Category: Environment

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Critters

Misuse and abuse of the Constitution

I’ve read a document going around that supposedly forms the primary arguments for SB 113. I’ll have more on this next week, after I gather together all the bits.

One part of it quotes section 2 of the Missouri State Constitution Bill of Rights:

Section 2. That all constitutional government is intended to promote the general welfare of the people; that all persons have a natural right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and the enjoyment of the gains of their own industry; that all persons are created equal and are entitled to equal rights and opportunity under the law; that to give security to these things is the principal office of government, and that when government does not confer this security, it fails in its chief design.

Too bad the same people didn’t spend more time on Section 1.

Section 1. That all political power is vested in and derived from the people; that all government of right originates from the people, is founded upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole.

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Critters Legal, Laws, and Regs

House hearing on SB 113

The House Agriculture Committee will hold a public hearing on SB 113 & 95, Tuesday, March 29th, at 12:00pm. The location for the meeting is House Hearing Room 6.

To repeat, this is a public hearing, which means all interested members of the public are invited to attend and testify.

Categories
Critters Legal, Laws, and Regs

HB 131 heard in the House

I had thought that the representatives were no longer going to follow through on HB 131, but evidently it was taken up for Perfection today. Darn, I wanted to hear the debate.

Luckily, Jason Rosenbaum did catch some audio of the testimony, and has posted an excerpt. In the audio, you’ll hear Representative Riddle spend her time quoting from the 1986 arrest records for Wayne Pacelle from the HSUS. Yes, I would think that a 1986 arrest for an individual would be out of scope for this bill. She also called him a terrorist, and continued her rant until the Representative from St. Louis raised a point of order.

This type of name calling has happened all too frequently: those who testify “for” these bills to gut Proposition B spend all their time trashing HSUS. Hello! Did you happen to forget that over half the people in this state voted for Proposition B!?

Getting tired of the absolute lack of respect these representatives have for the voters in this state.

If I find links to more audio for the testimony, will post.

Categories
Critters Political

Email to Representative Jeanie Riddle

sent as email this evening to Representative Jeanie Riddle, based on an audio recording from HB 131 debate

Representative Riddle

I listened with shock to your accusations of domestic terrorism against Wayne Pacelle, and in fact against anyone who is a strong supporter of Proposition B.

I remind you that the citizen initiative process is part of our State Constitution. It was added for those times when the people of a state could not get satisfaction from their state representatives, typically because of undue influence by special interests among the legislative members.

Over 190,000 people signed to put Proposition B on the ballot. Over half the people (of this state) voted for this bill in the last election.

Since then we have been insulted and maligned by various members of the Missouri State Senate and House of Representatives. We have been told that we were “misled”, which is just another way of these reps saying we were stupid to vote for Proposition B.

Now, in your rant on the House floor, you not only demeaned the dignity of the Missouri House of Representatives, you called every supporter behind Proposition B a “domestic terrorist”.

How dare you disparage people who have committed no other act than to disagree with you. You should be ashamed of yourself, and your words. You should apologize on the floor for your outrageous accusations and slander, but I realize that anyone who thinks so little of the majority of Missourians would not possess the integrity to recognize how much you have wronged all of us.

Shelley Powers
Thankfully, not a member of your district

Categories
Critters

Mad biologists love puppies too

Barb Shelly has another excellent run down of what’s happening in Jefferson City this session, not only about Proposition B, but so many of our other votes. In Silly Lawmakers aren’t just in DC, she writes:

Only the all-knowing, all-powerful Missouri General Assembly can be counted on to do the right thing.

Thank heavens for legislative sessions. Besides warming a cold planet with five months’ worth of hot air, they provide a chance for lawmakers to undo the damage caused by the meddlesome federal government, hapless local governments and clueless voters.

Puppies aren’t the only thing being kicked in Jeff City this year. Add to this workers, unions, civil rights, as well as the young, and we’re really showing the world what a warm and caring place our state is—not to mention how much the people we elect respect our vote once they’re in office.

And Mike, the Mad Biologist over at the famous ScienceBlogs network, weighs in on the Senate vote on SB 113 with Missouri GOP Hates Puppies (And schoolchildren. And the elderly.) No, Really, They Do:

And why wouldn’t you want to keep puppies between 45 – 85 degrees? The Honorable Sen. Parsons explains:

“We don’t do that for our senior citizen facilities, we don’t do that for our schools, we don’t do that for the state Capitol,” Parson said.

That sound you just heard is my jaw hitting the floor. In Missouri, it’s legal to house the elderly or children in facilities that aren’t at least 45 degrees? Because that’s pretty damn cold. I realize the founders froze their asses off at Valley Forge, so who are we to complain about 45 degrees, but, seriously, what the fuck is wrong with you?

You don’t house puppies or people at 45 degrees. If it’s not illegal, make it illegal.

But then, Mike is a biologist, so what does he know about what organisms need to survive and thrive?

However, Senator Parson is inaccurate in his statement, as we do have regulations that govern nursing homes and senior centers in our state, as well as schools (and other government centers). So not all of us in Missouri are callous—just some who call themselves our representatives.