Part 3: 5/8/09 John Stossel's "You Can't Even Talk About It"

[Jalreal]

Sometimes tax dollars go to waste. Fact. This is most definitely one the few excusable expenditures of tax dollars I can live with.

[hmongak]

wtf then why am i paying for ambulances charge it's all the same. charging for emergency while it's free if it's an act of stupidity. plus I'm a tax payer thus I'm paying double life's a beach.

[antigov84]

I have to say it. This is a byproduct of the entitlement culture that has swept the country. God damn hippies! We can do anything we want, and if we need someone to bail us out, no harm no foul. If these people want to take the risks, then they have to take the consequences.

[JImmy4336]

Darwin had it right. Survival of the fittest, or in this case the smartest.

[DoctorCapitalist]

What if someone is unconscious and someone calls the ambulance for them? I guess the bill would be placed onto the unconscious person because I assume he would rather live and pay $2000 than die.

[DoctorCapitalist]

@DoctorCapitalist We could probably assume he'd consent to being rescued...

[Only1Transporter]

Why not immediately arrest the retards when they are rescued and don't release them until they pay or one of their friends or family pay the bill.

[BillyJoe1305]

@Only1Transporter 'Cause then we have to feed them.

[romanpr1nce]

"I pay my taxes like everybody else."

Yes, but until we have a retard tax fund tax payers shouldn't have to pay for stupidity. Natural selection is a bitch.

[frtw4428]

The stupid long-haired guy at 1:00 who "fell down the hill" even SOUNDS like an idiot! And that guy John Rushenberg (I guess that's how it's spelled) is an irresponsible retard! He too sounds stupid. The sheriff's dept. should just sue him for the costs to rescue him. Thrillseekers are a very different breed of human: their neurons don't fire properly.

[o2wow]

That is why the US is broke, we constantly indulge idiots.

[365to173repubsPWNED]

@o2wow and other countries don't indulge idiots?

[kwaifeh21]

don't these guys insure themselves?

[MKirro]

I think it's perfectly reasonable to have some fee for these rescues to make people think twice before taking unnecessary risks. The fee doesn't need to cover the cost of the rescue operation. It just needs to be big enough to cause a change in behavior.

[abbot1984]

Holy shit this is infuriating. I have an idea, lets absolve everyone of the responsibility of all of their actions! This way we can all act like a nation of retards but say we are compassionate!

[CH3Jason]

Stossel should call this one: Human Lives Aren't Worth It, or So Long, Sucker.

[StateExempt]

@CH3Jason - No, a better title would be "Paying People to be Stupid is Costly Indeed."

[oldlite]

make them pay or jail them. Stupidity should be fined. Think about this if Americans were fined every year for stupidity America would not have a deficit. tax all those with an IQ of a grub worm and America's economic troubles would be over.

[FoxFire1281]

that laughing guy in the orange shirt is an @ss hole

[FilmFan2500]

So many dumb@ss' in this video...1:00, 4:00-5:00, the list goes on and on.

[prosteelheader]

you flip flop wearing hiking piece of shit!! go ahead, laugh it up, cuz someone else paid the bill!! "hehe, im a complete jackass and i dont even know it"!!!

[CCRider100]

Send a credit card slip down with the rescue rope, no payment - no rescue.

File it under "trimming the herd" JK, uhm maybe not.

[CCRider100]

The Emmy's should give out awards for "Most Truthful Programming"

The nominees are

1. John Stossel

2. John Stossel

3. John Stossel

And the award goes to "John Stossel" 

[SnarkLicker]

No. No, you fucking soulless dickhole. Please, John Stossel, do humanity a favor and kill your children, then yourself, okay?

We perform rescues on people who've gotten themselves into mortal danger because THAT'S WHAT HUMAN BEINGS DO.

If you don't want to, that's fine, but you better believe that you gotta gtfo if you're gonna be that kind of douche.

