cold - there is public safety reason to have fire dpets, health depts, health insurance. <br /><br />finally get your economics straight - you say the top 1% pay 40% of the taxes - well the top 1% earn over 60% of all the income and have something like 70% of all the assets. And lets not forget that the rich have seen their wages grown by 10 fold in the past decade while the other 90% have seen A DROP in wages.<br /><br />and trust me - if the richest man in town, owning the $5 million mansion didnt pay his $75 fee - the fire dept would not let his house burn down or pets die.<br /><br />this is nothing but class warfare and you are baiting it. this country has grown to hate the poor and minorities.<br /><br />sounds like you want a fire/police/and country for the rich only and the poor and middle class - well let them eat tea bisquits<br /><br />shame on you - you are a poor representative of the fire dept if you actually believe letting a house burn down and pets die is right over $75Distributorcaphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10149154929149577121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-47375563554743179762010-10-10T17:50:33.766-04:002010-10-10T17:50:33.766-04:00Bonnie - Hang on. You DO NOT come to my house and ...Bonnie - Hang on. You DO NOT come to my house and lecture me. Are we clear on that? You will not be welcome. I was hardly disrespectful to you. The fact that you think it's appropriate to lecture my commenters and me is offensive. My rule is this - when I read a blog I disagree with, I don't say anything. Since you posted to disagree, telling the commenters here to get off their high horses, I thought it my role to tell you the score. Your job isn't to tell the people here anything. You are a guest. Act like one.<br /><br />If you read my whole post, you'll see that you're making my point. <br />If we want to have safe communities, we have to be willing to pay for them. Individual options to pay or not is NOT the way. That is my whole point. <br /><br />Perhaps the time for asking people if they want to pay higher taxes needs to come to an end. While we should have an expectation that our tax dollars will be spent wisely and reasonably, it's pretty safe to say that most people, if asked, would say hell no, don't raise my taxes. But when you put it to them what they risk by not paying a few extra dollars a year, most will respond differently. <br /><br />I'd rather pay higher taxes to ensure that fire departments, for example, have the funds to run properly and to be able to do their job, to not have to stand and watch any house burn.<br /><br />I notice that while you're ready to defend the wealthy, you're also willing to decry the current system that has your department strapped. The reality is, we can't have it both ways. We can't continue to cut taxes, balance budgets and provide services.<br /><br />You also don't address the other issues raised - the insurance implications, the issues renters might have to deal with, etc. There will be fallout from this story, as I'm sure you know. I just hope that it isn't the creation of more fee for service situations.<br /><br />And let us not forget that local and state governments are finding themselves in trouble because of the mess created by the free market mentality that has taken over our economy. We've deregulated, cut taxes, facilitated the export of our jobs, squandered a surplus, waged expensive wars, turned a blind eye to polluters, and credit-destroyed ourselves into a corner.<br /><br />Meanwhile, both parties continue to allow the privatization of profits and the socialization of the risks. We allow industries to create near disasters and the American taxpayers bail them out.<br /><br />Hang on. I just came to my senses. You come to my blog and defend the rich? You tell me that your fire department doesn't have enough money to run properly and you're whining that the rich have to pay more taxes because they HAVE MORE MONEY?<br /><br />Bwahahahahahaha! Now that's comedy.lisahgoldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11158660223296807317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-52807770355205973742010-10-10T17:07:26.434-04:002010-10-10T17:07:26.434-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-49292250346708533202010-10-10T17:04:18.414-04:002010-10-10T17:04:18.414-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-25354744009410455672010-10-10T17:03:57.634-04:002010-10-10T17:03:57.634-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-17384862718972079752010-10-10T17:02:59.487-04:002010-10-10T17:02:59.487-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-51705733147224403852010-10-10T17:02:19.571-04:002010-10-10T17:02:19.571-04:00Lisa, I am a firefighter and I think I might know ...Lisa, I am a firefighter and I think I might know a little about how fire departments, particularly rural ones, are funded. As for being respectful, perhaps you ought to read your own response and evaluate which of the two responses is more disrespectful to the poster. Not only is my post NOT ridiculous, it is fact based and you can easily find the information yourself on the tax dollars collected by simply going to the US government websites on the IRS, the census, and the OMB. <br /><br />I know very well that taxes support fire departments and other governmental services. However, the taxes very rarely cover the costs of the services provided. Also, the majority of these "service" taxes are also subject to periodic property tax levies which often FAIL. One of the biggest reasons that tax levies fail is that the rural voting population, who own the largest parcels of land, are generally the ones who vote it down.