Sacrificial Wolves…

Look closely at this picture, this is what the US Senate is preparing to foist upon wolves.

The Congressional leadership allowed Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) and Representative Mike Simpson (R-ID) to insert a wolf delisting rider into the budget bill that would remove Endangered Species Act protections from wolves in the Northern Rockies, without judicial review. They apparently haven’t heard about the climate of hate and persecution that surrounds wolves in the Northern Rockies. For starters the Idaho legislature recently passed a Wolf Emergency Resolution. Wolves, who have never caused a single human fatality in the lower 48 in a hundred years, are surrounded by hysteria and a deliberate hate campaign. I suggest this as required reading for any Senator who plans on voting yes on the wolf delisting budget bill.

And in the end, hysteria triumphs in Idaho Legislature

Posted: Thursday, April 7, 2011

On Tuesday, Huckleberries — an Idaho blog of the Spokesman-Review newspaper in Spokane, Wash. — posted an online poll that asked readers, “What scares you more: the Idaho Legislature in the Statehouse or wolves in the forest?”

The legislators won, 74 percent to 10 percent.

Just in time for House Bill 343, which would allow the governor to declare a wolf emergency and ask city and county law enforcement officers to hunt down the predators.The House passed it 64-5 on Tuesday and the Senate Resources and Conservation Committee — which used to be the most-respected in the Senate — approved it 7-2 on Wednesday.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. It all started in the Spring of 2009 when the Obama administration delisted wolves in the Northern Rockies, a feat even George Bush couldn’t accomplish. Within months of their delisting wolves were being hunted, something never done with a newly delisted species. 500 wolves died that year in the Northern Rockies, due mostly to the Montana and Idaho hunts, brutal Wildlife Services killings and poaching.

In August 2010 Judge Molloy relisted wolves, a major victory for wolves and 14 environmental groups, who sued USFWS over wolves’ delisting. Since then things have spiraled out of control. The anti-wolf crowd came up with a new plan. Since they couldn’t win in court they decided to make an end-run around the ESA and join forces with Western politicians to legislate wolves out of their ESA protections, again something never done before to any species. This is the hateful situation the Senate will be placing wolves in. And for what? Jon Tester’s Senate seat?

Tester is battling rival Rep. Denny Rehberg (MT-R) in a tightly contested race for 2012. Behind closed doors, away from the eyes of the American people, Congressional leaders decided to throw wolves under the bus in some misguided attempt to save Tester’s seat, since both he and Rehberg are using gray wolves’ 2010 relisting as part of their political campaign. Are the Dems so worried about losing their majority in the Senate they would stoop this low?

Guess what US Senate Democrats? The only thing you’re doing is pissing off your base. You know, the people who actually vote Democratic? Those people?

The people you’re trying to placate for Senator Tester’s sake, will never vote for you, ever. They will vote Republican. Therefore, if you allow wolves’ ESA protections to be removed in a BUDGET BILL, you will go down in history as the Senate Democrats who destroyed the ESA and wolves for political expediency.

I urge Senators to examine their conscience. You will be dooming the Northern Rockies wolves to pain and death. Wolves are hated by a small, vocal minority in the Northern Rockies, that mean to do them real harm. Wolves need the protection of the ESA or they will suffer the same fate that befell them the first time they were exterminated in the West.

Wolves are being used in a cruel political game. If Democrat Senators ignore their conscience and vote for the wolf slaughter budget bill it will come with a high price tag, possibly the loss of the Dems Senate majority, because environmentalists and wolf advocates will not forget this betrayal. Not ever.

=======

Tester’s wolf rider is bad policy

By Michael Garrity

Sunday, March 13, 2011 12:00 am

During his 2006 campaign against then-Sen. Conrad Burns, candidate Jon Tester made many promises. Among them, Tester promised he wouldn’t use “riders,” which are amendments tacked on to unrelated bills, to legislate environmental issues.

Only two months ago, Tester broke that promise when he added a rider to the Omnibus Spending Bill in December to remove wolves from the Endangered Species List. That bill died, but now Tester has slipped another wolf rider on the Senate’s latest Continuing Funding Resolution. Not only does his move set a very dangerous precedent that may well destroy the Endangered Species Act, it also violates the constitutional rights of all Americans.