[cincofone]

@SnarkLicker He's asking them to pay after they are rescued, I don't really want to see anyone get hurt, but I don't want to have to bear the cost of their stupidity

[Zender1]

Social Darwinism. Let it do its work.

[mercedesguy123]

3:40 those three blue collar assholes are just fucking idiots

[CircleBastiat]

These morons being interviewed have such warped opinions it's sickening: "I fuck up and tax-payers are going to bail me out free of charge!"

The fact that they don't have to pay is in itself a MORAL HAZARD... People will engage in riskier behavior if they aren't footing the bill. In other words... the government is subsidizing people to hurt themselves.

[Greenwolfdragon]

First time: Just help them :\ Be a decent person, will you?

Second time: Bill em!/Depends.

I think it all depends on if the person is actually being stupid or if its an accident.

[TheWhiteRabbit1990]

Tough one. On the one hand, if you're going to take my money to build libraries, you sure as fuck are going to spend it to save my ass in an emergency. If it should be cut from the government, it should be one of the last things that should be cut. Much bigger issues than this.

[mpc91]

@TheWhiteRabbit1990 - It's not about cutting anything from the government, watch the video again. It's about who should pay for it. If you cause the emergency, you should pay for it.

[TheWhiteRabbit1990]

@mpc91 I didn't mean cutting the entire program, but it's funds.

[mpc91]

@TheWhiteRabbit1990 - But this is actually about a method of raising funds for these services.

[TheWhiteRabbit1990]

@mpc91 dude i really don't know what you're talking about. Maybe it's just me but I'm not following this as a coherent conversation.

I said this shouldn't be cut before other things are cut.

You said it's not about cutting anything but who should pay for it.

I said by cutting I meant cutting the funds not the program itself.

and you said it's about a method of raising funds for the service.

I don't know how that last comment relates,

[mpc91]

@TheWhiteRabbit1990 - I'll try again then. No one is suggesting cutting park rangers, or other emergency service personnel. But if they incur excess costs as a result of rescuing someone who recklessly caused thier own situation, they should charge those needing the rescue for the service. Their base costs are not the issue, but the extra costs (overtime, fuel, etc).

That's how its about raising funds, and taking responsibility for your actions.

[dtoften]

The only thing that would be hard to determine is where to draw the line on what is dangerous and what is not dangerous for rescue costs.

[flickeries]

Yes well when people do stupid things like bungee jumping off a bridge suspended between two mountains 200 feet high for recreation, no one should have to pay for that when bad things happen save themselves.

But when people go hiking in the mountains in favorable weather but the weather turned bad out of nowhere -stranding them, then no they really should not have to pay for that because it's the rescuer's job isn't it? The rescuers are paid to rescue them, not morons.

[karozans]

Notice how the freeloaders like John Rushendork are generally the ones that vote for politicians like Obama.

[ForTehNguyen]

I feel like choking these damn hippies in this video, jesus christ.

[aslynelf]

If people actually had to pay for their stupidity, maybe they would quit being so stupid.

[Clyaton]

@aslynelf doubt it..... but hey at least we wouldn't foot the bill

[bofts]

Thats not a mini van

[thatguysaid]

We charge for ambulance service in the US....

Why on earth shouldn't we charge for dumbasses getting themselves into "expensive" trouble?

Actually, what would have been funny is if that sheriff put his arm around the kid, started walking him toward the mountain and said, "It's time for you to agree to pay your bill. We can do this the easy way or the I'm gonna leave you here way."

[SPFrobber]

Stossel is so awesome

[SuperGuitarman69]

I say we take them all to court. sue for a penny a piece.

[Zeeroyuy]

I say this. If you don't go in fully prepared and geared right you get a bill.

[lwglwglwg]

Charge those dumb asses!

[DavidUmstattd]

You get more of what you subsidies and less of what you tax. The more you subsidies stupidity the more of it you get.

[kodiakfred140]

Who gets to judge whether or not someone took an "unnecessary risk" and is therefore 100% responsible? Stossel?

