Beck opines on subscription based fire fighting

[^_^ 5,021]

Today Glenn Beck and co-host Pat Gray gave their own take on Gene Cranick, the Tennessee man whose house burned down while county firefighters watched. The fire department of Republican-controlled Obion County refused to help Cranick because he had not paid a $75 subscription fee. As a result, Cranick's house was destroyed and he lost his two dogs and cat.

Not suprisingly, Beck and Gray argued that the county and the fire department did the right thing by not turning their hoses on Cranick's house. Beck argues that since Cranick did not pay his $75 subscription fee he does not deserve the fire protection. Going further, Beck and his co-host actually mock Cranick and his southern accent through much of the segment. Both men portray Cranick as some kind of southern redneck who does not understand how the Tea Party, free market principles are suppose to work.

Lost in the narrative of Beck and Gray is the fact that Cranick believed he could pay the fire department at a later date. In an interview with Keith Olbermann, Cranick claimed that other property owners were allowed to pay after the fire department responded in the past.

However, Beck argues that if the fire department helped Cranick it would destroy the entire subscription-based service. The theory being that no one would pay their subscription fee until they actually had a fire unless the county enforced the policy. What Beck completely ignores is a number of alternative, less harsh systems that could have been implemented.

In most counties the fire department is simply paid with tax dollars. The fire department then responds to any property owners's fire, not needing to check a list for those who paid a subscription or not. Of course, Beck would likely be opposed to this mandatory tax system, but to its credit the system is more simplistic and arguably protects the larger community from the dangers of a fire on anyone's property.

In addition, if the county really wanted to keep their subscription-based service they could have implemented a penalty fee. In this case the fire department would still respond to put out Cranick's fire, but force him to pay a much larger fee (possibly thousands of dollars) as a penalty for not being a subscriber. If Cranick could not pay in the worst case scenario they could take his home. Even this result, while still somewhat harsh, would be preferable to simply letting Cranick's home burn down. This system would ensure the public safety and prevent property from being needlessly destroyed while also providing a large incentive to buy the subscription.

Having said that, Beck is correct as to the larger implications of this story. As Beck argues, the Cranick's story is a reflection of the philosophical debate throughout the country. For example, the same kind of debate is currently occurring in the area of health care. Democrats passed legislation requiring everyone to purchase insurance or face a tax penalty. Beck and other Tea Party members would prefer a world in which each individual choses whether or not to purchase insurance. In the Tea Party world someone who did not purchase insurance and could not afford to pay would not be treated, regardless of how easily the disease could be treated.

http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-national/glenn-beck-and-co-host-mock-man-whose-house-burned-down-tennessee

Edited October 6, 2010 by \

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

That kind of mentality is completely alien to me. How a supposedly advanced, 1st world country can advance such blatantly callous and brutal ideas is hardly something to celebrate.

A man loses his entire life in a fire and becomes a figure of fun for some jerkoff commentator. Wow...

[Peikko 1,575]

That kind of mentality is completely alien to me. How a supposedly advanced, 1st world country can advance such blatantly callous and brutal ideas is hardly something to celebrate.

A man loses his entire life in a fire and becomes a figure of fun for some jerkoff commentator. Wow...

Agreed. Not only that, it puts pay to any notion that tea party ideology has a christian foundation. No one looks on while tragedy occurs just because of a non paid subscription, that is morally bankrupt.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Agreed. Not only that, it puts pay to any notion that tea party ideology has a christian foundation. No one looks on while tragedy occurs just because of a non paid subscription, that is morally bankrupt.

Well it's one thing to look on and do nothing - the reasonable thing to do would have been to let the guy sort payment afterwards. It's disturbing on a number of levels - not least that the guy's pets died in the fire (you'd think that even if they would have let the house burn as some sort of depraved example - that having living beings in the house would change the equation. Of course, if the guy's wife and kids were in the house it seems rather doubtful that they'd have sat by and watched them go up in smoke. That's BS right there.

When I read this story I realised I'd seen something similar before - it was in that movie Gangs of New York...

[luckytxn 2,265]

I especially liked when they came and watched the blaze. I wonder if he then had regrets not paying up. I would think he did.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I especially liked when they came and watched the blaze. I wonder if he then had regrets not paying up. I would think he did.

I believe the purpose of the fire department standing by, was keep the fire from spreading to the "insured" properties.

[luckytxn 2,265]

I believe the purpose of the fire department standing by, was keep the fire from spreading to the "insured" properties.

It was but I like to think they came and had a barbecue.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I especially liked when they came and watched the blaze. I wonder if he then had regrets not paying up. I would think he did.

Why do you "like" it. Is it really appropriate to find pleasure in someone's misfortune?

Seems a bit sadistic really.

Presumably you can't put yourself in another's shoes. It's not that hard to do...

[luckytxn 2,265]

I am sure it sounds that way to a Socialist that wants things handed to them that they do not earn.

[Peikko 1,575]

I am sure it sounds that way to a Socialist that wants things handed to them that they do not earn.

No, it sounds that way to a normal person who does not get pleasure from the misery of others - not that hard of a concept to understand really.

[Danno 1,228]

And to make matter worse,The next day the guy tried to get fire insurance to cover his fire damage and was turned away there too.

It's getting barbaric out there in the Obama-Economy.

[Heracles 417]

That kind of mentality is completely alien to me. How a supposedly advanced, 1st world country can advance such blatantly callous and brutal ideas is hardly something to celebrate.

A man loses his entire life in a fire and becomes a figure of fun for some jerkoff commentator. Wow...

Be it left wing or right, it's alien to every single first world country,

Had they been legitimate capitalist rather than hillbilly tea-party / libertarian dumb f--s, they could have put out the fire and then billed the guy $700 or something.

Edited October 7, 2010 by Heracles

[웃 910]

Savage calls Glenn Beck "The Cryer"

[Heracles 417]

Beck was once okay but is getting crazier and crazier.

Anyone who cannot grasp what is wrong with this, regardless of how its been for whenever, is honestly a moron - end of story.

Trust me though, people abroad love these stories, as they get to laugh at the US. Something further illustrated by ABC world news the other night, who was in London and played a radio host saying "Americans are pathetic". I bet $10k people in that county still think America is the envy of the world. Just another embarrassment for me to have to defend to people abroad.

Edited October 7, 2010 by Heracles

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Why do you "like" it. Is it really appropriate to find pleasure in someone's misfortune?

Seems a bit sadistic really.

Presumably you can't put yourself in another's shoes. It's not that hard to do...

why not take pleasure in one's misfortune when they bring it upon themselves?

The fire department is a 'service' no different than that of a service tech at your local Best Buy. They don't fix your computer unless you pay them, just the same as this fire department won't work unless you paid your subscription.