I truly am not jealous of these guys up on the mountain. I promise you I am not. I have no desire to be there, and I seriously doubt they are enjoying themselves, if they are alive. If you think some of us are wrong for not admiring them, then so be it.
It does cost taxpayer money to undertake this rescue. Why do you and others struggle so hard to deny that? I'm saying it didn't have to be because if they'd used better sense and stayed off the mountain during this time, others would not be risking their lives and the costs need not have been expended. That is a fact, like it or not. The cost is not that big of an issue to me, and I certainly don't want the mission to not be done because these guys were foolish and it is costing money, but the fact remains that it wouldn't be being expended had they chosen less dangerous conditions. If any survive, I think they should pay some compensation. It goes on all over the country on lakes and so forth where people take unwise risks, such as these ice fishermen. Sure, they're rescued, and I want them to be, but they are warned not to go on the ice when the conditions are bad and they go anyway. They are required to reimburse the rescue operation and their equipment, such as their snowmobiles and ATVs stay at the bottom of the lake unless and until the owner later fishes it out, not an easy task I would think.
Suppose there was a commercial plane crash nearby while this rescue is going on and there are limited assets in the area to conduct the rescue operation because these guys chose to go up there at this time? Airline travel is considered one of the safest forms of travel. Do we let them perish because the available assets are deployed to the climber rescue mission?
Our military volunteered to serve their country, not their own selfish need to take risks. That is a despicable comparison. It isn't even logical to claim they are costing the war expenditures because they were ORDERED there and congress authorized the money, so it's a ridiculous argument.
The lives of these two remaining men are of extreme importance to their loved ones and I hope they make it, so I do not begrudge the expense of the mission. One (hopefully) last time: It is NOT free, and that was my entire point. You, my friend, sound like the lefty here with your idea that all the stuff we have to undertake this rescue mission just falls out of the sky and costs nobody a dime. Repeat: It is NOT free! If we lose a chopper and crew up there, the taxpayers just lost a multi-million dollar aircraft and several families would likely lose a loved one, again for something that did NOT have to be. See how that works? WE paid for it, and these military people risking their lives are just as important to their families as the climbers are to theirs. But more realistically (than losing a chopper and crew), there are real-dollar personnel and equipment cost expenditures even if we don't lose anything. The Chinooks up there are NOT the private aircraft of the climbers.
I can already start with this comment:
"Suppose there was a commercial plane crash nearby while this rescue is going on..."
First, if there was a crash, resources would be brought in to handle the situation.
Second, if the resources had never trained, never experienced these situations, no matter how foolish the reason, they would not successfully help the passengers on that plane that crashed.
This is reality. This is what makes us better. Sure, it is awful that these men have probably lost their lives (one has); it is awful that people are cold and miserable out trying to find them; it is awful that their families are suffering. But, as a result, we will be stronger and more informed and better able to rescue someone who really is innocent next time.
And again, the military argument is valid, first because the troops volunteered, whether to serve or for selfish reasons, The left uses your reasons all of the time. I disagree with the left, as you appear to also. But, it is the argument they use: families suffer, soldiers die needlessly, our troop resources are needed elsewhere more important, it costs too much, we could be spending more on education, medical care, etc., etc.
"It does cost taxpayer money to undertake this rescue. Why do you and others struggle so hard to deny that?"
And you are accusing me of something that I never said. I am more than willing to spend my taxpayer dollars on operations like this vs any other multitude of social programs. Because I know, as a result, we will all learn a little something that makes us superheroes the next time.
http://www.pmru.org/aboutpmr/whatispmr.html
Funding: [Portland Mountain Rescue] is a non-profit, volunteer organization. All funding is derived from individual donations, grants and other types of fundraising. We do not receive financial support from the government. Team members do not receive compensation for their work and are not reimbursed for their expenses whatsoever. Our members spend countless hours of their free time - and occasionally their work time - training and learning so that they will be ready to respond to a search and rescue operation on a moment's notice. [emphasis original]
http://www.cragrats.org/
"Founded in 1926, the Crag Rats is the oldest mountain search and rescue organization in the United States. Based in Oregon's Hood River Valley, the all-volunteer Rats conduct operations on Mount Hood as well as the Columbia River Gorge and surrounding areas." [emphasis added]
http://www.cmru.peak.org/about_cmru.htm
"Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit offers assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock." [emphasis added]
http://www.co.clackamas.or.us/sheriff/divisions/sar.htm
"Volunteers are critical to the success of SAR missions. The [Clackamas County] Sheriff's Office relies heavily on the expertise and dedication of volunteers. Resource groups who hike, man-track, snowmobile, climb, ride horses, fly airplanes and helicopters (military personnel), create radio communications systems and the like bring knowledge and skill to these missions. Thousands of hours of training and actual field missions are given freely by community members dedicated to helping people." [emphasis added]