Once again, Mr. Stossel has successfully oversimplified a complex issue, just like he does with everything. I used to love this guy 20 years ago on 20/20.

[goatbut29]

Whats oversimplified about it?

If you decide to hike a mountain, swim with dolphins, or start a fire in your backyard...no one asked you to do it. You took a RISK, and when it works-no problem.

When I have to pay them to bring your stupid ass down from a mountain, I want your property seized if you dont pay for YOUR dumb choice.

Simple? Yes it is...

[kodiakfred140]

My point is that if we start charging people for taking "foolish risks" or "risky behavior", where will it stop?  Who gets to decide who has done something unnecessary or foolish and should therefore be charged? There would have to be a list of acts which could be construed as being reckless. Also, most of these idiots doing these things are taxpayers as well and are entitled to the same emergency services as everyone else. I don't like it anymore than you do, but his argument is childish.

[tjhotdog]

You know that makes sense. Maybe this is a neccessary evil. The guys going Ice Fishing are idiots, as well as Mr. Flip Flop Mountain Climber, but if we charge them, who's to say whats a real emergency and what isn't. Most accidents where people need rescued is when they do something stupid. I love John Stossel and his take on the norm, but this once I'm not sure if I agree with.

[tjhotdog]

I watched it again, and you know, there's nothing wrong with charging a certain amount for being rescued for something that is considered dangerous. Not the full amount, because that could be astronomical, but partially.

[tjhotdog]

I watched it again, and you know, there's nothing wrong with charging a certain amount for being rescued for something that is considered dangerous. Not the full amount, because that could be astronomical, but partially.

[CCRider100]

@kodiakfred140 - Who gets to judge whether or not someone took an "unnecessary risk" and is therefore 100% responsible? Stossel?

Actually that responsibly should fall onto society, through a newly created governmental agency "Department of Anti Stupidity". Private contractors could bid on the contract to rescue these morons, and a 3 panel revue board created to examine each case and determine any financial reimbursement. Will that be cash, cheque or credit card?

[DelilahZoe]

CHARGE THEM, FULL ON. 100% plus loss of emergency vehicles for ACTUAL EMERGENCIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TanujaP]

i hate that guy - he was hiking in flip flops and climbing some mountain hungover? wow - that is so ridiculous. i have seen way too much money waste by my government. if he doesn't pay for his rescue, i'm not paying my taxes.

[FatherTime89]

I sure hope they don't charge people who need rescue because of a natural disaster or some other unforeseen occurrence.

[Blogengezer]

He's laughing now..One day he will want to settle down and buy a home... Sorry laughing boy, the debt with interest is now $10,000,... "Cowboy up' 'old' man"..

[bravo0105]

The poor will always be among us...along with the dumb shits!

[ANGIEfromAtoZ]

sandals wtf that guy should be charged they should have left his ass up there

[smallgov]

im am all down for no taxes but as long as we do pay taxes i would rather it go to rescues then go to lazy fat cops who we pay to give us tickets

[nyguy]

When they complain about money, do they realize that these tourists actually bring a lot of money to their local economy? Now, what hasn't been mentioned are the costs to rescue these people versus money they pump into the lolcal economy

[killerp21]

I think that is a valid point but, what is so wrong about asking people to contribute to their rescue expense? In WI, I pay real estate taxes yet if one of my properties had a fire I would have to also pay to the fire department for them showing up or if I needed an ambulance I would need to pay for that too.

The tool at the end repeatedly puts himself in bad positions, I think he needs to pay.

[nyguy]

And don't you think is wrong having to pay for firefighters to put out a fire in your home?

[killerp21]

I am not opposedto a small usage fee to deter people from abusing the service. LIke a race track that might have cars catch fire regularly should not be supported by neighboring residents paying taxes to fund a fire departmetn being used constantly by one business while the resident might never use it.

[nyguy]

The problem is this: someone who just had his house burned or had an accident should not be further punished for their loss. Sure, some people may abuse it, but you can't punish everyone else for that.

