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Started By
Message
re: This time private equity has ruined (checks notes) fire engines
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:16 am to Havoc
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:16 am to Havoc
quote:
Capitalism gone awry.
No, this is actual capitalism
Robber Barrons of the 1800's is repeating itself.
People use capitalism when free markets is what they should use
Capitalism desires monopolies
Free markets oppose monopolies
0
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:18 am to Jcorye1
quote:
I am very libertarian and will not go as far as corporations shouldn't exist, but I do believe they have way, way too many protections, the boards of directors are incestous as hell, and any corporation that materially relies on government payments should be treated as an extension of the government. We have also, as a society, made it so damn risky to run a business as a sole proprietorship or partnership. The amount of dumbass legislation out there that is now purely used by large companies to create barriers to entry are retarded. Mix that with a dumb population that refuses to stop consuming, and we get what we have. The amount of people bitching about Ticketmaster, yet still going to live events boggles the mind. Want them to fix it? STOP GOING TO EVENTS.
As a point of clarification, I’m not saying that mine is the mainline libertarian position (it’s one of the topics in which I don’t think there is one mainline libertarian position). It simply comes up because of how people perceive libertarians.
As for saying they shouldn’t exist, I mean they shouldn’t get government recognition. You can contract with whoever you want, but you can’t impose that on anyone else. Corporation’s factory damages people’s property? The owners of that corporation, down to the smallest stockholder, should have to make those they damaged whole. Don’t like it? Don’t buy stock in a corporation you have zero control over.
People being able to throw money at businesses they don’t control and have no liability for is, in my opinion, largely responsible for the rampant enshitification we are experiencing.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:18 am to Jim Rockford
The hyper concentration of the means of production in most industries will be the downfall of this country
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:26 am to Bama and Beer
quote:
Jesus Christ
quote:
In 2019, the city purchased a fire engine for about $751,000, with a build time of roughly two years. However, by 2023, the cost of two engines rose to $1.2 million each, and the estimated delivery time stretched from two years to four.
That's about a 60% increase, but it is on a specialty item. Meanwhile, an F150 increased by 27% in that time frame. Is the difference solely due to the monopoly, or is it due to other forces, like needing to meet California emissions standards without having the number of units to spread that cost across?
Regardless, allowing private equity firms to gain near monopolistic control is not good policy IMO.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:30 am to Joshjrn
quote:
People being able to throw money at businesses they don’t control and have no liability for is, in my opinion, largely responsible for the rampant enshitification we are experiencing.
People can read 10Ks before they invest. But do they?
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:34 am to Slinger16
quote:
They basically own every fire truck manufacturer besides Seagrave.
Does this include E-One in Ocala, FL? My cousin was the fire chief at the Exxon refinery in Scotlandville until he retired in 1980. He ordered all the big equipment from E-One in Ocala.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:38 am to BottomlandBrew
quote:
Citizens United continues to be one of the worst USSC decisions in our country's history.
While you are absolutely correct, it is amazing how many Americans have never heard of it but they have a position on abortion, border, guns, etc.
Pirates were the first corporations. The difference was each crew member got an equal share and the captain got a double share. Now imagine the modern CEO making double the pay of the janitor.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:38 am to Jim Rockford
quote:The cost of the chassis from the truck manufacturer to the fire truck body manufacturer has gone up at least this same 50% over that 6.5 years.
prices have increased 50% since 2019
The fire truck manufacturer shouldn’t just pass that increase on, there’s profit cooked in to the increase.
The truck chassis of 2025 are more complex and temperamental than was a 2019 chassis. That costs more time & money to build on. Hence more costs.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:40 am to Jim Rockford
Don't start no fire , dont need no fire truck.