<br /><br />Furthermore, the paying of property taxes is not automatic. Many have escrow accounts which make the payments, but a larger majority of the population don't. This is especially true in rural areas where the land is paid off and passed on from generation to generation. People who have money issues quite often will opt not pay property taxes in favor of other bills because it is a long and extended process to foreclose on property for tax purposes. <br /><br />You do not need to lecture me on the difference between taxes and fees. Local governments are in crises, with falling revenues and ever increasing costs. Fees have been instituted to help cover that widening gap. Our fire budget has been slashed nearly 20% for each of the past three years. Our current staffing level is at such an unsafe level, that at a recent structure fire, which normally would require at least 20 people to extinguish safely, we had EIGHT.<br /><br />Finally, one additional thought. This was not a brick and timber home. This was a double wide trailer. Even if the firefighters and entered immediately and extinguished the fire, in all likelihood, the structure would have been a total fire loss. The building materials used in the construction of these homes simply do not stand up to the high temperatures generated in house fires today.<br /><br />So, while I appreciate your fervor and obvious passion, I would ask YOU to please remain respectful of those who disagree with you. I too am a thinking individual who also knows what it means to live in society.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-3302168471652596132010-10-10T15:39:56.108-04:002010-10-10T15:39:56.108-04:00If people would only look at their fellow humans a...If people would only look at their fellow humans as if they were a brother or sister than I believe one of those firemen would have stepped out of formation and done what was morally right. I don't know a lot about politics but I do know right from wrong. It's very sad that there was not even ONE good Samaritan to help that poor man who suffered the loss of not only his home but his beloved pets...no amount of insurance coverage can replace a life. Thank you for an eye opening post!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-48372867211607018062010-10-10T14:48:16.623-04:002010-10-10T14:48:16.623-04:00Beautifully put, Lisa. I did a similar post recent...Beautifully put, Lisa. I did a similar post recently as well. <br /><br />And I don't believe I'm on my high horse when I say that the well-being of my neighbors matters more to me than a few extra quarters jangling in my pocket. (Or a few dollars, or a few hundred.) I believe that sentiment puts me right there in the trenches with my fellow Americans.<br /><br />Good comment, Ranger Bob.Averil Deanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07581842611503530296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-66884262197245651822010-10-10T12:42:01.001-04:002010-10-10T12:42:01.001-04:00Thank you all for your comments and for asking the...Thank you all for your comments and for asking the questions you've asked.<br /><br />Bonnie - While I will never agree with you that the wealthy pay their fair share and I frankly find it distasteful to allow such a ridiculous statement to stay here on my blog, I'm not crazy about deleting comments either.<br /><br />However, you are so glaringly wrong in your assumption that fees pay for the fire department. The fact is that TAXES pay for fire departments. Taxes are LEGAL OBLIGATIONS that provide the taxing body with legal channels by which to collect. Fees are a bad idea exactly for the reason you state - They are OPTIONAL.<br /><br />And I will ask you to stay respectful if you're going to address my commenters. They are not on their "high horses." They are thinking individuals with a clear understanding of what it means to live in a society.lisahgoldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11158660223296807317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-57587413093095844922010-10-10T11:32:08.098-04:002010-10-10T11:32:08.098-04:00It is a tragedy that someone, who chose not to pay...It is a tragedy that someone, who chose not to pay their subscription fee to the fire department, had their house burn to the ground. But I ask you, what would happen if EVERYONE chose not to pay the subscription fee? There would BE no fire department. Running a fire department takes money, and lots of it. There is training, equipment, maintenance, vehicles, not to mention personal protective gear. <br /><br />The reason people pay insurance is to guard against potential loss. For all the tens of thousands of dollars of insurance that we each pay, how many of us actually make a claim? How many of us actually get back all the money we paid in premiums? Very few. Yet if no one had to pay the insurance premium until a claim was needed, there would BE NO money to pay out claims.