[PGR88]

This is an excellent article.

I was recently witness to an abandoned and empty warehouse fire, next to my place of work. It was started by some vagrants trying to keep warm, and if I had one handy, I probably could have extinguished it myself with a long garden-hose.

Instead, we had 70 firefighters on the scene, about 15 cops, paramedics, two-helicoptors - and even 2 scary-looking, totally-black Homeland Security SUV’s. Even the Red Cross had to show up with their donut truck to hand out free coffee as there were so many public-safety officials standing around doing nothing.

Just as important as the security-paranoia is to the growth of these Gov’t paramilitaries, it is also about the Gov’t funding spigots that were opened without control after 9/11, for everything from TSA to Customs to your local police department. I call it the “Bin Laden Tax.”

I think Bin Laden will destroy America after all, but even he didn’t realize how it would eventually do it.

[MileHi]

Instead, we had 70 firefighters on the scene, about 15 cops, paramedics, two-helicoptors - and even 2 scary-looking, totally-black Homeland Security SUV’s. Even the Red Cross had to show up with their donut truck to hand out free coffee as there were so many public-safety officials standing around doing nothing.

This is what is alarming. You have all these goobers with brand new used mil-surp stuff looking for a mission. All dressed up and nowhere to go. And they can't wait to try out all the stuff they learned at "tactical school".

[Nowhere Man]

I think Bin Laden will destroy America after all, but even he didn’t realize how it would eventually do it.

Well, my father did say, "the terrorists have won" when you see things like this, the DHS and TSA. Myself, I know the cops have a tough job to do but militarization is not the answer. In my opinion, we need to disband SWAT teams and return the cops to the original role. They need to go back to the revolver/handgun and for a long gun, a shotgun is good enough. Maybe a rifle like a .30-30 or a M1903 Springfield for extreme cases needing such things. No heavy vehicles either, they are there to patrol and catch the bad guys not to take a V-150 armored car and pretend they are going after the Viet-Cong or Al Quaida.

[cynwoody]

Instead, we had 70 firefighters on the scene, about 15 cops, paramedics, two-helicoptors - and even 2 scary-looking, totally-black Homeland Security SUV’s. Even the Red Cross had to show up with their donut truck to hand out free coffee as there were so many public-safety officials standing around doing nothing.

That would be the gubmint. You pay for them in every paycheck.

Think how much bigger your paycheck would be without those parasites. The warehouses fire might have been more (or less) interesting. But fires go out when there's nothing left to burn. However, government only increases. And entitlements are forever.

[palmer]

Instead, we had 70 firefighters on the scene, about 15 cops, paramedics, two-helicoptors - and even 2 scary-looking, totally-black Homeland Security SUV’s. Even the Red Cross had to show up with their donut truck to hand out free coffee as there were so many public-safety officials standing around doing nothing.

That would not happen in my rural county (Red Cross coffee). The reason why we get all those firefighters and cops at the empty warehouses (not a fire, just an alarm) is so they can "socialize". If you think socializing involves coffee, then you are thinking about the wrong beverage.

[1010RD]

Firemen have become paramedics 90-95% of the time. They rarely fight fires. That’s a job that can be 100% privatized and placed into the competitive market.

Why not police officers as well? Let them go back to being peace officers at the government level. If they’re going to be simple minded law enforcers then take away their sovereign immunity. Let them think about the consequences.

That’s the simplist way to get them back under control. If you can be sued to poverty and perhaps jailed for your actions you’ll be a little more level-headed.

Go find a cop that doesn’t use the gun or badge as absolute immunity from prosecution and I like cops.

[Cyber Liberty]

Even the Red Cross had to show up with their donut truck to hand out free coffee as there were so many public-safety officials standing around doing nothing.

I believe the Red Cross charges for the coffee.