I haven't read this entire thread or anything about Sheriff Joe Arpaio. However, I feel this story fits here. As I have mentioned, I am Canadian, which certainly puts me left of most of you here, but that doesn't mean I don't have common sense.
This morning I heard that a cabbie who worked in a city near here was attacked with a machete by a 14 year old boy. The man may or may not get full use of his hand back (he suffered tendon damage) and he received 150 stitches. The boy was released on $100 bond, was told not to handle knives and has a curfew at 9:00. That's it.
Though we have medicare, which apparently paints us all with the "socialist" brush, I am angered by this and truly wish we had a more punitive system in this country. Though I am happy and proud to be Canadian, that is one element of the USA I truly admire. (As an aside, we do not elect judges, they are appointed: another major flaw)