Libertarian Firefighters are More Flexible than State Firefighters

The firefighters that refused to help this family are employed by the state. They are not a market organization. The state does not respond to market incentives. It doesn't have the capacity to accept a higher fee for last-minute service. Market organizations do have that capacity. Airlines don't make you wait two weeks to fly, they just charge more if your need is urgent. Gas stations don't only offer one kind of gas. They just charge more for the higher quality ones.

Libertarians want market organizations to provide services with free and open competition. I am a libertarian who is not in favor of a state-run fire brigade such as this. I find it utterly stupid and self-destructive of them to not save this house. The fire brigade is short of funds. Imagine their windfall from situations like this! Instead of a measly $75 per house per year they could charge $2,000 to save a house on the spot. If I ran a fire brigade, I would save his house just so I could get him as a customer. If I didn't, a competitor might.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• wpsd
• firefighters
• obion
• tennessee
• libertarian
• libertarianism
• house
• burns
• down
• flexible
• government
• state
• mutu

[AmericanNohbuddy]

You may sound convincing in theory, but in practice, this shows it doesn't work.

Not run by corporations? Guess what? It will become a corporation. McDonald's wasn't always a corporation.

woman: help I'm being raped!

Officer: did you pay your fee?

woman: I paid for protection!

officer: oh but you didn't check for rape

woman: I didn't have the money! I had to settle for armed robbery

officer: well sorry but you're on your own

rapist: thanks officer!

god forbid if someone was inside that house.

[aymfl]

@AmericanNohbuddy What you fail to realize is that without government, there are NO corporations. Corporations are creations of governments.

Even the state firefighters said they would have put out the fire if someone was in the house.

[AmericanNohbuddy]

@aymfl

How are corporations creations of government? Besides, my other points still stand.

It's funny how you guys speak "against" corporations but you constantly defend their practices.

[aymfl]

@AmericanNohbuddy You have no other points.

Corporations are created by governments. They are granted limited liability protection, favorable tort law and reduced compliance costs. Have you ever formed a corporation?

What practices of corporations do I defend? In any case, not everything corporations do is a bad practice.

[AwesomeCoosa]

That's what happens when the government has to much power over something that should be voluntary. The house burns to the ground.

[MrPloppy1]

(cont.)

4. Some fire departments might be volunteer associations, or non-profit coops with paid staff. Volunteer, mutual aid, and non-profit cooperative associations are part of a free-market. Free-market means the freedom to choose, it's not all about money or Daddy Warbucks ruling the world.

5. No tow truck driver goes out on a call, and when he gets to the broken down car says " you're out of luck. You didn't pay your tow truck insurance this month, so just put your wallet away."

[MrPloppy1]

This is a case of the failed MONOPOLY of government services.

If fire departments were privatized...

1. Homeowners should have the option to install their own fire hydrant and hoses if they are able and want to.

2. Mortage lenders would certainly demand some type of firefighting insurance/service fee. They would want their investments protected.

3. There would be at least some competition between firefighting companies. Where there is competition--the consumer benefits.

[ericfontainejazz]

Hey George! Glad you are doing ok since you got out of prison... Good point that if this was a private fire department, they would have taken the money, unlike the state which instead wants your obedience, suffering, and submission...