bucs90
Gold Member
- Feb 25, 2010
- 26,545
- 6,027
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Ok. Here is one of my few areas of siding with Dems. That is adequate local govt funding. Most here know I'm very pro-police, pro-firemen. And with the public sector unions being defeated, so too will many of the benefits and compensation deals for cops and firemen. The question is.....will everyone be happy when they find out that the service they get from those groups may suffer as a result? Let me explain..........
I believe there are a few solid core roles the govt plays, and imo only the govt can do. Military, police, fire are among the few. Why? Simply put...a steady revenue, training, and everyone contributes for the protection. Thats another thread, but the all-in-together way works for funding those things. My focus for this thread will be local police and fire.
Our society has evolved to a point where local govt is looked to for things that people should be doing themselves. But...govt politicians have promised more, and are willing to give it. For example....people now regularly call the police because their kids are misbehaving. Not assault. Not a real crime. Just....being rude, or not doing chores. For the cops to, in the parents words often, "do something, because I dont know what to do". They also call because their neighbor's dog is barking, or the neighbor's music is loud. Have they actually spoken to the neighbor themselves? NO, of course not, thats what the cops are for right? Same for firemen. They are often trained paramedics also. But instead of gonig to the ER or doctor (and getting a bill), people have gotten the idea that they can call 911 for a medical emergency, the fire dept and paramedics on the fire truck arrive, and as long as they dont go with the ambulance, they get free health treatment at home from the fire dept paramedics.
With local govt cuts, due to not wanting to have adequate taxes OR wasting money on shit like parks and rec while cutting police/fire, we will inevitably have to cut services. People will dial 911 and ask for a cop to come over for their unruly 12 year old. And will be told no. They'll call 911 because they have a migraine and expect the FD to come with meds. They'll be told no. They'll call the cops because they lost their iphone and just want a report for an insurance claim....and they'll be told the cops are too busy to come (understaffed). Hell, the Oakland PD has already started refusing to come to any burglary or car break-in that hasn't freshly occurred in the previous 20 minutes. The local Charleston PD has begun making their cops put their OWN money into the cars for gas for ON DUTY patrols (not off duty, ON duty). Yep. They have a certain amount allowed. After that, each month, they gotta pay for their own gas to patrol. And guess what? Charleston PD cars can be seen parked in empty lots, not patrolling, with cops on foot. Response time is shorter. Crime is up. But Charleston somehow found $20 million for a new Gaillard Auditorium for the rich locals to watch plays. Oh, those same rich locals are bitching about the crime being up, while also opposing a proposed Public Safety Sales Tax increase because they say "We wont raise taxes". Fair enough.
But point is.....for my fellow conservatives.......if you are only willing to pay Red Roof Inn prices for your local services, dont come demanding you get 5-star Hilton "service". Charleston locals have been pissed lately about the rise in crime, due to cuts at all the local PD's, but these same folks are at Tea Parties saying lower taxes, etc, etc.
And one last gripe, a bit unrelated. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Police Dept, Fire Dept, do not "SERVE" you. If YOU want to be "served" go to Outback and order a steak. They work on your behalf. They do dirty work SO YOU DONT HAVE TO. They fight wars on your behalf so you dont have to. They go after drug dealers and rapists so you dont have to. They run into burning buildings so you dont have to. They work on your behalf. They are not your personal butler or servant. I'm so sick of hearing people who are pissed at something the military, police or fire say "I PAY YOUR SALARY". Sure douchebag, and someone pays yours when they shop at WalMart, McD's, the insurance company, or wherever you work. I know it is just a vocabulary technicality. But it irks me when people look at those folks and truly think they are "servants" to them. They aren't. They risk their lives so you, me, our kids, our parents, dont have to fight off invasions, go vigilante style to catch the guy who robbed us, or run into our burning house to save the kids. Thats what we all chip in for, to pay them to do that shit on our behalf...........not to show up with a pen and paper to take our order and ask if we would like dessert with that.
Anyway, mostly towards my conservative friends, are you willing to accept less govt service in exchange for less taxes?
I believe there are a few solid core roles the govt plays, and imo only the govt can do. Military, police, fire are among the few. Why? Simply put...a steady revenue, training, and everyone contributes for the protection. Thats another thread, but the all-in-together way works for funding those things. My focus for this thread will be local police and fire.
Our society has evolved to a point where local govt is looked to for things that people should be doing themselves. But...govt politicians have promised more, and are willing to give it. For example....people now regularly call the police because their kids are misbehaving. Not assault. Not a real crime. Just....being rude, or not doing chores. For the cops to, in the parents words often, "do something, because I dont know what to do". They also call because their neighbor's dog is barking, or the neighbor's music is loud. Have they actually spoken to the neighbor themselves? NO, of course not, thats what the cops are for right? Same for firemen. They are often trained paramedics also. But instead of gonig to the ER or doctor (and getting a bill), people have gotten the idea that they can call 911 for a medical emergency, the fire dept and paramedics on the fire truck arrive, and as long as they dont go with the ambulance, they get free health treatment at home from the fire dept paramedics.
With local govt cuts, due to not wanting to have adequate taxes OR wasting money on shit like parks and rec while cutting police/fire, we will inevitably have to cut services. People will dial 911 and ask for a cop to come over for their unruly 12 year old. And will be told no. They'll call 911 because they have a migraine and expect the FD to come with meds. They'll be told no. They'll call the cops because they lost their iphone and just want a report for an insurance claim....and they'll be told the cops are too busy to come (understaffed). Hell, the Oakland PD has already started refusing to come to any burglary or car break-in that hasn't freshly occurred in the previous 20 minutes. The local Charleston PD has begun making their cops put their OWN money into the cars for gas for ON DUTY patrols (not off duty, ON duty). Yep. They have a certain amount allowed. After that, each month, they gotta pay for their own gas to patrol. And guess what? Charleston PD cars can be seen parked in empty lots, not patrolling, with cops on foot. Response time is shorter. Crime is up. But Charleston somehow found $20 million for a new Gaillard Auditorium for the rich locals to watch plays. Oh, those same rich locals are bitching about the crime being up, while also opposing a proposed Public Safety Sales Tax increase because they say "We wont raise taxes". Fair enough.
But point is.....for my fellow conservatives.......if you are only willing to pay Red Roof Inn prices for your local services, dont come demanding you get 5-star Hilton "service". Charleston locals have been pissed lately about the rise in crime, due to cuts at all the local PD's, but these same folks are at Tea Parties saying lower taxes, etc, etc.
And one last gripe, a bit unrelated. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Police Dept, Fire Dept, do not "SERVE" you. If YOU want to be "served" go to Outback and order a steak. They work on your behalf. They do dirty work SO YOU DONT HAVE TO. They fight wars on your behalf so you dont have to. They go after drug dealers and rapists so you dont have to. They run into burning buildings so you dont have to. They work on your behalf. They are not your personal butler or servant. I'm so sick of hearing people who are pissed at something the military, police or fire say "I PAY YOUR SALARY". Sure douchebag, and someone pays yours when they shop at WalMart, McD's, the insurance company, or wherever you work. I know it is just a vocabulary technicality. But it irks me when people look at those folks and truly think they are "servants" to them. They aren't. They risk their lives so you, me, our kids, our parents, dont have to fight off invasions, go vigilante style to catch the guy who robbed us, or run into our burning house to save the kids. Thats what we all chip in for, to pay them to do that shit on our behalf...........not to show up with a pen and paper to take our order and ask if we would like dessert with that.
Anyway, mostly towards my conservative friends, are you willing to accept less govt service in exchange for less taxes?
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