Dumb questions about the US political system.

Thanks, fishin'.... Quite interesting, this whole thread!!!

sooooo....



Are people concerned about this? I remember all the media swirl around Sheriff Joe Arpaio....

New Mexico is kind of a special case, Rog. I know this from lengthy conversations I've had with current and former state law enforcement people in your fair state. The State Police are so understaffed that if a patrol officer runs into trouble on the highway, his nearest backup might easily be 100 miles or more distant. That would be the reason a sheriff's department has more responsibilities than in most other states. But, I tell ya', the local coppers impress me. I did a "ride-along" in a patrol car with a sergeant of the Roswell PD one night and was duly impressed by their efficiency.

An aside to our Aussie friends: In New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado and any other state which has large Indian reservations, there is yet another police force -- the Tribal Police. The reservations are self-policing. Uniformed Native Americans keep the peace in clearly-marked vehicles and handle all minor crimes and misdemeanors on the reservation. In case of a serious violent crime, e.g. murder, the FBI is usually called in just to assist the Indian police in their investigation. The state authorities have no jurisdiction at all on the reservation.

Ya know? I really should have made it down, a few years when you were teaching that law enforcement group in New Mexico. I know your calendar was pretty well marked in; I should have made the trip anyway.

Tribal police, eh?

You know, I have read about lots of different police - and jurisdictional disputes - in novels, and just sort of accepted it. This is interesting.

We do not have tribal police, as such - but there are really active attempts made to recruit Aboriginal people - and bush areas often have Aboriginal police aides as a special career division, as well.

Because Aboriginal resistance to invasion was never successful enough (though fierce at certain places and times) to force the white people to make treaties, there is a different legal history here than in the US, or so I gather, and in New Zealand - where the Maoris were able to negotiate the Treaty of Waitangi (which is still being used to gain Maori rights today).

There is some recognition of tribal law in some areas, for some offences, though - a fascinating thing in both the genesis, and in the ongoing debates about its operation.


Thinking up more dumb questions....

Deb, I highly recommend the series of crime novels by Tony Hillerman which describe the doings of the Navajo Tribal Police on what is usually referred to as the Big Res, an area which overlaps four state boundaries and is larger than a number of the smaller Eastern states.

Bet she's already heard of the series, and might have read a couple.

A really good author of really good crime stories!

And I must admit that by Lieutenant Al Wheeler of the Los Angeles Sheriff Office (Carter Brown) and Jim Chee (Hillerman) I learnt a lot about the differences in the US-American police system - after I've learnt all the basis from 87th precinct (Ed McBain) :wink:

You know--we should import some TV shows from Europe to learn more about their culture...

How would Andy Taylor be portrayed in Sweden?

The Jeffersons in Albania?

Sex in the City in Amsterdam?

Somebody---write a teleplay?

This may help with some small understanding.... but probably not.
The United States was created with the idea that Individual Sovereignty must be able to co-exist with the idea of a united, federated, country.
Therefore the 13 originial Colonies that became States maintained their own practices and governing bodies.
This idea was paramount on every level of goverment. Nobody wanted to give up power to the next higher "level" of government.
So, if you add the idea of the American archetype of "rugged individualism" to the ingrained bureaucracy of any govermental system, you get a continuing overlapping system of agencies and governments from the lowest (rural counties without any townships?) to the highest (the Federal government).
For instance: the Village of Williamsville has all of its own government agencies. And even though it is today ten times bigger - it is located within the Town of Amherst, which also has all of its own agencies - both Village and Town have overlapping agencies that service both.
They are both located next to the City of Buffalo which also has its own agencies plus some agencies that overlap and serve the Village of Williamsville and the Town of Amherst.
They are all located withing Erie County which also has its own agencies which also serve the needs of the aforementioned governments.
Erie County is located within New York State, which also has all of its agencies, etcetra...
And they are all located within the United States of America which has more overlapping agencies that you could ever shake a stick at....
Just to bring it to the point. Each governing body has its own police force and as you get higher in the hierarchy, you get multiple police forces serving multiple functions.

It all stems from the desire of each governing body to control its own litte (or big) "fiefdom."
And that is all based on rugged individualism and the idea that each citizen has sovereign rights unto themselves.
Okay?

Sounds like an Aussie trying to explain cricket. It was probably helpfull, though.

Explain cricket?! As if!

Ok - do you have a minimum wage?

Lol! True - as Roger well knows!

Sorry. Still recommended.

Smoooooch!

Thanks for the info, McGentrix.

There is a Federal minimum wage which is currently set at $5.15/hour. States can (and some do) set higher wage levels if they choose to. Some cities set theirs even higher themselves too.

That is interesting - we tend to believe that you have none.

So - people cannot, legally, be paid below a certain amount?

Why do we hear so much of folk working 2/3 jobs just to stay alive?

I heard that it's different for waiters, for example: They have a minimum wage of $2,50 (as far as I recollect), because they are supposed to get tips...

True or not?

$5.15/hr x 40 hrs = $206.00 minus 15% taxes = $175.00 x 52 weeks = $9,100.00 per year.

An average 15 year old American burger flopper makes more than $5.15 per hour. And all he is trying to do is keep himself in video games and skate boards.

Nobody can live (caveat - yes of course your organic moonbean scavenger in harmony with nature can, but....) on $10,000 a year.
I believe the official "poverty level" in the US is around $20,000 a year.
It takes well over $50,000.00 a year to try and raise a family; try and maybe buy a house with help from your family; to try and pay the bills; to try and maybe have a car or two; to perhaps go on vacation once a year; maybe have medical insurance; maybe.... well, on $50,000.00 that's about all you can hope for - if you manage your money very carefully; if you don't have too many kids; if you don't buy junk...
Those who make less are supplied with all of these niceties by the Federal or local governments - surprise, surprise...