Ohgod.

[theweaselking]

Debate over government-funded police protection heats up

Conservatives decry "socialized" law enforcement; Democrats are divided over "single-payer" police protection

June 30, 2009 | Now that the president and the Democrats in Congress have set a fall deadline for legislative action on universal police protection for all Americans, battle lines are being drawn on Capitol Hill. On the right are conservative defenders of America's system of for-profit, private mercenaries. The Democrats are divided among progressives who favor universal, publicly funded police who would protect all citizens against crime, and moderate and conservative Democrats who argue that any citizen security reform should leave America's existing system of soldiers for hire in place.

"Do we want long wait times when we call for the police, like people in countries with socialized police forces?" Sen. Russell Flack, R-Ga., asked during a floor debate yesterday. "Under our system, we can choose our own police officers, as long as we pay for protection out of our own pockets. Do we want some government bureaucrat choosing the police for us?"

Comments

[anivair.livejournal.com]

Yup. I don't get why more people do not make this parallel.

[doom-diva.livejournal.com]

And when you look at the mercenaries hired by the crime insurance companies, they come in all shapes and sizes -- commandos, samurai, Vikings, centurions and ninjas.

LOL! What about Freedom Fighters down in Central America?

[ikkarus01.livejournal.com]

"And when you look at the mercenaries hired by the crime insurance companies, they come in all shapes and sizes -- commandos, samurai, Vikings, centurions and ninjas."

Everybody always wants to get ninjas, but for my money, I prefer samurai.

[dreamshade.livejournal.com]

Actually, samurai are the well-trained elite who grew up in rich families. Ninja are peasants that somebody taught to sneak around. When you look at results versus wages paid out, the ninja are probably more cost-effective.

[jagash.livejournal.com]

Still, they don't come with that impressive "seppuku" feature. I want my guards willing to fall on their sword on my whim, even if it might raise the price somewhat.

[reyl.livejournal.com]

I'm confused. Who actually pays the police down there?

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

The government. That's not the point - this is satire.

[kierthos.livejournal.com]

THIS! IS! PARODY!

.....

sorry

[reyl.livejournal.com]

I didn't actually read it... and I don't know enough about 'Merica to tell from the quote.

:P

Ideally.

[raie.livejournal.com]

Ideally the government pays the cops. In truth, the states often take all the funding they give for the police force, put a large percentage of it in their pockets, and make the police scrape the floor to keep their men working. Hence the semi-constant need to have cops out on the highway ticketing people. It's the only way to generate revenue for the station and the state still claims some of that money.

[ice-hesitant.livejournal.com]

Police protection is "socialized" but not "single-payer". Police officers are not private contractors working at a negotiated bulk rate.

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

I remember seeing this linked to when it first appeared.

The thing is, the people working against a public health infrastructure (the wealthy interests, not their lower-class toadies) would really like to lose all aspects of public infrastructure. Including police and fire protection. They have the rent a cops in their gated communities, what do they care about anyone else?

[dreamshade.livejournal.com]

I believe LoneStar is your best value in guarding against those dirty shadowrunners.

[ikkarus01.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Knight Errant is far too expensive, and highly overrated.

[dreamshade.livejournal.com]

(b >_<)b