Thread: Role of Government

The role of government is to protect individual life, liberty, and private property from foreign aggressors and domestic criminal elements.



That's it.



Government isn't instituted to provide either pizza delivery service, retirement plans, or health care, not in free societies. The people are expected to arrange for their own pizza delivery, their own retirements, and their own health care.

[quote name='Morgan' date='23 September 2009 - 03:01 PM' timestamp='1253743294' post='26177']

Firefighters used to be private business. Should we simply go back to that. If you don't have the mark of a specific brigade, they drive on by and let your house burn. Should we take a step back from that.

[/quote]





Yeah, that was then, this is now.



There's better ways to run a fire truck and still keep it private enterprise.



since fire protection is not a function of government but a personal responsibility, it should not be provided by Uncle Sam, Auntie State, or Old Maid City. It should be provided by the property owner/mortgage holder in some effective manner.

[quote name='Freedom for All' date='23 September 2009 - 06:13 PM' timestamp='1253744001' post='26188']

Yeah, that was then, this is now.



There's better ways to run a fire truck and still keep it private enterprise.



since fire protection is not a function of government but a personal responsibility, it should not be provided by Uncle Sam, Auntie State, or Old Maid City. It should be provided by the property owner/mortgage holder in some effective manner.

[/quote]



It's rare that a fire starts "in" a house.



Most of the time they start up in the Angeles Crest somewhere, then "engulf" houses.



Sounds like our idiot government oughta take care of their own property, and make darn sure the flames don't engulf mine.



Isn't that what it sounds like to you?

How about we start by reading the Constitution, and actually abiding by it? That would be one Hell of a good start in my book!

[quote name='nonsqtr' date='23 September 2009 - 03:17 PM' timestamp='1253744270' post='26192']

It's rare that a fire starts "in" a house.



Most of the time they start up in the Angeles Crest somewhere, then "engulf" houses.



Sounds like our idiot government oughta take care of their own property, and make darn sure the flames don't engulf mine.



Isn't that what it sounds like to you?

[/quote]



Yeah, in the real world, we recognize that when the government owns land, the government is repsonsible for putting the fires on that land out.



Just like when a person owns a house, he, not the government, is responsible for making sure he has coverage to pay for fire protection.



So what was the point you were trying to make?



Oh, yeah, you falsely claimed the "most" fires started on government land. How silly of you.

[quote name='JohnnyReb' date='23 September 2009 - 03:23 PM' timestamp='1253744613' post='26195']

How about we start by reading the Constitution, and actually abiding by it? That would be one Hell of a good start in my book!

[/quote]



Works for me. The Constitution doesn't say a word about the government providing fire extinguishing services. I believe the Founding Fathers, when asked about providing for fire departments said, "the people can piss on that".

[quote name='Freedom for All' date='23 September 2009 - 06:30 PM' timestamp='1253745025' post='26200']

Works for me. The Constitution doesn't say a word about the government providing fire extinguishing services. I believe the Founding Fathers, when asked about providing for fire departments said, "the people can piss on that".

[/quote]

Actually, as it is done today, anything not specifically enumerated in the Constitution falls to the people or the States respectively. I seem to remember reading that somewhere.









OH YEAH, now I remember, it's called the 10th Amendment . That would be why cities and/or counties, and not the federal government, are in charge of fire departments.



If that's not good enough for you, and you think the feds should be in charge of fire departments, then I suggest you invoke Article 5 of the Constitution and pass an Amendment authorizing the federal government to run fire departments.

[quote name='JohnnyReb' date='23 September 2009 - 03:52 PM' timestamp='1253746367' post='26210']

Actually, as it is done today, anything not specifically enumerated in the Constitution falls to the people or the States respectively. I seem to remember reading that somewhere.









OH YEAH, now I remember, it's called the 10th Amendment . That would be why cities and/or counties, and not the federal government, are in charge of fire departments.[/quote]



Oh, really? On federal lands?



Also, the topic in the OP was "What do you think each level of government should be entrusted with..."



The purpose of each level of government is to protect individual life, liberty, and property, not provide services.



[quote name='JohnnyReb' date='23 September 2009 - 03:52 PM' timestamp='1253746367' post='26210']If that's not good enough for you, and you think the feds should be in charge of fire departments, then I suggest you invoke Article 5 of the Constitution and pass an Amendment authorizing the federal government to run fire departments.

[/quote]



Yeah, generally speaking the Constitution does not allow single individuals to pass amendments, not even exceptionally talented individuals such as myself.



Meanwhile, you're arguing in circles and ignoring what's actually said.



Naturally, if the federal government, as I stated, is responsible for fire control on federal lands, then according to the principles of federalism and the purpose of government I laid out, it would take a mind of only moderate power to determine that I expect the states to take care of fire control on state lands, counties to be responsible for fire control on county lands, and the municipalities to be responsible for fire control on municipal properties and private owners to be responsible for fire control on their own properties.



There, that wasn't too complicated for you, was it? Any real libertarians figures that out very early on in their growth as a supporter of freedom.