Hey, I have an idea!

[This_person]

Not what I'm saying.

It seemed like it when you said, "...watch as usage rates and potency of drugs continue to remain constant..." :shrug:

What is the goal of the current method and current "war on drugs"?

As near as I can figure, it is to ensure drug prices remain high and the government can continually take more and more freedom from citizens scared about drug gangs and such. It didn't work in the Prohibition Era, and there's no reason or evidence to believe the current method of the "war on drugs" would ever be any more effective than back then.

 

[black dog]

The only thing I have to add.. Is Ridge volunteers had their meeting last week, and during the meeting they released the number of calls they went out on last year (I have to admit, I don't know if this is the FD or the Rescue Squad) but they went out on 7400 calls last year.

We had volunteer ambulance and FD in PA as well, but every time they got called out they billed the caller's insurance. I don't understand why we don't do the same. It's a legal bill, insurance covers the costs (in PA over 13 years ago it was $500 a call) and with Obamacare the poorest of us SHOULD have coverage, why aren't our volunteer services providing a service for free, that's covered by insurance??

How much difference would 3.7Million make to their fundraising goals?? New Equipment? New Carnival rides (#1 Priority!!)? Property improvement??

I honestly don't see WHY we don't bill an insurance company EVERYtime they get a call out for fire or rescue.

Whooooo Horsey, 7,400 ? How many are really calls?
365 days a year
Two trucks at breakfast,lunch and dinner leave the firehouse to eat or pickup food.
Instantly removes 4.380 calls.. I mean it is Ridge..

 

[Chris0nllyn]

It seemed like it when you said, "...watch as usage rates and potency of drugs continue to remain constant..." :shrug:

But you asked about crime rates. Maybe I'm confused. :shrug:

Regardless, we've been told for decades that the goal is to get people to stop using drugs, among other things. By every measurable metric, it seems the war on drugs has been a failure, yet folks think we should continue down the same path. I can understand that coming from politicians, lawyers, police, and others who rely on this war for money, gear, etc. but I'm wondering why citizens still believe this is the best way to win a "war on drugs".

 

[itsbob]

Whooooo Horsey, 7,400 ? How many are really calls?
365 days a year
Two trucks at breakfast,lunch and dinner leave the firehouse to eat or pickup food.
Instantly removes 4.380 calls.. I mean it is Ridge..

Well, considering there are SEVERAL southern MD citizens that feel the Ambulance is a free Taxi to Leonardtown, and the uptick in OD calls.. BUT I have to say, if this is ONLY Rescue Squad calls, it seems we're well beyond the need for Full Time paid services... Seems a little much to expect for a free voluntary workforce.

BUT, again.. I have to wonder what their reasoning is for NOT billing insurance companies and Medicare/ Medicaid?? You know all of the huge metropolises do and are pocketing BILLIONS of dollars.. while we sell cotton candy at our local fairgrounds.

 

[Ken King]

Whooooo Horsey, 7,400 ? How many are really calls?
365 days a year
Two trucks at breakfast,lunch and dinner leave the firehouse to eat or pickup food.
Instantly removes 4.380 calls.. I mean it is Ridge..

7,400 might be a couple of decades worth of calls. The websites for Ridge VFD ( http://www.ridgevfd.org/ ) says that they had 207 calls in 2016 and 107 so far this year, the rescue squad site ( http://www.ridgevrs.org/ ) says that they had 775 calls in 2016 and 240 so far this year.

 

[black dog]

7,400 might be a couple of decades worth of calls. The websites for Ridge VFD ( http://www.ridgevfd.org/ ) says that they had 207 calls in 2016 and 107 so far this year, the rescue squad site ( http://www.ridgevrs.org/ ) says that they had 775 calls in 2016 and 240 so far this year.

That's what I'm saying...

 

[Hijinx]

7,400 might be a couple of decades worth of calls. The websites for Ridge VFD ( http://www.ridgevfd.org/ ) says that they had 207 calls in 2016 and 107 so far this year, the rescue squad site ( http://www.ridgevrs.org/ ) says that they had 775 calls in 2016 and 240 so far this year.

You picked Ridge. Probably the slowest squad in the County. Try Lexington Parks site, they had 7,000 calls last year
I would bet they are ahead of that this year.
I don't know the reason for not charging in St. Mary';s but Charles County charges.

It is really a rip off of the insurance companies, since they are the only ones who pay.
Private individuals seldom pay and are not forced to pay.
Then who do they pay. The Rescue Squad who makes the call or the County.

