I love (most) of our Republican legislators, Save Jerseyans, but sometimes even the ones I like do or say things that make your Blogger-in-Chief feel as if his head is about to explode. BOOM.
This is one of those moments; a member of the GOP Assembly caucus has introduced a bill that would ban horse slaughter for human consumption (via Assembly GOP website):
Assemblyman Ron Dancer (R-Ocean) has introduced a bill to ban the slaughter of horses and their sale for human consumption. Dancer said he wrote the measure after President Obama signed a law lifting a ban on funds for horse meat inspections by the Food and Drug Administration, which had made it impossible to legally process horse meat.
His late father, Stanley Dancer, was one of harness racing’s best-known figures.
There are no horse slaughterhouses in New Jersey, but Dancer said he acted after a Pennsylvania woman was charged with selling for slaughter thoroughbreds she had promised to care for.
He said the measure would send a message to states “because the federal government has not acted.”
Forget for a second that there are much greater evils in our world worth addressing than “horse consumption.” Granted.
In all candor, Save Jerseyans, I couldn’t give less of a damn if someone wants to eat their horse. It’s THEIR horse! Their “property.” Remember that word? “Property.” It used to mean something in this country. Mr. Ed and Black Beauty are animals, not people, and are therefore someone’s property. I’m a dog lover and fully support reasonable laws against animal cruelty but dear God, folks! Republicans should never indulge the Left by adopting their ridiculous premises, i.e. that animals somehow have “rights.”
Please stop horsing around in general, Republicans. Let’s shelve the horse slaughter bills and – here’s a wacky idea – introduce a statewide voucher proposal! Or pitch a tax code reform provision to compliment the Governor’s own proposal? Or craft legislation to bring out-of-control state authorities back under control? How about a new crack at an abortion parental notification law?
Something constructive? Anything useful? Ernest Hemingway once said “Never mistake motion for action.” Passing bills isn’t necessarily the same thing as getting important stuff accomplished.
And yes, I recognize full well that the Democrats control both houses. That isn’t an excuse to give up on serious legislating.
Voters need a clear contrast to consider tossing big government Democrats out of the State House in 2013. To me, Asm. Dancer’s bill is no less frivolous than Sen. Lesniak’s infamous anti-Tiger black market bill. Is this what we’re paying them to do, Save Jerseyans? And do Republicans expect to win a governing majority by blurring the lines instead of highlighting them?
I’ll tell you this much: anti-horse eating legislation is a step in the wrong direction.
right on, rooney.
Ron Dancer needs to get off his high horse.
Get real people. Banning the Slaughter Houses has all but ruined the Horse Industry. People are left with no way out of the financial burden of horse ownership once the animal has become disabled. Regulations say you cannot bury a horse on your own property . . . so, what are people suppose to do with them? Every Rescue Organization you call is FULL, every Foster Home is FULL . . . can you not see the writing on the wall? How do the horses fend in the wild when a cougar runs one down for the dinner kill; do you think that being eaten alive is a fast death? It’s a natural food chain. Horses arn’t going to the slaughter houses for our dinner-table. If the meat goes overseas, who cares; if it goes for dog food, so what . . . it’s a food chain! Our Government does not support our horse fancy interests; it is up to each individual owner. With the economy the way it is, why should I be expected to spend what money I have to support my horse, when I need to feed myself? I don’t hear the same outcry for Cattle, Chickens, Pigs, Sheep, etc.; they are used as companion pets as well as any horse; but, reality is reality. The U.S. does not have to slaughter horses for human consumption; slaughter for carnivorous animal diets or dog and cat food! There are far too many horses and not enough individual incomes to cover them and certainly no Grants. You cannot give a horse away these days; come-on get real people!!! Ban together and offer suggestions for a better way to get rid of the unwanted horses, if there is one; but, for right now, the Slaughter Houses are all we got.
Despite the fact that horse meat is not widely consumed in Canada, over 90,000 horses a year are slaughtered for food there. Its high-protein, low-fat meat is still consumed in many parts of the world, including Italy, Japan and Brazil. The taboo of eating horse meat persists in most of North America, however, and the Canadian horse meat industry remains controversial. If horse meat isn't your thing, perhaps you would like camel (Egypt), whales (Norway) or monkeys (sub-Saharan Africa).
What is next? I can't chop down a tree on my own property because it's a living thing? OH WAIT, some towns already tell you what you can't chop! Welcome to the Soviet Socialist Republic of New Jersey.
At least you didn't have a Republican get up on the floor and talk about how controversy over a bill prevented him from getting laid by his wife.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRyRSlammXI
😉
Incidentally, I agree with the author's contention here but while it may not be popular, I do think certain extra "rights" (not "rights" per-se, but considerations or protections) should be applied to the higher animals – cetaceans, great apes, for example. But that's my own view and not of issue here.