<br /><br />Finally, I am sick to death of hearing about how the wealthy has to pay their fair share of taxes. In terms of actual dollars paid, the top 1% in income earners pays 40% of the taxes collected. The top 3% of income earners pay 80% of the tax dollars collected. That sounds like a whole lot more than their fair share to me. What about the other 97% of income earners in this country??? Fully half of all income earners pay NOTHING in taxes at all, and there is a percentage of income earners who not only pay NOTHING, but actually RECEIVE payments in the form of earned income credit. <br /><br />So PLEASE, get off your high horses about taxes that the wealthy pay. And save your scorn for the fire department who let a man's house burn down because he didn't pay his fees. Try walking a mile in someone else's shoes next time before making judgments. It is easy to Monday morning quarterback when you already know how the game ends.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-30563612220417892142010-10-10T10:05:45.044-04:002010-10-10T10:05:45.044-04:00lisa
you said exactly what i have been thinking -...lisa<br /><br />you said exactly what i have been thinking - only you say it better than my brain<br /><br />ronald reagan taught this country 30 years ago (and we are knowing reaping the benefits of Reaganeducationism) SOMETHING FOR NOTHING..<br /><br />taxes bad, govt bad - until you need it.<br /><br />you know the first people on line at FEMA after a hurricane are the republicans - afraid that the poor and minorities might get their bottle of water or candles.<br /><br />we have grown into a society of Ayn Rand on steroids. even she (as much as asshole as she was) probably wouldnt want someone's house to burn down while the firefighters stood there looking on. but the selfish bastards of the Republican Teabag Assn sure do - every (white Christian) man for himself.<br /><br />funny how most of the GOP/Teabaggers (they are one in the same) really do think that at that zero tax rate they will all be living like a Koch brother and those services will be still right at their door - like holes in the bridges etc.<br /><br />but if we are willing to vote them in (just becouase the are not spineless wimpy dems) - we get what we deserveDistributorcaphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10149154929149577121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-891046398520527352010-10-10T00:20:04.695-04:002010-10-10T00:20:04.695-04:00Ah, the red state blues. Why couldn't there at...Ah, the red state blues. Why couldn't there at least be a clause in the ordinance along the lines of "ex post facto payment of the fee will be subject to a X percent penalty." ? And was there no firefighter there with balls sufficient to call bullshit in spite of any chain-of-command assholery?<br /><br />You are right this is just the beginning - if you look at the Georgia ballot (bypass all the unopposed Rs to save your sanity), there's a constitutional amendment regarding an additional $10 tag fee to help pay for trauma care and also a referendum on whether or not to approve that business inventory be exempt from property tax. Write this down: the former gets nixed while the latter passes big time.<br /><br />You guys already know the state of teacher salaries (likely to be cut again, along with more jobs, next year), and yet I see teabag yahoos crying about a 1-cent ESPLOST sales tax. <br /><br />If I thought it would have an effect I'd give them a little political botany lesson: "See those trees over there? They constitute what is know as a forest."O' Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05584821935299669982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-60244399091552248772010-10-09T21:25:39.397-04:002010-10-09T21:25:39.397-04:00Ouch. This hurts my heart...I hadn't heard of ...Ouch. This hurts my heart...I hadn't heard of this situation before.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing this story and your insight.Hannah Stephensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15792203070774504501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3221819058568684886.post-59517322592152088892010-10-09T19:56:12.212-04:002010-10-09T19:56:12.212-04:00Sister, I couldn't agree more. I'll be wr...Sister, I couldn't agree more. I'll be writing a post along these lines soon, and I'm going to link to yoursMnmomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05004472091756966173noreply@blogger.com