=======

Endangered Wolves Sacrificed in Budget Deal

By Glen Hurowitz

Although Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Barack Obama stood firm against Republican attempts to repeal clean air and clean water protections, wolves in the Northern Rockies weren’t so lucky.

Under pressure from ranching interests in Montana and Idaho, as well as anti-wolf zealots in those states, Reid and Obama agreed to accept an amendment from Montana Democrat Jon Tester mandating the removal of grey wolves in Idaho and Montana from the endangered species list. For Obama, at least, the move isn’t surprising: his administration backed the Bush administration’s delisting of wolves even though it would allow the two massive states to cut wolf populations to as few as 450 individuals between them.

Photos: Copyright Lynne Stone

Posted in: Wolf Wars

Tags: Sacrificial wolves, selling out the ESA, abandoning wolves, US Senate, Democrats abandoning their base, wolf delisting budget bill

Published in:

Wolf Wars

on April 12, 2011 at 4:34 am Comments (30)
Tags: abandoning wolves, Democrats abandoning their base, Sacrificial wolves, selling out the ESA, US Senate, wolf delisting budget bill

The URI to TrackBack this entry is: https://howlingforjustice.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/sacrificial-wolves/trackback/

RSS feed for comments on this post.

30 CommentsLeave a comment

On April 12, 2011 at 6:50 am Mark J. Dinkel said:

This entire deal represent’s a shameless effort to save Tester’s senate seat. Mr. Obama will not get my vote in 2012 as he has substantially and significantly misled supporters of his candidacy in 2008 in numerouse ways. We need a new political party as neither of the major political parties are upholding our obligation to protect and preserve the natural world.

LikeLike

Reply
- On April 12, 2011 at 11:22 am Nabeki said:
  
  Mark..my feelings exactly. For this to be coming from Democrats is beyond me. It started with Obama appointing Salazar and hasn’t stopped. They are decimating our wild horse population as well.
  
  We’ve needed a third party for a long time and I for one will not vote for another Democrat if this rider passes, including Mr. Hope and Change. They have betrayed their base for votes. This will backfire on them big time.
  
  For the wolves, For the wildones,
  Nabeki
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
  - On April 12, 2011 at 4:53 pm william huard said:
    
    What’s even more cynical is the democrats betraying their base because they know most of us are scared to death of the alternative- ie Sluggo or Rehberg or lets say Obama or trump or Bachmann perhaps. I’d be on the way to Tasmania for sure. I’m sure they have hospitals where i could work, Where the hell are the Udalls on this issue- SILENT really strange
    
    LikeLike
On April 12, 2011 at 9:40 am Priscilla Feral said:

Interior Department’s Ken Salazar is a rancher, so Obama’s selection couldn’t be more pitiful. More disappointing is the exasperating “Settlement” crafted by environmental groups: Defenders of Wildlife, Sierra Club, NRDC, Center for Biological Diversity, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands, Wildlands Network and Hells Preservation Council — these groups threw the wolves to hunters in Montana and Idaho, and REFUSED TO WRANGLE WITH CONGRESS. Their damage control is now in overtime as NRDC writes that they’re “dismayed and heartbroken” to report an irrelevant rider to a budget bill. Oh, please. If these groups had the moxie and political muscle to match their coffers, the rider would be dead.

What’s shameful is that well-heeled environmental groups say they’ve fought hard for wolf recovery when the settlement they negotiated would have delisted wolves in Idaho and Montana, and now they’re busy trying to look like they were standing firm for wolves.

So the fight is on while fundraising resumes at NRDC et al. Don’t support any hunting, or the products of animal agribusiness. This withdraws support from the NRA and ranchers anywhere who shoot wolves and call it livestock protection for private profit.

