We need Sheriff Joe's backbone

[Jeanfromfillmore]

At a recent fundraiser for the Campaign to Defeat Barack Obama 2012, I spoke with Sheriff Joe Arpaio from Maricopa County, Ariz. Arpaio is called "America's Toughest Sheriff" because of his unyielding stance in dealing with illegal aliens and other criminals. People tend to love him or hate him, but it cannot be denied that he is unflinchingly a man of conviction and action.
The event, billed as "An Evening with the Joe's," also included Joe "the plumber" Wurzelbacher and Joe Miller from Alaska. All three "Joes" contributed their time to the event in conjunction with the "Our Country Deserves Better" PAC.
The venue was the beautiful Pellegrini estate in Montara, and although the vaulted ceilings were impressive, the acoustics were terrible for an interview. Arpaio and I ended up tucked away on a knobby couch in a recreation room replete with a well-worn bear rug on the floor and a pool table. The only noise was the occasional creak of the door when someone poked their head in and the persistent "chirp" of a smoke detector mounted too high on the wall for me to disable. I suppose I could have asked Arpaio to shoot it, but that might have caused a stir. Or, given his reputation, perhaps not.
I expected the interview to be brief with a focus on the Defeat Obama Campaign. When I eased into questioning with, "What I'd like to ask you about", Arpaio barked out, "Don't tell me, just ask me!" so brevity did seem in order. However, perhaps due to the casual surroundings or the fact the Arpaio had the flu, we ended up having a meandering, 45-minute conversation.
Arpaio is well known as a media hound and proffered many of the pat phrases that have worked well for him and do, in fact, represent his views. "I'm the elected sheriff and I have a gun and a badge. I don't just talk!" Twice he referred to the effectiveness of his wife's blueberry pie in reaching an accord with difficult people, suggesting that adding whiskey to the mix didn't hurt either. In politics, sometimes the relationship, the ability to talk "man to man" instead of as power players, gets more done than political maneuvering.
When I brought up his recent escapade involving Steven Seagal, an illegal cockfighting operation and a tank, Arpaio said, "That wasn't my tank! My tank is in the garage!" He then clarified that it was an armored car — which, given the number of death threats he has received from the drug cartels, seems appropriate.
Arpaio is criticized by the left for heartlessly "breaking up families" when he jails or deports illegal aliens, and he commented that it is sad. Then, with an expression that has likely sent criminals fleeing for cover, Arpaio said, "What about the 10,000 people I have in jail for every type of crime? We break those families up but nobody will ever say that. But when you arrest an illegal — oh, you are breaking families up!"
Arpaio is genuinely frustrated that, despite his extensive experience dealing with criminals, including 14 years on both sides of the Mexican border, the White House, politicians and even the media, don't consult with him on issues of national security or illegal immigration. Instead they see fit to put someone like Janet Napolitano in charge.
Arpaio has a solution to the illegal alien and drug trafficking problem and it involves sending the military over the border to "clean this mess up! Not as an invasion, but on a bilateral agreement with Mexico." He wants to do away with ineffective bean bags and go "operational."
Arpaio posed the question, "Why doesn't the Mexican government ask for some help — work with our Army?" Further he said: "Stop giving them billions of dollars, equipment and intelligence. Send the troops over there. What's wrong with that? Nothing! But it will never happen. We'll send our military to Iraq and Afghanistan but we will never send our military into Mexico, even with their permission."
The reason Sheriff Arpaio is not consulted on border matters is because he will provide a swift and effective plan of action. This plan would deny employers cheap labor, deport or incarcerate criminals, and alleviate financial and national security issues. It seems logical but is the equivalent of political suicide.
Any politician or president who implements the Arpaio strategy runs the risk of either alienating their voting base or appearing heartless. Thus far, no president has had the backbone to step up and put America first, before their own political aspirations. Clearly Sheriff Arpaio has no such reservations.
http://www.redding.com/news/2011/apr...joes-backbone/