[nyguy]

How about this? The fee is waived if the emergency is real. That way someone who just lost his entire family in a fire doesn't have the added weight of being charged for their burned bodies to be removed from the house.

[killerp21]

That is fair enough. Each municipality has the option to charge for the visit(atleast in my state). They have the option to waive that fee or negotiate it as well. Usually insurance covers it in the case of fire.

[mathproof]

Most of the people who were interviewed didn't look like big spenders. It is one thing to rescue regular tourists and another to resue people who engage in high risk activities on purpose.

Economist's call this type of resul result negative externalities. It is a cost imposed on the system by an entity who hasn't provided market rate remuneration. The normal approach is to attached a market price to the activity and levy it.

[Shotosboring1stpick]

Lol, that fund is reserved for earning the profit, not for allocated to rescues or other social services.

[BobbyQuickdraw]

True, but they said they average over 100 rescues a year so you're talking at least $500,000 a year. Flying a helicopter for an hour can cost $4,000 alone.

Plus, tourist money doesn't go towards rescues unless taxes are increased on local business and people.

[nyguy]

What local and business people? The ones who make money out of tourism?

[BobbyQuickdraw]

You're assuming that everyone in the town profits from tourists. Very few people profit directly - lodging, food.

The vast majority don't see much. Farmers might see increased orders but steel workers, road crews, hardware store owners, won't see enough income to offset the amount you'd have to tax them.

Tourism is good, of course, but that's some small town, not Las Vegas

[nyguy]

To be honest I hate these risk takers thinking it's a joke, but I also have to understand how things work.

No, it's not only lodges and food. Tourism brings a lot more money and it's one of the few markets that benefit an entire population. There's virtually nobody in a tourist town that does not benefit to it. Steel workers, road crews, hardware store owners too. Have you ever been to Orlando?

[BobbyQuickdraw]

Yeah, Orlando has a population of 230,000+ people and huge attractions that require tons of support. You honestly want to compare Orlando/Disney World to Moab, Utah, population 4,800 where people are attracted not to a gigantic metal theme park (with 25million annual visitors) but to rocks, hills, and rivers?

So in Moab, UT, most people probably do not get a big boon to offset an increased tax burden.

[CCRider100]

@nyguy - No, it's not only lodges and food. Tourism brings a lot more money and it's one of the few markets that benefit an entire population"

Common sense also means flexibility. ie not having one size fits all rules. Someone who is out of State or a "tourist" could be exempt (kind of like how foreigners do not pay tax on booze), whereas a "lost" resident of the area would be subject to the newly created "Residential Stupidity Tax".

[whothaplaya]

@nyguy Yes these people bring money to the local economy. But they us $2000+ of TAX money. At Utah's 4.65% sales tax they would have to spend 40,000 dollars to make up for the $2000 rescue cost.

[boxant]

It's easy to be careless when other people are picking up the bill.

Can only imagine the stupidity if/when we get socialized health care :(

[ColtBarrettUSA]

Definitely true.

[Arthur5041975]

People who do anything dangerous or stupid should be left to die.

[Entropy56]

I have no doubt the jerk at the last part of the video is a Democrat if he votes at all.

[Arthur5041975]

Entropy,

You're another sad sheep. At least your party-love is amusing to us with a brain.

[Entropy56]

You're a racist

[WayfinderX]

Here's a thought: Those with the airboats should start a service to get fishermen out to and off the ice. I bet they can make some good profit out of that.

[Arthur5041975]

American idiots are priceless. That guy at 3:33, and his buddies, are typical American idiots who deserve to be left to die.

[informedskeptic]

Agreed.  In nature they refer to this as thinning the herd.

[Zeeroyuy]

@WayfinderX That is fucking genious. Those on that boat should have gone back and offered to take them back for money. Equiptment not included.

[JpassTheTime]

@WayfinderX what if the fisherman have no money or insurance to pay?

