Posted on 06/26/2008 6:47:08 AM PDT by angkor
With an ongoing war in Iraq, $4 a gallon gasoline, Midwest floods, a credit crunch and creeping inflation, rest assured, our congressmen have their eyes on the ball. By a vote of 302-96 last week, the House of Representatives passed the Captive Primate Safety Act, a bold step on the road to outlawing pet monkeys. The House bill boasts 26 co-sponsors, including three from Illinois, Republican Mark Kirk and Democrats Jan Schakowsky and Luis Gutierrez. The Senate is expected to take up the companion bill in the next few weeks.
In lieu of addressing more pressing issues, Congress has once again decided to meddle in an arcane aspect of Americans' lives. The proposed legislation would amend the Lacey Act, which states that it's "unlawful for any person to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any live animal of any prohibited wildlife species."
Monkeys are soon to be among the prohibited. Exotic pets usually are covered under common law using a standard of strict liability—e.g., if you own a tarantula and it bites someone, you're liable. So why the change now?
Animal rights aside, one thing is clear: This is not the business of the federal government. In criminalizing pet ownership, the nanny state is going too far, and few can argue against the idea that making monkey trafficking a federal crime borders on the absurd. A Heritage Foundation report released last week estimates there are at least 4,450 federal crimes on the books. As John Baker, a Louisiana State University law professor writes, "The federal government is supposedly a government of limited powers and, therefore, limited jurisdiction. Each new crime expands the jurisdiction of federal law enforcement."
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
GWB should veto this on principle, but he's the chief jester in DC.
How is this no different than fiddling while Rome burns?
The American sheeple are slowly waking up to the fact that their government is broken, but the vast majority are too dumbed-down and spend too much time watching “Survivor” and Oprah to know what to do about it.
Might as well sign a German tuba band to play during the announcement.
Might as well sign a German tuba band to play during the announcement.
Do you have a Lah-cense for your Meenkey?
Our Congressmen/women don’t know what to do about the major things affecting our country so they make things up.
I have already asked Senator Carper(Do-Nothing - DE)how I can bill him for impersonating a government official.
Illegal aliens are fine, but illegal monkeys???
Can’t have that, now can we?
IMO this is well more than a demonstration of a "broken" Congress. It is evidence that Congress has lost all sense of proportion and purpose, and is instead legislating on the most nonsensical of issues.
This is Congress rallying around a piece of trivial and cynically unimportant legislation of very questionable constitutionality (did you note that there are 26 - 26!!!! - co-sponsors?).
I predict Congressional mandates on washing your hands in the restroom any day now.
>>>>Might as well sign a German tuba band to play during the announcement.
Yes. With clowns, peanuts, and monkeys on leashes.
You have GOT to be FREAKING KIDDING!!! I notice the ENEMEDIA did NOT report this TRAVESTY!
Can we still spank the monkey?
"What are you in for?"lololol"Possession of a monkey."
There was some dispute over who was breaking the leauwww, the beggar or the minkey...
First you must apply for the proper licensing and pay the import taxes. Then you must be insured and bonded. Audits must be done to insure you are in local, state and federal compliance regarding your endeavor.
Then you may spank the monkey.
Tax, title, and license are extra. Your mileage may vary.
an absolute 3 ring circus we have in washington. we should all hang our heads and be ashamed. we without a doubt are the laughing stock of the world.
The headline should read: “Congress goes apesh*t for monkey legislation.”
We are being governed by buffoons...or is it baboons?
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