However, if you do need a fire truck, please show us your voter registration card first so we can dispatch asap. "wink wink"
Signed,
Progressive Commies everywhere
However, if you do need a fire truck, please show us your voter registration card first so we can dispatch asap. "wink wink"
Signed,
Progressive Commies everywhere
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:41 am to Joshjrn
Private equity firms are the modern day robber barons
They buy up and monopolize an industry in order to control supply and raise price
Cut corners and reduce quality
Lobby govt for favorable policies
Pay low wages and destroy working environments along with replacing American workers with cheaper imported labor
They buy up and monopolize an industry in order to control supply and raise price
Cut corners and reduce quality
Lobby govt for favorable policies
Pay low wages and destroy working environments along with replacing American workers with cheaper imported labor
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:55 am to Joshjrn
quote:
People being able to throw money at businesses they don’t control and have no liability for is, in my opinion, largely responsible for the rampant enshitification we are experiencing.
You can't fix this without massively, massively curtailing the legal environment we live in. The best example is asbestos, shipping companies that didn't even touch the stuff were sued out of existence because there was a possibility at some point the company somehow came in contact with it. Asbestos is bad and causes cancer. That being said, it was a common building material of its time, why were lawyers allowed to go after, and win, against everyone that touched the stuff in the supply chain? If every potential innovation means the ruination of everyone involved, why would anyone create?
Posted on 9/24/25 at 7:58 am to BillysIsland
quote:
FTC should be able to prevent this type of stuff, but like most federal government agencies, they are compromised.
And incompetent. They likely have no idea of this issue
Posted on 9/24/25 at 8:02 am to BillysIsland
Ex-congress members should not be able to lobby or take jobs at any companies that give them material amounts of money. Lobbying needs to be heavily regulated by external watchdog groups, and anyone proven to go beyond reasonable limits should be tried for treason. Lobbying is insane to me, we let our Congress people sell their souls to various groups and then take jobs with them after they leave office. That is so obviously a conflict of interest.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 8:11 am to Jcorye1
Yeah I don't understand how that is allowed either. I mean I do, but you would think the voting populace would care about it a bit more.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 9:02 am to Jcorye1
quote:
Ex-congress members should not be able to lobby or take jobs at any companies that give them material amounts of money. Lobbying needs to be heavily regulated by external watchdog groups, and anyone proven to go beyond reasonable limits should be tried for treason. Lobbying is insane to me, we let our Congress people sell their souls to various groups and then take jobs with them after they leave office. That is so obviously a conflict of interest.
Concur. Congress picks winners and losers through legislation and then positions themselves accordingly for self enrichment. Should be totally illegal for them to basically invest [bet] on known outcomes.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 9:05 am to Bama and Beer
quote:
In 2019, the city purchased a fire engine for about $751,000, with a build time of roughly two years. However, by 2023, the cost of two engines rose to $1.2 million each, and the estimated delivery time stretched from two years to four
For some perspective, for $1.2 million, you could also buy this truck…
Posted on 9/24/25 at 9:06 am to Darth_Vader
But I would assume the fire engine truck has way more tech in it?
Posted on 9/24/25 at 9:13 am to Swamp Angel
I believe E-One is a REV Group company. Same with Spartan and Ferarra, KME, and LTI ladders.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 9:15 am to Jcorye1
quote:
Ex-congress members should not be able to lobby or take jobs at any companies that give them material amounts of money. Lobbying needs to be heavily regulated by external watchdog groups, and anyone proven to go beyond reasonable limits should be tried for treason. Lobbying is insane to me, we let our Congress people sell their souls to various groups and then take jobs with them after they leave office. That is so obviously a conflict of interest.
I, unfortunately, meet with lobbyist often. All of them, and I mean every single one of them, is either a former politician, or a relative of a former or current politician.
Every single one of them.
Posted on 9/24/25 at 9:35 am to GeauxTigers123
quote:
But I would assume the fire engine truck has way more tech in it?
Probably not. Modern earthmoving equipment has a lot of technology. From the electronics, to the powertrain, to the hydraulics on the truck, there is a lot that goes on these machines.
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