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There have been so many rescues of climbers, dead or alive, during inclement weather off of Mt.Hood, that the families of the dead or rescued are being charged with the tens of thousands of dollars many of those multi-day & night rescues have cost.

OK, so what's the problem? If the people that do risky things and have to be rescued, then pay the costs for the rescue, I don't see where we have a problem. It would both discourage risky behavior without outlawing it, and would prevent taxpayers from being on the hook (for all of it). Sounds like a win-win.

Frankly, even if we had to pay for all of these rescues, I would still rather be free. The pattern that has occurred since the welfare state began is this: First, we exist in a state of almost complete freedom, but there are potential consequences. Second, some government busybody decides that consequences are bad, mmmkay, and so we should implement welfare plans, financial bailouts, "free" medical care, etc. Third, the plans that have been implemented in order to remove consequences are now used as an excuse to curtail or end the freedoms that prompted the plans in the first place. Fourth, now we can't do squat without a government permit and "supervision", which means we are all a bunch of kids with government as mommy and daddy.

I would rather just pay the money and be free.

That is what the article quoted basically said. You can’t swim across that body of water until you paid up front and someone was there to rescue you if you had a problem.

How can one be “free” but have to pay “money”? I’m just sayin’.