Priscilla Feral
President
Friends of Animals
http://www.friendsofanimals.org

LikeLike

Reply
- On April 12, 2011 at 5:06 pm Nabeki said:
  
  I agree with you completely Patricia. The “settlement” was the deal breaker that really hurt us. They should have gone to “the mats” for wolves and never capitulated but they were willing to throw Montana and Idaho wolves under the bus WITHOUT any guarantees from Tester, Rehberg or anyone that they wouldn’t go forward with their delisting bills and riders. That hurt wolves and wolf advocates who were blind sided by this “deal”. They can spin all they want and act upset and sorrowful but it was their weakness and poor strategy that allowed wolves to be backed into a corner in a budget bill. This is a travesty of epic proportions. Which inconvenient animal will be next? I predict the grizzly bear.
  
  For the wolves, For the wild ones,
  Nabeki
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
- On April 27, 2011 at 11:31 pm sandra holland said:
  
  I am a lobbyist for the Arctic Refuge (to be declared Monument statis…no more drilling). I
  met with Michael Bean (Interior Dept)three weeks ago about the wolves while I was in DC lobbying. He is an old, pompous man in charge of the Gray Wolves (nothing else).
  I will send an email to him tomorrow. I expect
  nothing though…but he needs to know that Obama
  may lose the re-election on his stand re Wildlife.
  Americans who are avid (rabid) about wolves or
  other wildelife vote. Salazar needs to be reminded
  of that…Obama loses…Salazar doesn’t have a job!
  E-mails need to be sent to him (Micheal Bean) also.
  I’ll get the address…email and forward to you.
  Everyone needs to send Michael Bean an email also,
  not just Obama.
  
  Sandi
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
  - On May 6, 2011 at 3:01 pm shane ryan said:
    
    can you send me michael bean’s email? ken salazare too, if you don’t mind.
    
    LikeLike
On April 12, 2011 at 11:54 am Rita K.Sharpe said:

These moves/deceit to delist the wolves by the Dems in order to keep or optain control will not help them in the on coming electons;it most likely will hurt them.

LikeLike

Reply
On April 12, 2011 at 12:15 pm christine rhodes said:

Im sickened that people can do this to any animal, they have the right to live just like us humans. I dont know how people can call this sport,” killing ” To me , its disgusting. Sport is when you compete in proper sport, not killing innocent animals!!!!!

LikeLike

Reply
On April 12, 2011 at 4:24 pm John d'Archambaud said:

A wolf ’emergency’, give me a break. What emergency? Two years ago, a calm response to a question concerning the justification for the wolf hunt was: because we can.

Another thing that won’t add up – it was recently confirmed that delisting the grey wolf in Idaho and Montana, without Wyoming, was in violation of the law. But then we have all these additions to the bills, which have absolutely nothing to do with the grey wolf, in Congress blatantly defying that law, not to mention stepping on people’s rights. How do these mockeries to the human race sleep at night?

LikeLike

Reply
On April 12, 2011 at 6:22 pm AGNES DELANIS,LOUPINETTE said:

MY HEART IS SO HEAVY.IT’S OUTRAGEOUS…SHAME ON THE CONGRESS AND ON THE WHITE HOUSE…THE WORLD HAS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN…GOD BLESS THE WOLVES IN THEIR HOUR OF NEED! GOD,HELP,PROTECT WOLVES….

LikeLike

Reply
- On April 12, 2011 at 11:53 pm Nabeki said:
  
  Dearest Agnes….This is truly a dire situation but I’m the eternal optimist and think we can still pull this out. I think momentum is building for us. They don’t have the votes in the House to pass the wolf slaughter budget bill. LETS GO WOLF WARRIORS!!!!!!
  
  For the wolves, For the wild ones,
  Nabeki
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
On April 12, 2011 at 7:46 pm Kim Balsman said:

It’s more than just shameful that this has transpired. It’s fraud perpetrated against the American people. Sadly, there is more to come. Certain members of Congress have taken aim at our natural resources and wildlife. Now, it appears they have a blank check to push through their personal and political agendas. I am shocked and outraged that it’s come to this.

LikeLike

Reply
- On April 12, 2011 at 11:50 pm Nabeki said:
  
  We can’t stop fighting Kim. They delayed the vote because they don’t have the votes. It gives us one more day to let them know what we think about their wolf slaughter budget bill. We can still turn this around. Call, email, fax the Capital Switchboard tomorrow!!!
  
