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Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:04 am
by Malcolm
Weird idea. But hear me out. Should emergency services be privatized? Is competition going to give me the cheapest firefighters? The best paramedics? The most metal & fucking brutal, whoop-ass police force there is? Do I have to subscribe to these? Can I opt out & try to be self-sufficient?
Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:57 am
by TPRJones
That's not a weird idea at all.
However the United States did not have government-run fire departments until around the time of the American Civil War. Prior to this time, private fire brigades would compete with one another to be the first to respond to a fire because insurance companies paid brigades to save buildings.
The only problem with that, for firefighting at least, is that a fire not fought can get way out of control. In order to protect their patrons, a fire company needs to put out nearby fires of non-patrons as well. But if they do and this is widely known, then as long as your neighbor pays why should you, when you'll be safe, too? It's problematic.
One way around that would be for the fire company to not protect individuals, but whole neighborhoods that have contracted with them together. And a smart and well-informed public will do just that.
In the end I think the main problem is one of information. It would be helpful if the public were advised of the various emergency services companies and how well they perform, as well as the potential costs of not having a contract with one. We need a Department of Consumer Information or something like that, who's job is to track the statistics and costs about all sorts of businesses and make it available to the public. That would help with keeping the private companies honest, and give the public the reliable information they need to make good decisions as consumers. Of course that could be privatized as well, I guess. As long as someone does it.
Edited By TPRJones on 1256122794
Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:39 am
by Alhazad
TPRJones wrote:In the end I think the main problem is one of information. It would be helpful if the public were advised of the various emergency services companies and how well they perform, as well as the potential costs of not having a contract with one. We need a Department of Consumer Information or something like that, who's job is to track the statistics and costs about all sorts of businesses and make it available to the public. That would help with keeping the private companies honest, and give the public the reliable information they need to make good decisions as consumers. Of course that could be privatized as well, I guess. As long as someone does it.
Like some sort of bureau... for the betterment of businesses?
Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:05 pm
by TPRJones
Well, yes. But without all the additional regulations getting in the way.
Let businesses do what they want (within reason, defined by the "your fist / my nose" standard). It shouldn't be illegal to be idiots and assholes. But then inform the public so they can then choose if they want to patronize idiots and assholes.