[postalmeter]

@WayfinderX

I double those fishermen would have the currency to pay the cost, and likewise if the airboat-owner refused then they'd get sued for "refusal of commercial service in a life-threatening emergency" etc

Amazing how those fuckers were saying "this is what it's all about!" showing the fish-- yeah, at $20,000/lb.

.

And that dipshit "John" is proof that there's 2 kinds of people in America: dipshits who take dumb risks, and the rest of us who have to PAY for these shit-heads.

[Donfernando07]

A part of me really wants to see what natural selection will do to these guys without their $4000/hour helicopter rescue.

[Ihateyoutoube]

I don't think this is really fair, I usually agree with John but emergency services are something that should be funded by tax payer dollars only. If we cut spending in other departments like drug enforcement then nobody would complain about rescues. I have no problem paying my part in saving lives, considering how small the cost is. In some situations I can almost see how it might make sense but honestly 95% of the time we shouldn't force someone to pay for their own rescue.

[jwka2001]

I live in WA and fuckers always getting stuck on Mt Rainer or whatever every year. Like last year or maybe year before it was like 4 fuckers in a month 1 each week getting helicoptered off. They should pay

[WayfinderX]

One of my friends is in S&R, and almost every year he has to search a mountain because someone got lost up there and brought no means whatsoever of locating or communicating with them. I mean, come on! If you don't bring a radio, a GPS locator, flares, or something, you deserve what you get. That costs a lot of money to have search teams go out there and find your stupid ass!

[swallowthecoconut]

my friends brother was in the S&R coast guard squad and died trying to save a dumbass who got stuck in a dam because he ignored the hundreds of signs that were posted up saying it was a restricted area. I just hope something like that doesn't happen to your friend too

[WayfinderX]

I hope so, too. I hear about that a lot, and it makes me so angry every time I hear about some wanna-be stuntman doing something without, at the very least, some means of self-help. My father knew an S&R man who was killed during an avalanche looking for an idiot who thought it might be cool to ski from the top of the mountain, at a point where the risks for avalanches was rather high. Of course, they found the guy, but it took them days to recover the S&R guy's body.

[ForTehNguyen]

I felt like punching that guy that hiked in flip flops, risked rescuers lives, and laughed about it at the end.

[HaveLucidDreamz]

I think it make sense for people to pay for their rescues when they were foolish, but the real confusion is how do you determine where the line is between a "foolish" risk and a "tragic/unfortunate" circumstance. Without a firm line between the two its almost impossible to enforce this and without the right balanced line people will suffer either from having to pay for nessicary rescue or from wasting resources on behalf of their stupidity.

[redraiders2K9]

Yeah I agree with you there, that uncertain line is a lawyer's dream coime true.

[ArmagedonV01]

I Spain you have to have insurance to go mountain climbing. If you need a rescue, they bill the insurance company.

[BikiniBabe1985]

That last guy should have been forced to pay...with his life

[RGT88]

Well I could take my car to a race track and drive it all out through the corners, but guess what, if I were going to crash it, I'd have to foot the bill. Any other activities should be treated the same. Just like George Carlin said, "We are saving too many stupid people in this country"

[amindbody]

Stossel made his point clear in the first 10 sec of this clip.

[amindbody]

And so are you for writing such rubbish.

[thamuddler]

if they have the money to go do these things, fuck em. charge em. john stossel you are not a reporter, youre another Bill O'Reilly, btw.

[TimeWarp66]

Wrong. Have you not seen Stossel and O'reilly go toe to toe? They disagree on the vast majority of things. Stossel is a Libertarian, Bill is a Republican.

[CurtHowland]

It's called "private insurance".

[DarcPrynce]

I have no problem with levying an idiot tax on people. You play, you pay!

[Tsarocksmysocks]

Hmmf all they should pay is $2! the cost of duct tape. They really are idiots

[torofighter]

Chip in. His body will be found in chip pieces!

[rationalCrash]

If those type of wankers don't pay for their rescue, they should be put back into the same situation and left there. I'd actually be for selling tickets and televising it (to cover costs). I'd bet pretty damned soon people would be happy to pay.

