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Subject: 
Re: All important (was: Amtrak Told to Plan Liquidation)
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Tue, 13 Nov 2001 00:56:53 GMT
Viewed: 
519 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Christopher L. Weeks writes:
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Ross Crawford writes:

If there were no air passengers there would be no airlines and no airplanes
flying around. Airlines exist for the convenience of the consumers who use
them.

And buildings exist for the convenience of companies to house their workers.
They're not necessary, but they're benefiting from the increased security, so
why not charge a fee on top of the lessees rent?

I think that a security company would typically charge a fee for their
services.  And their services could include defense against missile attack.

I'm *happy* for airlines (and building managers, whoever) to pay for extra
security *if they choose to*. I'm *happy* to pay an extra fee to increase my
safety when I fly. I should, however, be able to choose.

So
it's just a matter of people feeling properly motivated.  Some people are
willing to work in high-profile targets and others prefer to work in venues
less likely to be targetted.  It doesn't offend me that people working at the
WTC made more money than those working in rural offices because I know they
bore more risk (and had generally higher costs of living -- or substantial
commutes) and so it's just fair.

Of course, if you start down
this road it's gonna become an admin nightmare, so why not just a flat fee • for
everyone?

Heck, our IRS is an admin nightmare, so why not just charge everyone the same
amount?  Maybe $10K per year.

Like Larry mentioned, Ease and right are not the same.  And if central • planning
authorities would stay out of it, it wouldn't be an admin nightmare.  Everyone
would pay their share through the market.

OK. I'd be happy with that. It's not happening now. It's being forced on those
who choose to fly. Yes, they can choose not to fly. Why don't we just shut down
all the airlines right now? That would reduce the risk of a repetition of Sep
11 to zero.

Now, if your argument is that we subsidise road transport so we ought to
subsidise air and rail too, "to be fair" I will counter that I'd rather not
subsidise *any* of them. All (the users of them) should bear their true
costs. That includes pollution, safety, damages to property, security
implications, etc.

My point is that the extra security is benefiting *all* people.

It isn't equally beneficial to all people.  Why shouldn't they pay either to
the degree that they are benefitted, or better yet (by far) pay to the degree
that they want added security.

why shouldn't they all contribute equally? Sure, passengers (airlines)
should pay their share, and I think I said somewhere earlier that
maybe their "share" is a bit more than others (though I'm still not
sure about this), but if I was a non-flyer, I'd still be happy to
pay some kind of levy (fee, tax, whatever) to be a little more sure that my
work-place[1] wouldn't be rammed by an airliner. Thus also reducing the
financial load on the passengers (airlines).

I think the security analysis done by large building owners would determine • the
best way to protect their interests.  maybe it would be mounting SAMs on the
buildings and maybe it would be buying a share of airport security rights so
that they make sure that things are done right.  Either way, shouldn't it be • up
to them how they spend their money?

Yes. Were airlines given a choice how they spend their money?

The important thing (IMO) is that, though the safety checks are performed on
airline passengers, it's increasing *everyone's* safety.

Not really.

Then why call it a "global security fee"?

ROSCO



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: All important (was: Amtrak Told to Plan Liquidation)
 
(...) Uh...sorry. It seems that we're in essentially complete agreement. I must have misunderstood your points...or they changed...or something. Chris (23 years ago, 13-Nov-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: All important (was: Amtrak Told to Plan Liquidation)
 
(...) I think that a security company would typically charge a fee for their services. And their services could include defense against missile attack. So it's just a matter of people feeling properly motivated. Some people are willing to work in (...) (23 years ago, 12-Nov-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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