"Socialism: Keeping America Safe From Fires Since 1898"

[villager]

Socialism has serious branding issues here in the USA.

It's totally reviled and hated, despite it being as American as Apple Pie.

The first Government-Run Fire department was started in 1898. It was a socialist model that replaced the private fire company model, in which fire companies would compete with one another to be the ones to respond to a fire in order to get payment from fire insurance companies.

These private fire companies were extremely corrupt, and would actively prevent other fire companies from responding to a fire to make sure that they would be first, through activities like sending a person ahead of their pump wagon with a barrel. This "Barrel Sitter" would place his barrel over the fire hydrant, and sit on the barrel to prevent other fire companies from gaining access to it, and thus becoming the first to respond....

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68547286/socialism-keeping-america-safe-from?ref=shop_home_active

[hootinholler]

1. The fire service in the US is probably not the best example of socialism

Considering that many areas are served by volunteers full time, and many more part time. These volunteers raise the vast majority of their funding outside of a tax system.

[villager]

2. I think it's probably a great model, in terms of the history discussed in the link

When you compare/contrast the reliability of the "socialist" fire departments vs. the privatized ones...

[Starry Messenger]

3. k&r

Oo, they should do more with other fields too. I would love one for public education.

edit: squee, he has! I'm getting one! http://www.etsy.com/listing/116781565/socialism-misprint?ref=shop_home_active

[villager]

4. Yay! I didn't see that one, SM! A friend had just sent the link to the firefighters one!

[Starry Messenger]

5. Thank you, this rocks!

I'll share the link on Facebook, I know some other teachers who would love this too!

[villager]

6. Why... it'll be a red scare!