Hi Jim,



There is logic behind what HR-669 proponents are doing. Animal Rights groups are trying to get what they want (ie, banning ownership of reptiles) and the "scientists" are trying to get what they want (funding, job security, control and growing their gov't agencies.) It's a disgraceful and fascist movement that probably has the Founding Fathers of this country rolling over in their graves.



Why is it that it is pretty much universally accepted that bio-diversity is critical for a healthy ecosystem, yet at the same time it seems like the general sentiment today is that any and all "introduced" species are "invasive" and gonna destroy the world?



And then there's the inconsistency. If the same standards were applied to dogs (which cause several dozen human fatalites and 1/2 million emergency room visits per year) and feral cats (which we know for sure harm indigenous -including endangered - wildlife in every state), shouldn't the anti-snake scientists be screaming for a national emergency and martial law?



Thanks,

Ed



>>John,

>>

>>And I agree you regarding "constituency groups" for several reasons...

>>

>>1. They are the ones that are heard on Capitol Hill for one reason or another (e.g. like-minded agenda and money)...

>>

>>2. After the "agenda" is agreed upon (it cannot be anything else), it is then "packaged" as is anything other product in America and then "sold" to us...

>>

>>The problems that I have with both of these is the latest version of campaign finance reform did not remove money from politics (there's just as much as there ever was) and at least in the case of certain politicians, they are not listening to their constituencies at all...Rather, they are listening to "special interests" and presenting it as something it is not. In other words, the word "propaganda" comes to mind in describing what I see...

>>

>>Take HR-669 for example, how was it presented by the supporters of the bill? Did it make any sense to you? Was it logical and why? I mean, can agencies of the federal government actually stop an invasive species? The history of this is a definite NO, they cannot so no matter what they say, even if there were no private herpers doing what they do...There would be - and will continue to be - invasive species here in the US. So what are they really attempting to do with HR-669? Control one, and only one, "anthropologic" POTENTIAL source of their defined problem.

>>

>>For instance, there are activities called "government sanctioned enterprises" (GSE) that occur as a result of the normal activities of the government (e.g. food production, scientific research, zoos, trade - both domestic and foreign)...And as part of this, there is "international aid" in the form of food to feed the starving masses of people in the third world (for one reason or another). Have you ever read the contents of a box of ceral and noted the ingredients? Did you know that there are acceptable levels of "inert ingredients" that we eat as part of all cerals that include things that you wouldn't eat if we knew about it - that's why it's called "inert ingredients"? Is this bad, no it isn't because during the processing of the grains, there are things in there that are just in there because to sort every single grain of wheat would make all cerals SO expensive that no one could afford to buy it...It could be done but, how much do you want to pay for a box of ceral or a loaf of bread? Neither the government or us could afford this...

>>

>>Now compare this to something like fruit or vegetables...They would spoil before delivery if everything was "inspected" and would be very expensive to buy...So, there's nothing sinister about this...It's just the way it is with food on an industrial scale to keep it affordable for us citizens...

>>

>>And the same is true for exports from America and unless the government prepared to inspect (or erradiate) every single bag of grain that leaves the US for an "invasive species" (both plant and animal), is it within the realm of possibility - I submit to you that some of the weeds, animals and/or insect larvae that are normally found in a bag of grain - have found their way to become and invasive species over there.

>>

>>We know that they will not (because we, as a country can not afford to do this) do this anymore than the an agency can inspect the foreign food that is finding its way into American homes, etc...So the bottom line is, the issue of "invasive species" is simply the "spin" placed on a bill that some people want passed to control a problem...And "invasive species" ain't it.

>>

>>The invasive species "stuff" is not new...In fact, in 1993, the Office of Science and Technology wrote about it back then...If you go read the report, compare the names there as "analysts" with the employees of the Defenders of Wildlife...See if you see what I saw...

>>

>>I'm sure that other information exists before 1993 but this is as far back as I've gone with it...

>>

>>

>>

>>Here's the information regarding the report...

>>

>>U.S. Congress, Office of Science and Technology, “Harmful Non-indigenous Species in the United States”, September 1993, OTA-F-565, NTIS order #PB94-107679, GPO stock #052-003-01347-9

>>

>>Later,

>>Jim.

>>

>>-----

>>CSRAJim

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