I hate wading into politics, but here goes. First, PJAC has been defending the rights for pet ownership for 40 years. They have done a damn good job too. Things would be pretty bleak without the hard work Marshall and others have put into ensuring our rights to keep animals. Also, PJAC is a lot more then reptiles and amphibians. They look out for all pet owners and businesses related to pet ownership. Keep in mind that for the most part PJAC is a political machine all in itself. They know how to compromise, and they know how to navigate capital hill. Let's let them do what they do best, but at the same time, let's make sure that WE are not being compromises. Remember, they are dealing with the whole industry, and herps still make up a very small percentage of that industry.
I'm no expert, but I have changed a lot of local laws both in my state, county, and city. Bad ordinances can be defeated before they are made into law. HR669 is now being re-written. It will hit the sub committee again soon. It is up to us to fight it. The best compromise for us is to make sure this bill does not pass. If we stop it again in the sub committee it will more then likely not come up again for another year. If it passes the sub committee, and I think it will, it then has to go to the full committee. We need to stop it there. We don't want it to hit the floor of the house. Republicans are all pretty much on our side. So we need to concentrate on the Democrats. They are the ones that will push this bill, and they are the ones we need to connect with. They control Congress, so we have to let them know how we feel. I've already contacted all my state reps to both the House and Senate, and will do so again if this bill looks like it's going to reach the House floor. If it passes the House, the Senate will have to come up with a similar plan, and then the House and Senate has to compromise on the Bill for a full vote by both. So we can still stop it in the Senate if it gets that far. Of course we can also bombard the President if it passes, and demand he veto the bill. He might if we can prove the economic hardship this bill will cause. We can prove that, besides some locality issues, that invasive reptiles and ampibians pose no ecological or economic impact on the United States except Guam, Florida, and a few other sub tropical sites. Let those areas deal with invasive species issues as they see fit. There is no need to make this a national issue
Bottom line, fight for our rights. No compromise, no surrender. PJAC will help, but we have to fight to save ourselves. No one else is going to come to our aid. We are a small group. But we can make a lot of noise. Let's be the squeaky wheel. If this bill passes and is signed into law, we have no one to blame but ourselves. But make sure that we include the other factions in our fight. We have to fight for the keeper of squirrels, gerbils, and macaws. We have to fight for the small exotic cat fancier. We are all in the same boat together. Don't consider this just a herp thing, it's not. PJAC is not to blame for all this, and can and I hope will be a important tool to use in our fight. But this is OUR fight, so let's no kid ourselves into believing that someone else is going to save us. USARK will surely help, and has done great so far. But it's up to me and you and you and you. So now, when it's time to write letters again, and it will be soon, let's make sure that we double our efforts. Friends, family cousins, the guy that bags our groceries. Get everyone involved. Death before surrender. Well, perhaps not so drastic, but you get my meaning.
