A couple of news items found via USAToday.com that got notice from me...

First up, the story about the Tennessee firefighters that watched a man's home burn to the ground because the man hadn't paid the town the $75.00 fee that is required (by the town) to get service from the firefighters.  What kind of screwed up world are we living in where someone's home is allowed to burn completely because some additional fee hasn't been paid.  According to the story, the guy even offered to pay whatever fee was required when he called 911, but of course at that point it was too late as the 911 operator wasn't equipped to take the fee and the fire department couldn't attempt to collect the fee after the fact.

I have a little personal experience with this sort of fee, though in my area it's higher than $75.00, and the fee that I'd be referring to is an ambulance fee.  When my wife was killed in a car wreck it was after the county we lived in had instituted a $500 fee that is billable to the (medical) insurance company that is responsible for the individual.  I got a notice that was labelled as "NOT A BILL" that demanded that I provide information on who my insurer is so that they could be sent the bill for $500 for ambulance transport fee.  I actually got multiple notices, with the last one having come about a month ago (though after the second notice I called, confirmed that the service group that collects the information had the right information and was told things were good and the notices should cease...)  Another county in the state is trying desperately to get the same fee but is now fighting to keep it as voters have put a referendum on the ballot to remove the fee.  Ironically enough, in the area that is fighting over the fee many of the firefighters are professional and/or paid, while in my area virtually all of the fire and rescue personnel are volunteers (and not paid in any way).  Of course the county in my area "donates" heavily and/or subsidizes the fire department's purchases of equipment and other costs.

Personally the idea that someone could be extorted for money for fire/rescue service and/or denied service because they haven't paid these fees is repugnant to me.  That someone's home would be allowed to burn to the ground is just wrong, or that someone might be denied service when needed because they haven't paid the fees also seems wrong.  Thankfully, in my area residents won't be denied service regardless of the fee, but those residents (like me) may see multiple notices as the county's designated agents try to collect the fee for the county.

The other news item that I find interesting is the one about some Judges that may be facing the loss of their jobs over some decisions that they handed down.  While I don't necessarily want Judges bending to the will of an angry electorate, I also somewhat loathe the idea that Judges can sit in office forever and never truly be held accountable for any decisions they make.  I've said before I like the idea of term limits, if implemented in a sensible way, as I don't think anyone should ever become a permanent fixture in any political office -- that would include Judges.  Serving a reasonable period of time in any one office in a "move up or move out" type fashion would be a good thing as it should lead to better service and a better job by elected representatives, including Judges.

In this particular case (of the linked news item), the Judges are looking at potentially losing their jobs because of Gay marriage decisions and/or Abortion related decisions.  Hot button issues for sure, but issues where the electorate has tried to be involved only to have activist judges start making law from the bench or to have judges throw away laws because they believe the laws are unconstitutional.

Eventually the laws that are being argued over will be argued about in front of the U.S. Supreme court and decisions will be made that establish the law for several years to come.  It's hard to say for sure what the U.S. Supremes will decide (I can make an educated guess, but until the decisions come down, it's really impossible to know for sure what will happen), but as things stand right now the polarized electorate isn't too thrilled with judicial system.