Goldberg used the words "compassionate conservatives" in describing this insane policy.
Here’s the more important part of the story, letting the house burn — while, I admit sad — will probably save more houses over the long haul. I know that if I opted out of the program before, I would be more likely to opt-in now. No solace to the homeowner, but an important lesson for compassionate conservatives like our own Dan Foster (Zing!). As Edmund Burke said, example is the school of mankind and he will learn from no other.
Young Turks host Cenk Uygur notes that the fire department did not even go into the house to see if it was evacuated. The fire could have spread and harmed more people. As a safety policy what the fire department did was horrible.
National Review contributor Kevin D. Williamson uses the words "full of jerks, freeloaders, and ingrates" to describe the Cranicks. I wonder if Williamson would hold himself to such a high conservative standard that he wouldn't bitch if a fire department let his house burned down. I seriously doubt it.
And, for their trouble, the South Fulton fire department is being treated as though it has done something wrong, rather than having gone out of its way to make services available to people who did not have them before. The world is full of jerks, freeloaders, and ingrates — and the problems they create for themselves are their own. These free-riders have no more right to South Fulton’s firefighting services than people in Muleshoe, Texas, have to those of NYPD detectives.
This is how the conservative movement views the free market. Goldberg and Williamson would defend a local police force making a homeless woman pay a fee to file rape charges. The world the National Review wants Americans to live in doesn't care about anything, but making a buck.
I have no idea where you obtained your ability to use logic, but suspect you have far more intelligence than common sense.
ReplyDeleteFirst, the fire department is from a municipality, and the owners of the home are OUTSIDE their jurisdiction. They are in the county, which means they have no legal imperative to put out their fire.
Now, only because the county kept up with the town, begging for fire protection, the town reluctantly agreed to offer it, on a subscription basis. Again remember, the fire department is beholden to the town, and those within the town limits, NOT in the rural county. Got it?!
Let's say you have never heard of one of the most important laws of nature, the "Law Of Unintended Consequences", and don't realize what servicing everyone, not only the subscribers, would happen. In truth, if they took care of non-participants, the current participants would naturally look and realize that they could obtain protection by paying nothing. They would almost all stop paying, and the municapility would lose money, not being able to provide service to those paying.
Now, knowing Jackasses as I do, you all think that one of the laws of nature is that of "obtaining something for nothing" as a given. Earth to Jackass: You can't. Ultimately someone has to pay the freight, no matter how much sniffling, crying, and tugging of heart strings.
If you can't pay, then you can't play. It's that simple. What part of that don't you card carrying Jackasses understand?
Oh, and I am no a Republican; I'm an Independent Classic Liberal, who is just eaten up with common sense. Would you like to buy some? You could use it.
The fire department literally watched the house burn down. You want to defend that than have at it. And no liberal would defend the fire department's policy.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the house was pretty much gone by the time they got there and the video was taken. The owner started the fire himself! He waited over 30 minutes to even dial 911--they live in a RURAL area, no one has said how long it would even take for the fire trucks to get out there, even by the time the fire started spreading to the neighbors. The man had ample time to get his pets out of the home before it caught fire from the shed.... How is that the fire departments fault? I don't think it is, this man is obviously missing a few brain cells....Let's see...It's dry and hasn't rained in a few weeks...it's windy--OH I KNOW I'll start a fire in these barrels really close to all my important stuff. DUH! The $75 and fire department stuff is just a way to try and blame someone else for the STUPIDITY of the owner who was sent multiple letters and received multiple phone calls reminding him of the need to pay the fee for his fire service.
ReplyDeleteI am sad that he made the choice to start a huge fire on a dry windy day near where his beloved pets lived.
Anonymous, do you have a link to back your claims. I'm rather skeptical about someone wanting to burn his own house down.
ReplyDelete