 

[itsbob]

You picked Ridge. Probably the slowest squad in the County. Try Lexington Parks site, they had 7,000 calls last year
I would bet they are ahead of that this year.
I don't know the reason for not charging in St. Mary';s but Charles County charges.

It is really a rip off of the insurance companies, since they are the only ones who pay.
Private individuals seldom pay and are not forced to pay.
Then who do they pay. The Rescue Squad who makes the call or the County.

yep, I was wrong on my number by a lot.. but I think their numbers not very accurate.. looking at their calendar they have 6 or 7 months with no incidents.. and then Jan/ Feb are in the 60s and 70s...

755 seems more logical.. 2 calls a day (give or take).. but still.. COULD be 350K they aren't receiving.

Part of the deal in PA for billing was NO collections.. either insurance paid it or didn't.. no reporting, no collections to the individual.

 

[This_person]

But you asked about crime rates. Maybe I'm confused. :shrug:

Regardless, we've been told for decades that the goal is to get people to stop using drugs, among other things. By every measurable metric, it seems the war on drugs has been a failure, yet folks think we should continue down the same path. I can understand that coming from politicians, lawyers, police, and others who rely on this war for money, gear, etc. but I'm wondering why citizens still believe this is the best way to win a "war on drugs".

I believe that the law should be enforced unless or until it is changed. As I have said many times before, I think going after the supplier is stupid and proven to be a failure. Go after the user and make the supplying be unprofitable.

 

[Ken King]

You picked Ridge. Probably the slowest squad in the County. Try Lexington Parks site, they had 7,000 calls last year
I would bet they are ahead of that this year.
I don't know the reason for not charging in St. Mary';s but Charles County charges.

It is really a rip off of the insurance companies, since they are the only ones who pay.
Private individuals seldom pay and are not forced to pay.
Then who do they pay. The Rescue Squad who makes the call or the County.

I picked Ridge because Bob was talking about Ridge :moron:

 

[Hijinx]

I picked Ridge because Bob was talking about Ridge :moron:

You could have said that without adding the moron Azzhole.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

You're right - we should charge Winchester with murders, and put the murderers in rehab.

Except it is legal to sell guns, legal to possess guns.....

 

[This_person]

Except it is legal to sell guns, legal to possess guns.....

Agreed. That's why I expounded on the thought in a later post:

Here's what I think about that, as it relates to drugs. The seller is doing something illegal, and should be prosecuted when caught selling. That said, selling heroin to someone is very different from using heroin. Just like selling a gun is very different from using a gun. If a person is a convicted felon, disallowed from owning a weapon, then the seller of the gun who KNOWS the person is a convicted felon is also doing something illegal, and thus is responsible for the action of selling the gun. It is very different from selling a gun to using it in a crime. The person who uses it in a crime is responsible for the use in the crime - NOT the seller, the user. The seller is responsible for selling the gun illegally.

The drug seller is responsible for selling the drugs. I don't really care much about that crime, and think it should be drastically reduced in priority for drug enforcement personnel. I would rather see the drug seller telling law enforcement who uses it than the other way around. I would rather make the user so afraid of the consequences of use that the drug seller has no one to sell to.

 

[Restitution]

Agreed. That's why I expounded on the thought in a later post:

​

And you are aware that it is a crime to posses drugs.... right?

Although the government cannot and will not make it illegal to actually "USE" drugs, it is a crime to have them.

Your logic is a bit flawed though. You ASSUME that stiffer penalties will dissuade users from using when, in actuality, it will have no effect at all and you should know that. People sell their children for Christ sake.... what will adding some prison time do?

I would say legalize and tax the ever lovin' sh!t out of it BUT.... it would just line more political pockets (a'la casino money for schools)

 

[This_person]

And you are aware that it is a crime to posses drugs.... right?

Although the government cannot and will not make it illegal to actually "USE" drugs, it is a crime to have them.

Your logic is a bit flawed though. You ASSUME that stiffer penalties will dissuade users from using when, in actuality, it will have no effect at all and you should know that. People sell their children for Christ sake.... what will adding some prison time do?

I would say legalize and tax the ever lovin' sh!t out of it BUT.... it would just line more political pockets (a'la casino money for schools)

I don't think my logic is flawed. Some people, certainly, will still START to use, and get to the point that they'd sell their kids. I know of no statistical or anecdotal evidence that someone has robbed or sold their kids to get their FIRST illegal drug - only to maintain it. If we can stop them up front, it will work.

That won't fix those who are out there now, but MOST drug users are not at the point of selling their kids.