Humane Society comes out for Scott Brown!!!

[sweetroxie]

Last edited Fri Oct 26, 2012, 04:30 PM - Edit history (1)

No more money from me. I love animals, but they would be the last charity I will contribute to. After receiving this, I called the number on their email and told them how despicable it is to politicize the wellbeing of animals by coming out for Scott Brown-- a man not good for animals of any sort-- human or otherwise. I told them I would never contribute to them again. The person on the phone "I understand your concern, but it is important for the animals to have someone in the Senate who will vote for legislation to support the animals." Bah! as if Elizabeth Warren wouldn't vote in favor of animals! Disgusting.

Here is what their mailer says:


Dear Friend,

Election Day is just 10 days away, and advocates of animal protection need to know who is standing up for their interests. The Humane Society Legislative Fund is the non-partisan political arm of the humane movement, and we want you to know that Scott Brown is a friend of animal protection.

We're encouraging animal advocates to support Scott Brown for U.S. Senate on November 6.

Among his efforts, Scott Brown has:

Acted as lead sponsor of S. 1947, the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, which would close a loophole in the federal animal fighting law and make it a crime for an adult to attend or take a child to a dogfight or cockfight. He helped to lead an amendment to the Farm Bill on this issue which passed the Senate by a vote of 88-11.
Acted as lead sponsor of the Marine Mammal Protection Amendment Act, S. 1402, to increase fines from $20,000 to $50,000 for knowingly violating prohibitions against the taking or importation of marine mammals. Brown introduced the bill in response to the illegal killing of grey seals on Cape Cod beaches.
Original co-sponsor of S. 3239, the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments, to ban the use of barren battery cages in the egg industry and improve the treatment of hundreds of millions of egg-laying hens.
Co-sponsored S. 707, the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act, which cracks down on abusive large-scale commercial puppy mills selling dogs over the Internet with no oversight.
Original co-sponsor of S. 1176, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, which bans the slaughter of horses, including the export of live horses for slaughter in other countries, for human consumption.
Voted for an amendment to save taxpayer dollars by limiting subsidies to massive factory farms, which thrive on taxpayer giveaways that keep animal feed artificially cheap, jeopardize public health, the environment, and animal welfare, while also driving smaller and more humane, sustainable family farms out of business. (S.AMDT. 791/H.R. 2112)
Scott Brown is a friend of animals and we encourage you to vote for him on November 6. Please forward this email to friends and family and share it on Facebook.

Thanks for all you do for animals.

Sincerely,



Mike Markarian
President
Humane Society Legislative Fund

[VirginiaTarheel]

1. Growl

[lumpy]

2. Yeah sure, non partisan political arm of the society supporting Brown.

n

[theinquisitivechad]

3. I'm actually happy

That someone on the "other side" actually cares about these issues. Makes him human. Barely.

Would never vote for him, though.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. They're are two separate things. The Humane Society takes care of animals.

This is the Legislative Fund.

[RomneyLies]

10. They're associated with the Humane Society

I end my donations now.

[SingleSeatBiggerMeat]

5. Actually, I admire them for sticking with principle....especially with animals.

Scott Brown is a zero - but if he has supported your cause with some conviction and consistency, there's nothing wrong with supporting him back.

[Mutiny In Heaven]

6. It's a valid endorsement.

I wouldn't countenance voting for him for many reasons, but if he were the moderate he pretends to be running against another? It would certainly play a part in my decision.

[veganlush]

7. it's admirable.

Everyone should be fighting factory farms. pigs are dogs too, as are cattle and sheep, etc. go vegan boycott cruelty. animal rights WILL be the new civil rights

[LeftofObama]

8. Maybe I'm way off base,

but shouldn't Elizabeth Warren be given a chance to give them the same support?

[SingleSeatBiggerMeat]

9. Unfortunately, that is not the way it works.

[WI_DEM]

11. I'm not sure they should be endorsing anybody

[IfPalinisAnswerWatsQ]

12. Single issue groups almost always endorse supportive incumbents

This is why the NRA almost always endorses incumbent Democratic senators and representatives. who are pro-RKBA

[txdemsftw]

13. As an adamant Vegetarian and Animal Rights activist...

I won't fault them for doing it. I'll never vote for him, but I understand why they endorsed him.

[kwolf68]

14. Another thing ....

Animal welfare groups as well as many environmental groups need to get those sympathetic to the cause from the other side. This kind of stuff shouldn't be partisan, but sadly it is.

I would not vote for Scott Brown, but if he has been a champion for the HSUS cause then i don't fault them one bit for their support. They are in the business of promoting animal friendly people, not Democrats. My donations to the HSUS will not be tempered because of this.

And YES, I still want Brown defeated by Warren, because she has a very high degree of awesomeness.

[txdemsftw]

15. ^^

Good post!

[jsmirman]

18. Crazy situation for me personally

the cause of my life (and I've interned at the Humane Society and know all those people) and they're advocating against my favorite candidate of this whole election cycle.

Argh.

I don't even know what to say.

I appreciate Brown's support, and we have so few friends among those in power, as most are completely captured by Big Ag, but, I mean, he's Scott Brown.

I don't know - I see where they are coming from, but just as Warren is my favorite candidate, she's kind of the favorite big candidate of progressives. Is it really wise to be alienating progressives?

[progressivebydesign]

16. Foolish animal group supporting politicians whose policies result in the deaths of millions of pets.

brilliant. fucking brilliant.

Where do these people think that the pets went who were left homeless by the republican recession and foreclosures??? they died in shelters. This is ridiculous.

[hamsterjill]

17. This is not the Humane Society of the United States, right?

This is not affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States, I don't believe. Am I wrong?

Either way, I'm an animal rescuer, and I don't give money to anything but my local shelters.

[jsmirman]

19. Please tell me what animal causes you care most about, and I'd be glad to

recommend multiple excellent organizations that I am sure would welcome your support.

Please let me know. I certainly understand how you feel.

[sweetroxie]

21. No HSUS is another group

with a whole other set of disagreeable issues (that I can't remember at the moment)

[sweetroxie]

22. I'm well aware of other groups

but thank you anyway. I think it's totally inappropriate for them to endorse anyone. I have given them money before, but for the last time.

[jsmirman]

20. It seems they did this back on October 2nd

I looked at their endorsement in a number of states, and it does seem that while *almost* all their endorsements are for Democrats, they tend to endorse any incumbent who has been an ally in helping them get legislation passed (which is what the Humane Society Legislative Fund does).

So I don't think it's any more complicated than that, even though it makes me very uncomfortable.

I had wondered if it was some sort of "don't take us for granted" thing, as the Obama Administration has been terrible on animal-related policy - which I constantly ask people to recognize that I swallow as I passionately support Obama because I have to support everything else that is part of our agenda - but it doesn't seem any more complicated than the above.

[onenote]

23. Affiliate of the HSUS. Had never heard of them. Mostly endorse Democrats

For example, they've endorsed Tammy Baldwin. Here's a map you can click on to see who they've endorsed. http://www.hslf.org/voter_guide/

I think its fair to say that they are a one-issue, bi-partisan organization. I wish they hadn't endorsed Brown, but I understand why they did it and don't think its unfair or inconsistent with their general approach to endorsements, which greatly favors Democrats.

[Cha]

24. Brown but not mitt? That's nice.. Brown is for

animals but not humans..only corps. So who will take care of the animals?

[geek tragedy]

25. If he's good on their issues and has worked with them well, as a single issue group they

have every right to do this.

Humane Society doesn't have a position on Wall Street reform, Medicare, taxes etc.

This is distinct from, say, Audobon which deals with more politically controversial subjects.