[cdblue]

who is that flip-flop moron kid? he seemed so proud of himself.

[girzwald3]

He needs to get a savage beating.

[TejasLibertarian]

Oh, my. These foolish people probably take their foolish behaviour into the voting booth.

[trainxboxer]

No wonder Bush was re-elected!

[Arthur5041975]

I love when the idiots say "This is America!". You know what? If you're stupid enough to get yourself into a situation that common sense tells you to stay away from, you should be left to die.

[lizolivit]

What qualifies as "risky" behavior though...? I'm sure this is open to the government's usual broad interpretation..

[girzwald3]

Wooooooooooo 250,000 dollars for how much in fish? Not even close.

[cmcphee]

Dumb asses

[anarchylogic]

Agreed. Make stupid people pay for their rescue. BUT then DROP MY TAXES!

Or better yet, drop my taxes and THEN start billing idiots!

[rokwing]

I agree, bill these jerks. And if I'm stupid enough to do the things the people in this video did, then I should be billed for the rescue.

[whooonewww]

??? wait a minute, we are paying to save all these corporations with trillion dollar bailouts, we will pay for that for decades and you, our government, wants to charge us for doing STUPID things when thats what they are doing??? WHATEVER!!!

[HungryDingo]

I doubt anyone who supports making stupid people pay for their own dumb risks supports the corporate bailouts. I sure as hell don't.

[Rizky06]

Help Help!!. ".You've reached the Emergency rescue help line" Please input your Visa or Mastercard" "Here is a list of Rescue options and their costs"

"Sorry your card has been denied" Goodbye!

[carcabe]

We're talking about spoiled affluent people who choose-CHOOSE- to indulge in silly. risky behavior. People need to grow up and take responsibility for their own lives and their own behavior. It's all about adults who refuse to grow up. Utter nonsense.

[whooonewww]

Our own government teaches us this bad behavior...I think they should pay for their own stupidity too but then, why does our government bail out huge corporations when it was their own greed and stupidity that got them into this mess that WE are all paying for??

[ACPUSA]

I have to wonder if New Hampshire offers estimates on their emergency phone line. :)

[wyomingliberty]

Since 1999 New Hampshire has been charging people and they still call. Sweet! People should pay for their own rescue. That's one of the reasons I joined the Free State Project and moved to NH. If you agree check out freestateproject*org

Live Free or Die,

Keith

[whoo689]

It's high time this country go back to rugged individualism. I'm tired of the nanny state, the welfare state, and the warfare state. Leave us alone! And you fuckers who like expanding the size of gov't and making ME PAY FOR IT, fuck you. I don't much care for big gov't, and I don't like being forced to subsidize it!! People should rescue themselves or get private help, not ask for gov't to bail them out. We should just abolish the gov't rescue altogether. Then people will stop this shit.

[whoo689]

It's easy to take a bunch of reckless risks if you're gonna get bailed out with no consequences if something goes wrong. It's a lot harder to do so knowing that no one's gonna pick up the slack but you. I say if the people die or get hurt from these reckless ventures, so be it! It's their own fucking fault. We need less dumbasses in this country, not more.

[grumpone]

Exactly. If people knew they will have to pay for the rescue themselves, they would take FAR less risk. It's all about prevention not remedy.

[Tasadaru]

As long as the bill is within reason I would support such a notion.

[Caerdrys]

Judging from what I've seen of that John guy, the welfare state is a serious impediment to Natural Selection, anyway.

[whoo689]

This ties in with the nonsense of federal disaster relief. Why the hell should the other 49 states hav eto pay for relief to just one state at a time whenever some hurricane or bad thing happens?? The state and local gov'ts, if anything, should be the ones providing their own disaster relief to constitutents.  Of course, it's hard to say whether or not it's justified to give handouts to people who chose to live in risky areas where they KNEW something was bound to happen sooner or later.