  For the wolves, For the wild ones,
  Nabeki
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
- On April 27, 2011 at 11:38 pm sandra holland said:
  
  Elections are sooooo important. Find out everything
  you can about the people running for major offices.
  It is one thing to listen to a speech…ask pertinent questions about their views on wildlife
  protections…don’t rely on just their speeches.
  Then, hold them to it after elections. Your one
  vote is important!
  
  Sandi
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
On April 12, 2011 at 8:08 pm Debbie said:

OUR GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER DID NOT THESE PRECIOUS ANIMALS ON THIS EARTH TO BE SLAUGHTERED BY IGNORANT HUMAN BEINGS. I HOPE GOD STRIKES THEM IN SOME PAINFULL WAY FOR MUEDERING HIS HEAVENLY CREATURES. MAY GOD FORGIVE ME FOR SAYING THIS BUT THESE WOLVES ARE HIS CREATURES PUT HJERE FOR US TO ADMIRE AND ENJOY NOT MURDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LikeLike

Reply
On April 13, 2011 at 1:16 am Justin Forte said:

One thing I would also like to point out is that Tester and Simpson’s rider is unconstitutional as it violates the rights of Americans to challenge it in the courts which is the act of a dictatorship and not a democracy. In other words, what Tester, Simpson, and the other lawmakers who are refusing to take the rider out of the spending bill are doing is a criminal act. The rider itself is illegal according to federal law because it takes away our constitutional right to contest it.

We need to stop this rider and save the wolves, The E.S.A, and our rights as Americans to challenge unjust laws.

LikeLike

Reply
On April 13, 2011 at 8:48 am gline said:

Just curious if there will be enough money from the few pro wolf groups left to fight an unconsitutional rider? (IE no support from Defenders anymore) I am sure there are many many illegal riders that have gone through Congress now and in the past….

LikeLike

Reply
On April 14, 2011 at 11:21 am L Walker said:

I swear if I didnt know myself I would just believe humans just dont have a heart……….its so sad and please President(who has a heart) stop this madness…….PLEASE!!!!!!

LikeLike

Reply
On April 15, 2011 at 12:29 am ramses said:

If this is in the Budget & Obama VETO’s the Budget – than does it not mean that this rider dies to????

LikeLike

Reply
- On April 15, 2011 at 7:35 pm Nabeki said:
  
  ramses…if Obama vetoed this budget bill the rider would die but don’t count on it since Obama signed off on it. He’s just as much to blame as the infamous 81.
  
  For the wolves, For the wild ones,
  Nabeki
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
  - On April 27, 2011 at 11:39 pm sandra holland said:
    
    Absolutely true.
    
    Sandi
    
    LikeLike
On April 19, 2011 at 8:21 pm katherine said:

Now that it’s a done deal, is there anything that can be done? Can a grass roots organization have any impact? This is so disgusting…I’m heart sick.

LikeLike

Reply
- On April 20, 2011 at 12:08 am Nabeki said:
  
  katherine….many people are brainstorming this situation to see what can be done. This is not the end of this by a long shot. i believe there will be progress, time is our enemy but I refuse to give up. I’ll be updating everyone on any news from the front.
  
  For the wolves, For the wild ones,
  Nabeki
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
  - On September 29, 2011 at 4:34 pm Maggie Schafer said:
    
    No, this is not the end. There is still the 9th Circuit Appeal and the boycotts of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming – and they are working and will get better the more people that take part – boycott tourism and industry! I was very gratified to hear how many people are boycotting Idaho potatoes!
    
    If the government will not listen, despite tens of thousands sending e-mails, letters, faxes, and signing petitions, then it is time to march just like have been done for other causes, e.g. the Wall Street protests! This may be the only way to take back our government, and, it is not just wolves that they have screwed us on! It is just about everything that their greed wants for themselves! You all have seend the headlines – debt ceilings, budgets, foreign relations, pipelines, Arctic drilling – all this NObama is willing to give away for political gain DESPITE the will of and voice of the public! So, we fight, we protest, we rally, we march. NEVER GIVE UP ON THE WOLVES, NEVER GIVE UP ON WILDLIFE! GO AFTER THE GREEDY POLITICIANS AND THE KILLING STATES!
    
