While a lot of the national focus has turned to the health care squabble, a minor distraction to these eyes, the ongoing scandal of government-sponsored interference with free market enterprise continues to disturb. We speak of course of municipal fire departments and a pernicious reliance on government bureaucrats to shoulder responsibilities that could readily be privatized which they engender.
Why do we allow the civil service to pick and choose which fires to put out? Do Americans really want some nameless government bureaucrat to handle this important responsibility?
In a previous time, rational consumers had their choice of arriving fire brigades when their homes or businesses enjoyed a demand spike in, well, fire. Competition was so fierce many brigades even turned to fisticuffs to select a winning bid, often finishing their negotiations before the home was a smoldering ruin. Returning public-optioned fire departments to private industry would generate job growth, reinvigorate this moribund industry, and, because of competition, lead to technological enhancement and improved worker productivity.
It's hard to imagine private industry tolerating the current state of affairs. Since the government takeover fires appear willy-nilly, a haphazardness no corporate manager would tolerate but which these government employees seem to accept readily. As it stands now, no one knows when a fire will consume their homes, dislodge their lives, perhaps even lead to financial ruin.
Allowing fire brigades to compete will restore order to the U.S. fire industry. Consumers could have the freedom to make personally responsible decisions about which fire brigade's plan served them best. Should they seek catastrophic fire coverage or just enough to pay for an out-of-control backyard barbeque? It's their fire and their choice!
It's deplorable that this state of affairs continues. Here's hoping the fire department debate heats up soon or else another generation of Americans will be forced to endure complete and unquestioned single-payer fire security each night they put head to pillow.
Kevin Clarke
I HATE THE GOVERNMENT and all it's employees.. except Marines army navy CG .. and fbi cia, state dept, border patrol, VA, indian affairs, social security, medicare, treasury , justice dept, agriculture, forest service, US court system, national park sevice,sec, fed reserve,I most like US mint..and the controller of the currency
I guess like most Cons, I just don't like anyone elected who i didn't vote for i.e. Pres. Obama and congresspeople.. I am a real American.. born here too.. white too, moderately well off too [4 mill net worth] .. cashed out of stocks 08-08 haha ha back in 03-16-09 hahahahah
In your example of the fire dept, you did not mention that the federal government does not run municipal fire departments - they are (properly) under municipal control where the people most affected can exercise the best governance. Likewise, public schools are under control of a local school board where the parents can better dictate what is taught. Medicaid is currently run by the states.
Don't get me wrong, I do think the federal goverenment does have a role in ensuring that all Americans have decent helath care. However, I don't think this monster of a bill does it in the right way. I hope they re-write it, provide clear goals and expectations (without any abortion funding!), and delegate the execution of it to the states.