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| Larry, a lab pup, was rescued from a ditch where he was left to die. Photo Courtesy of Gary Zeigler |
Liberals as a whole are more protective of animal life than conservatives. In California, the liberal capitol of the world, animals not only are loved, but woe to those who mistreat animals in The Golden State. This is why this writer makes it a point to hug a liberal every day.
On Monday July 30th, the Contra Costa Times headlined a horrible story of an abused puppy, found in a ditch in Tracy, California, left to die of injuries from being beaten and tortured. His right eye had been poked out. And this loveable little four month old lab pup was whimpering in agony. How could anyone do this?
Someone found the puppy, got it to a local animal shelter and even paid most of the veterinary bills out of pocket. Others are pitching in to help, especially the Noah's Ark Foundation. The beautiful pup, that they named, Larry, is up for adoption today in Pleasanton.
Enter GOP Rep. Steve King, in his fifth term representing Western Iowa, who is considered the leading anti-animal welfare person in the Congress. The roster of his votes below, along with his outspoken activities on the House floor and in Committee, shows a callous and uncaring record toward the care of all of God's creatures, yes, God's creatures.
Congressman King has led the fight in Congress to block legislation that would crack down on the barbaric practice of dog-fighting and cockfighting, which leaves the animals in virtual shreds, with their skin painfully hanging from their bodies.
Especially disturbing are the photos that wild-life environmentalist journalist Cathy Taibbi furnished me, which show not only the torn bodies of the animals, but in the background, one can see the looks of glee, delight, and even laughter of the spectators who had paid to see and enjoy this spectacle.
And GOP Congressman King unequivocally backs this horrible activity that entertains deranged people who love to watch animals suffer.
According to Scott Keyes writing for ThinkProgress, King took a question at a "tele-townhall" about "his opposition to animal rights and recently introduced legislation that would undermine local standards preventing animal torture."
King's response? He declared it strange to be so concerned about dog-fighting, when humans are allowed to step into a ring and fight for sport themselves. Not the same thing, Congressman King.
Whatever good King may have accomplished has been erased through these shocking revelations of an inhumane politician who says he 'stands for family values.' Perhaps it is time to erase King's name from the congressional roster as well. That would be a 'yea' from this writer.
Mahatma Gandhi once said: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." The jury is in on this one
Below is a disturbing, detailed record of Congressman King's votes against animal protection. You'll see that he's also opposed legislation to crack down on horse slaughter; to stop bear baiting on federal lands; to spend millions of taxpayer dollars on federal predator control programs; and to oppose efforts to protect cranes, bison and other popular wildlife species. Here is his voting record.
108th Congress(2003-04)
Voted against an amendment to bar the National Park Service and Forest Service from using federal funds to kill Yellowstone bison. (H.R. 4568)
Voted against an amendment to prohibit the use of funds for bear baiting on federal lands. (H.R. 2691)
Voted against an amendment to strike down provisions in an energy bill that would allow oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (H.R. 6)
109th Congress(2005-06)
Voted against a bill to bar the transport, possession, purchase, or sale of horses to be slaughtered for human consumption. (H.R. 503)
Voted for an amendment to delay implementation of the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. (Amendment to H.R. 503)
Voted against an amendment to prohibit the Bureau of Land Management from using tax dollars for the sale and slaughter of wild horses and burros. (H.R. 2361)
Voted against a bill to require state and local authorities to consider the needs of people with pets and service animals in their disaster planning. (P.L. 109-308)
110th Congress (2007-08)
Voted against the Animal Fighting Enforcement Prohibition Act, which was signed into law in 2007 and strengthened the penalties for illegal dogfighting and cockfighting, making it a felony to transport animals across state lines for these gruesome and barbaric fights. (H.R. 137)
Voted against a bill to restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of wild horses and burros. (H.R. 249)
Voted against an amendment to bar federal funding that permits the import of sport-hunted polar bear trophies from Canada. (H.R. 2643)
Voted against a bill to assist conservation programs that protect rare dog and cat species outside North America and Europe. (H.R. 1464)
Voted against a bill to provide assistance to conservation programs aimed at helping imperiled crane populations in the U.S. and around the world. (H.R. 1771)
Voted against a bill to prohibit interstate and foreign commerce in primates for the pet trade. (H.R. 2964)
111th Congress (2009-10)
Voted to uphold an amendment to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from proceeding with plans to collect greenhouse gas emissions data from factory farms. (P.L. 111-88)
Voted against a bill to authorize additional grants for marine turtle conservation projects in foreign countries, expand eligibility to include projects in the U.S., and increase authorized funding levels. (H.R. 509)
Voted against a bill to establish a more effective recovery program for the severely declining population of Southern sea otters. (H.R. 556)
Voted against a bill to once again prohibit the commercial sale and slaughter of free-roaming horses and burros, and make holding facilities more humane, effective, and fiscally responsible. (H.R. 1018)
Voted for an amendment to remove the federal ban on carrying loaded firearms in national parks. (P.L. 111-24)
Voted against a bill to fund conservation programs that protect rare dog and cat species outside of North America and Europe. (H.R. 411)
Voted against a bill to fund conservation programs for imperiled crane populations in the U.S. and around the world. (H.R. 388) Voted against a bill to prohibit interstate and foreign commerce in primates for the pet trade. (H.R. 80)
Midterm 112th Congress (2011-12)
Voted against amendments to cap agriculture subsidies that would limit huge taxpayer giveaways to commodity growers. (H.R. 1/H.R. 2112)
Voted against an amendment to save millions of taxpayer dollars by ending subsidies for lethal predator control for ranchers. (H.AMDT.471/H.R. 2112)
Voted against an amendment to remove a devastating rider that would prevent the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from protecting any new species or designating critical habitat for currently listed species. (H.R. 2584)
Voted against McGovern amendment to the Farm bill to make it a crime to attend a dogfight or cockfight or to bring a child to an animal fighting venture. That amendment was approved by the House Agriculture Committee.
The endorsement of cruelty of any kind is wrong...and I might add this...sinful.