[C19fan]

Where in Article I, Section 8 does it empower Congress to make animal cruelty a federal crime? The issue of animal cruelty has always been treated at the state or local level.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Throw human embryo cruelty in with the new law and you can’t count me in.

[wally_bert]

I’m all for it.

No sympathy for people who beat up and abuse animals.

[dan on the right]

Great, so in NY it is OK to abort a baby at 9 months - but God forbid you kick your dog! Federal Crime!

Those, folks, are the priorities of the Progressive Left!

(But, either way, please don’t kick your dog or abort your baby!)

[BenLurkin]

Out of control government is out of control.

[DMZFrank]

In a post constitutional US, anything goes. Such as a federal right to health care insurance, abortion, homosexual marriage, college education, you name it. Penumbras and emanations! Use your imagination!!!

[fruser1]

There goes the soft meat business.

Something to do with the adrenaline. The meat of tortured animals is so much sweeter.

[imardmd1]

I am plagued by squirrels trying to find ways into my attic. I want to shoot them dead, maybe skin and eat the ones I shoot. This is a felony yet to be enacted?

[pfflier]

Remember the anti smoking lobby tactics. All they ever wanted was their own section in a restaurant.

This is the first step to outlaw meat eating.

[Spruce]

Hell, why do we need individual states, anyhow? Just abolish all states and reorganize as a unitary oligarchy. Call it “Democratic Peoples Republic of America “.

F*ck the States!

[Lurkinanloomin]

Not everything has to be a federal crime.

How about just doing what the Constitution says and protect the states from invasion?

[piasa]

How do these morons think nuisance animals like skunks are dispatched?

[Gay State Conservative]

Of course one shouldn't intentionally abuse animals...or neglect those in his/her care.But if I was a juror in an animal cruelty trial I'd never vote guilty on any charge that was a felony or involved anything more than a short time in jail.

Cruelty toward,or neglect of,humans? A very,very different story.

[AppyPappy]

Aren’t unborn humans technically animals?

[vette6387]

I hope the first people to go to jail with this law are the cops who shoot people’s pets without justification.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

If a farmer kills his own meat would that be considered a felony? Popping off chicken’s heads, shooting a hog? shooting or hitting a cow with a sledge hammer? killing a goose?

What about killing a rabid dog? or shooting a dog killing your animals. What about poisoning or trapping a mouse or rats?

This law sounds good on the surface but what about the “Unintended consequences”.

[ConservativeMind]

I am COMPLETELY AGAINST this!

Hitting an animal with a car will become a crime. Killing animals for meat will become a crime. Using glue traps for mice will become a crime. Hunting will become a crime.

Having a pet you didn’t feed or water yesterday will be a crime.

Next will be formal animal rights and human proxies standing in for them as representatives.

Any FReeper for this is an idiot.

[dfwgator]

Romney is lucky this law wasn’t in place.

[liberalh8ter]

But for a baby in the womb, it’s open season. These people are sick and deranged.

[piasa]

Deutch tweeted, "We will get this done. It's bipartisan, common-sense policy that will protect our animals."

They aren't "your" animals, dumbass. This is an assault on property rights.

[piasa]

Impaling … would that also include archery, spearfishing, atlatls and the like?