Roffenon October 05 2010 10:36:41
Uhm... I'm speechless... one of the few articles I read in full, twice. Capitalism taken one step too far?
Grizlason October 05 2010 12:39:14
This is the sort of theoretical example I thought you might be presented with at a lecture on the woes of pure capitalism or on moral philosophy, not something I expected could really happen in a modern society.
Vuzmanon October 05 2010 17:04:38
Not so theoretical, more like a step back: clip from The Corporation.
I recommend watching the whole of that movie; it explains some fundamental problems with corporations.
Laluuon October 07 2010 12:19:37
LOL - reminds me of how Terry Pratchett explains why Ankh Morpork had abandoned insurance (in-sewer-ants) and fire brigades.
The thing is... what would have happened if they had put the fire out. It would have sent a clear signal, that it's ok not to pay for the services you need. They would thereby give others an incentive not to pay for the protection they need.
That is what I find fundamentally wrong with the way many such things are handled in the US. Until Obama-care came along, pretty much the same principles applied for health-care.
Since the local government of Obion county doesn't have a fire brigade, why don't they just pay for that service as part of the local tax? But paying your local government for services that you need to pay for anyway would mean higher taxes (and taxes are bad). It's much better to pay less tax and lots of other smaller bills for what in many cases amounts inferior service and larger expenditure.
WTF