    LikeLike
- On April 27, 2011 at 11:53 pm sandra holland said:
  
  I believe a ban on Idaho Beef will make a statement; will scare future cattle owners, will
  gain national coverage, will gain supporters from
  all across the USA, will flood emails to Obama and
  Michael Bean (in charge of Gray Wolves at the
  Interior), make the newspapers, and will cut income
  for ranchers. What else can we do? Am sure there is
  more. I am open to ideas…& I need your help in
  identifying Idaho & Montana ranches. Can anyone
  get info from your state offices?
  If we get on this…we may be able to save many of
  the wolves. Our Mexican Wolves in NM will be next so I have a vested interest in this.
  
  Cut Beef from your diet; tell your relatives, neighbors, and write letters to your newspapers about the unhealty meat…beef. Encourage people
  to eat fish, pork, chicken..doesn’t affect the heart or produce gasses in our atmosphere. Read up
  on it.
  
  Seriously, Beef is not a heathly food. Read up
  on Methane gasses, etc.
  
  Sandi…Santa Fe, NM
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
On April 28, 2011 at 12:02 am sandra holland said:

Also, everyone needs to e-mail a letter to their
Senator(s) and Congressmen/women to tell them how
furious you are that they voted to kill the Gray
Wolves..even those not living in Idaho/Montana need
to write their own elected people…scare them also;
it took more than Idaho & Montana to pass this Budget/
Wolf Bill. If you need the names of your elected
representatives, email me, tell me your state & I will
send the names of you state-wide elected people in
DC.

Sandi

LikeLike

Reply
On April 28, 2011 at 12:05 am sandra holland said:

Will also send email addresses of your elected
representatives. A short “to the point” letter
is read by the Legislative Assistants…and reported
to the Legislator. A hundred letters from their
voters….makes an impact.

Sandi

LikeLike

Reply
On September 29, 2011 at 4:29 pm Maggie Schafer said:

Defenders of Wildlife is the most pathetic of all! They never participate in public rallies but “work behind the scenes” – right – sending out glitzy ads to make you think they are really doing something, and asking for money! Boo on you Defenders!

I call Mark Udall and Michael Bennet every week and complain re the wolf killing – especially the killing of babies! I SPECIFICALLY ASK FOR A REPLY, AND NOT THE COMPUTER GENERATED ONE, AND I AM STILL WAITING! NEXT WEEK I WILL TELL THEM THAT IF THEY DON’T REPLY, THE NEW GUY THAT WE ELECT NEXT YEAR MIGHT! AND – they can all get paper routes with NObama!

LikeLike

Reply
- On September 29, 2011 at 6:47 pm Nabeki said:
  
  HI Maggie,
  
  I am in agreement with you on DOW’s behavior. Shameful.
  
  As for Mark Udall, he voted to delist wolves via budget rider, that’s probably why you don’t get an answer. In fact every single Democrat Senator voted tp dellst wolves, except three: Patrick Leahy, Levin and Wyden. Both Udalls, B. Boxer, Diane Feinstein, Kerry…the lot of them all sold Montana and Idaho wolves down the river. The have my utter contempt. I think we should compose a letter and send it out to all those Senators who betrayed wolves and include the links to Anti-Wolf Idaho and Anti-Wolf Northwest so they can read what they’ve exposed wolves to. I blame them and Obama for this tragedy. That’s why I’m not begging and pleading with those people anymore since they’re the ones that caused this nightmare!
  
  For the wolves, For the wild ones,
  Nabeki
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply

	Marie on Yellowstone’s Cottonwood…
	alf.com on What Wolf Crisis Should I Writ…
	Tess Husbands on Judge Molloy Rules Against…
	Rebecca on Gray Wolf One True Wolf In Nor…
	idaursine on Gray Wolf One True Wolf In Nor…

Howling For Justice

Blogging for the Gray Wolf