Politics gone to the dogs

Even though I agree with them on an ethical level, I think that pet store bans are a bit of overkill. So when I first saw the headline to this, I was sure that the subject was the proposed California ban a while back. But instead, it's an all out protest against... basic standards for humane care by dog breeders:

A conservative group in Missouri is picking up the backing of the Tea Party and Joe The Plumber in its quest to stop the Humane Society and other animal rights groups from passing "radical" anti-puppy mill legislation.

The measure, which can be read in full here, is called Proposition B or the "Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act." It aims to help eliminate the "3000 puppy mills" in Missouri that constitute "30% of all puppy mills in the U.S.," according to Michael Markarian, the Chief Operating Officer of the Humane Society.

"This measure would provide common sense standards for the care of dogs," he told TPM, including sufficient food and clean water, vet care, regular exercise, and adequate rest between breeding cycles, among other things. Markarian said the measure only applies to "commercial dog breeding facilities" that have more than 10 breeding females who they use for "producing puppies for the pet trade."

It just seems like a bizarre, non-winning issue to push: This is America, goddammit, and here in America we support raising litters of puppies ankle-deep in their own shit! I will not stand for this shortage of ill-raised cheap puppies with multiple health health problems that will cost me a fortune in future vet bills! Is there really that large of a block of dog-hating voters out there? Did they just need some new organization to vilify? Wait... Humane Society = Humane = Humanity = OMGSOCIALISM.

The joke was always that right-wingers would support biting the heads off of live kittens if it pissed off liberals enough. Maybe that's next.

Of course, as an aside, if you are going to go the opposite route and play to the dog-lovers crowd, you probably better make sure your dog isn't biting the shit out of other dogs. And Labradors, at that; the most beloved dog of the heartland. Why does Carl Paladino's dog hate America?