Candidates Focus On War

Much of the focus of the three leading presidential candidates has been on a U.S. economy that many say is struggling. However, the war in Iraq is beginning to come back into the spotlight, and two of the candidates stand in stark contrast to each other when it comes to their viewpoints on the war.

Most Republicans support the war, and those who voted on Super Tuesday and who named their top issue as the Iraq war voted in great majority for John McCain. Democrats strongly oppose the war by and large, and those who named the war as their top concern voted mostly for Barack Obama. Obama has opposed the war from its beginning. If the election is between McCain and Obama, voters will be faced with a choice between polar opposites when it comes to the issue of the war. McCain has been a staunch supporter of Bush's troop buildup, whereas Obama has been a consistent war opponent.

The debate beginning to emerge is over what poses a greater threat to security in the U.S.-staying in Iraq or withdrawing. Recent polls show that most Americans believe McCain has the ability to better handle the Iraq issue. McCain has said that a recent remark by him that American troops could stay in Iraq another 100 years has been distorted by his opponents. He does favor the possibility of a long-term occupation such as those in Korea and other countries, but that it should be under an environment where Americans are not being injured or killed. "As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed, it's fine with me, and I hope it would be fine with you, if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where al-Qaida is training, recruiting, equipping and motivating people every single day," McCain has said.

New Equipment In New Orleans

Recently in New Orleans, the Superdome played host to a demonstration by Mayor Ray Nagin and Police Superintendent Warren Riley of more than $1 million in new equipment. The equipment is mostly for use by the SWAT team in emergency and riot situations. It includes a fully equipped mobile command post, two armored cars and modern assault rifles.

The city has gained unwanted attention since Hurricane Katrina for its rising rate of murder and other crimes. City officials stated the new equipment reflects a determination to make New Orleans safer and root out criminals, as well as increasing preparedness for emergency situations. Nearly all of the equipment was financed from a $6.6 million state allocation to New Orleans police earmarked for crime-fighting items and strategies, according to Riley. The money will also pay for 600 bullet-proof vests.

Besides assistance from the government, New Orleans has also benefitted from the donations of private individuals. Last year, the owner of a group of McDonald's Restaurants in the area donated bulletproof vests to 38 graduates of the first New Orleans police academy that had been held since the hurricane. The restaurateur, Chris Bardell, said, "I believe it is the responsibility of every one of us to do everything in our power to provide our police department with the tools they need to fight crime and get criminals off our streets."

City Council Tragedy Poses Questions

City council meetings are a tradition steeped in democracy, a place where city leaders in towns large and small can come together with members of the public to discuss pertinent issues and ordinances. They give members of the community a chance to air opinions as well as any grievances they may have with city leaders, police officers and others. Sometimes discussions become heated, but usually it's all in the name of free speech. However, a recent tragedy in the St. Louis area will certainly force city leaders nationwide to take a look at safety measures in meetings, and who should and should not be allowed to participate in the gatherings.

On February 7, Charles "Cookie" Thornton stormed the city council meeting in Kirkwood, MO, killing five people and critically injuring mayor Mike Swoboda before being fatally shot by officers. Among those slain were two police officers, Officer Tom Ballman and Officer William Biggs. The other victims were city council members Michael Lynch and Connie Karr, and Public Works Director Kenneth Yost. Prior to the shootings, Thornton had a long history of disruptive behavior in city council meetings, stemming from a long-standing feud with the city. He had lost a federal lawsuit against the city ten days earlier. Before that, he had been forcibliy removed from meetings and convicted twice for disorderly conduct for incidents at meetings. The council had considered banning him entirely from the meetings, but decided against it.

The balance between freedom and security will always be tough to judge, and requires many difficult and controversial decisions to be made. A city council gathering has always been an open forum for the public; this tragic incident poses the question of how to ensure government leaders, police, and members of the public remain safe while still maintaining that freedom of involvement.

Hunters Of Men: Some Facts On Bounty Hunting

The popular image of the bounty hunter is of someone who is a renegade and who may operate on the fringes of the law. This is most notably personified by Duane "Dog" Chapman, the colorful and controversial star of his own cable television show. Chapman was recently let off the hook for some trouble in Mexico, where bounty hunting is illegal and can be considered kidnapping. He faced charges in his capture of serial rapist and fugitive Andrew Luster in 2003, but a three-judge panel in Mexico has recently ruled that he cannot be extradited to Mexico to face criminal charges.

An 1873 U.S. Supreme Court case called Taylor v. Taintor is cited as the court decision that made bounty hunting legal in the United States. Each state sets its own laws regarding the job; it is legal in all states except Kentucky, Illinois, Oregon, and Wisconsin. In most states, bounty hunters are prohibited from carrying firearms without the proper permits. Texas goes so far as to require all bounty hunters to be peace officers, armed security officers, or private investigators.

Bounty hunters are usually employed by bail bondsmen. The goal is to return a fugitive to court so that the bondsman doesn't lose the money posted for the fugitive's bail. The bounty hunter may enter a person's private property without a warrant in order to execute a re-arrest.