John,
Well, this thread has wandered quite a bit, and I don't know how it got this far in left-field, but here goes....
I agree with some of your ideals, but socialistic government can never work in the long-term....Human nature makes it impossible. Regardless of how a government is set up, there will always be over-achievers and freeloaders, and under socialism the over-achievers will be underpaid and the freeloaders will be grossly overpaid. And every variation in between. People will only endure those circumstances for a time, until a more fair system is demanded.
Barring any mental or physical handicap, failure is a CHOICE! Or more accurately, a series of choices. The US (or anywhere else, really) has not CHOSEN to have huge neighborhoods for "warehousing of the poor", the poor choose to congregate and REMAIN there! For every sob story of someone who is stuck in the "'hood" or a small town, or just "can't get ahead", there is a success story from someone from the same place who had the drive and determination to better themselves.
I am FAR from rich, believe me, but I do not begrudge the wealthy one bit. That kind of money doesn't fall from the sky, it is EARNED, and if you earn it, you deserve it, and the lazy freeloader down the street who won't work DOES NOT.
Getting back to the original post, I agree that a VERY harsh punishment is appropriate, none of that "they're just juveniles, send them to therapy and put them on probation" bullsh**t. Where are all those anaimal rights fanatics when you REALLY need them?
Just my 2 cents....OK, maybe 3 cents....
Mike