•••••• POLL: What is your reaction to Firegate? ••••••

[smalll]

Poll question: •••••• POLL: What is your reaction to Firegate? ••••••

[Mass]

1. You forgot "It's Obama's fault"\nt.

[smalll]

4. If he would get off the teleprompter now and then, and let us know he feels our pain --

those poor unfortunates' house would still be gone, but they might feel a little better about their country. ;)

[LynneSin]

22. wait, we are no longer blaming 'the Clenis'?

:rofl:

[Drunken Irishman]

2. Wish I could do a double vote...

Vote for: The fire brigade should have put out the fire, no questions asked & It's the fault of the county government who in its 'wisdom' voted 19-1 to not protect its citizens.

[Liberty Belle]

3. My thoughts exactly.

[Parker CA]

5. That's the answer I was looking for too. nt

[meowomon]

6. agreed!

[sandnsea]

7. And no one should live in West Bumfuck

I lived in Outer Bumfuck Montana and we didn't let each others homes burn. Who chooses to live in a place like that.

[LiberalAndProud]

16. I voted county government.

Because I think the county government won't get off the pot until county residents have had enough. And unfortunately, that may mean that some fires will burn.

http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/10/firefighting-obion-county
The county has declined to provide fire services for a long time, it's been a lively issue for a long time, and they know perfectly well that local cities won't always respond to their fires.

[PA Democrat]

20. Same here. n/t

[some guy]

8. foreseeable consequence

of thirty-plus years of incessant anti-tax and government-is-bad propaganda.

Liberals and socialist leaning people should use the occasion to point out that a liberal and / or socialist government would have ensured the people in the county were protected from such potential disasters.

Taxation is not evil. Properly spending tax dollars is the highest function of government.

Conservatives hate government of and for the people; it's why they hate taxes. They understand that an underfunded government can NOT effectively care for the people being governed.

People left-of-center should be using this as a cudgel to say this is why government is necessary; this is why government needs to be funded; this is what taxation is for, and this is a direct consequence of many years of conservative dominance.

[Ineeda]

12. Agree 1000% on all your points.

[aquart]

9. They stood there and let animals die.

At the least they need to go up on animal cruelty charges.

[muriel_volestrangler]

14. Can we have details on what happened to the animals?

As far as I can tell from the articles on the web, the deaths of the cat(s) and dog(s) was only mentioned a few hours ago. The description of the fire was that a family member started a fire in a barrel, and it got out of control, taking 2 hours before the house was on fire. That would seem to give the homeowner plenty of time to round up his pets, a job at which he'd be better than firefighters.

It may be that the situation with the animals is more complicated than that. But so far, the description is of a slowly spreading fire, and so the charge of "stood there and let animals die" may be applicable to the homeowner too.

[Mimosa]

27. ^ TRUE ^ 51% ought to read link in my post for more info

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9263353&mesg_id=9267489

[greyl]

10. If the 4th option were the 1st, I think the results would be different. nt

[Marr]

11. I think a society that doesn't offer this sort of bare minimum protection of it's citizens

is giving those citizens no incentive to follow the social contract. Why serve your country, or pay your taxes, or even obey the law, when the state offers nothing in return? This instance is notable as a symbol of an attitude that's become far too pervasive, and I think it's rotting the fabric of our whole system at the seams.

[myrna minx]

13. A combination of one and four. n/t

[old mark]

15. We lived in areas that have strictly volunteer fire departments and even ambulance services -

You or your insurance are billed-$400- for a ride to the hospital, plus extra for any care administered by them. There is usually a periodic fee for services for fire fighters whereever there is a volunteer fire department as the sole fire fighting service. Peopel should realize that the voters decided they would rather have lower taxes and provide no public services, and if you live in such an area, you must pay for these services if you want them. If you don't feel your home is worth $75 a year, I guess you better learn to fight house fires.

This is NOT something I support, but it IS reality in many areas, and it IS what republicans want to do to every public service the government provides...make everyone pay for the privelidge.

It is a terrible system, but it is reality in America in many places.


mark

[LWolf]

17. 1 and 4. nt

[Donald Ian Rankin]

18. 1-4, arguably 1-6, but 4 most of all.

Ultimately, providing emergencies services is the responsibility of the state. The fire brigade were woefully remiss in neighbourlyness and compassion, but they didn't actually neglect their duties.

[CanonRay]

19. But this is the result of 30 years of Libertarian bullshit

[mmonk]

21. 1 or 4.

Privatization is the bane of the new America.

[LynneSin]

23. the Firefighters should have put out the fire and billed the family

similar to an Emergency room visit.

I'm guessing there's going to be a major lawsuit on hand and the firefighters are going to wish they had put out that fire.

[Mimosa]

28. NO!

There is no statutory enforcement where the FD could collect if they had put it out. You need more info:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9263353&mesg_id=9267489

[smalll]

24. Kick for today. /nt

[smalll]

25. And again. Still a hot topic. /nt

[superduperfarleft]

26. Other.

PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, GO AWAY!!!!

[Iggo]

29. My reaction is 'Hide Thread.'

People here have lost their fucking minds over this.

[opiate69]

30. Other:

If it turns out that this guy is another "ZOMG! Teh taxes are teh suxxor!!" types, then my reaction is "welcome to the consequences of your ideology". As of right now, I don't quite have enough information to form any opinion other than "that kinda blows"