I am not a fan of Sheriff Joe.
I don't hate him or anything like that, he is just another bureaucrat in a sea of bureaucracy that is the government of Maricopa County. He does some good things, but he also does some very intolerable things. What made me think of this today is that I have an online friend in Pakistan who is experiencing very hard times. While we really are blessed in this country (USA), we have our own problems on many different levels. Politicians are politicians wherever you go, corruption included.
Back to Sheriff Joe. As I said he does do some good work, and he has a "presence" that intimidates. He has implemented things like the infamous "tent city" (google it for enlightenment - or google Sheriff Joe Arpaio) and SEEMS to be tough on illegal immigration (altho' there is some question as to how effective he has been, and whether or not his tactics are appropriate). But he also does some very very questionable things to show everyone "who da man!"
Examples of what irritates me most is his habit of revenge against anyone who questions him or his office. Seriously. Here in the USA, in Phoenix of all places... you question Sheriff Joe, expect retribution. He has struck back at investigations aimed at his office by the District Attorney investigating fund mismanagement and by reporters for doing stories with a negative view of his work. His revenge includes freezing assets, seizing computers and files, locking offices, etc. Crazy, isn't it? Since he does not target the general population, he continues to be re-elected.
I did not vote for him (his campaign ran ads of his opponents calling them very bad things, I cannot understand why they were allowed to be run) and will not vote for him in the future, unless he changes some of his strong-arm tactics.
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As I said, he does do some good things, for example I am glad of his stance on animal abuse, altho' I think the K9 Cop who killed his dog could have been cut some slack. I do think police officers do need to be treated a little differently than citizens when it certain cases (corruption not one of them).
He also takes part in a lot of community driven safety programs which is very good.
His stance on illegal immigration is a tough one for him because in a way it is a no-win situation. While I applaud control of illegal immigration, I cannot help but feel badly about the people who are trying to find food and money for their families to survive. Mexico is a mess right now and of course, it is the common folk farthest from the capital who are suffering the most.
I think companies who hire illegal immigrants should be given a little more brow beating, but a bill that would impose stricter regulation was not passed in the election. Why you ask? Everyone here talks about illegal immigration, but if there was no illegal immigration, who would they get to do their landscaping for dirt cheap (pun intended)?
So really, the Sheriff has to walk a fine line on that one and I do understand that... I wish it could be simplified.
Politics as usual I guess.
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