Walter Palmer (left), who killed Cecil the lion.
Source: wisconsingazette.com
Want to know where the presidential candidates stand on humane issues? A look at the top contenders in both political parties:
Hillary Clinton: In the U.S. Senate, she earned a 100 percent score on the Humane Scorecard in the 108th and 109th Congresses and an 83 in the 110th. She cosponsored legislation dealing with horse slaughter and animal fighting, as well as bills to stop the processing of “downer” livestock and to crack down on abusive puppy mills. She also led efforts to stop the overuse of antibiotics in farm animals. Additionally, Clinton signed letters requesting more funds for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enforce the Animal Welfare Act, the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and the federal animal fighting law.
During the 2008 campaign, she voiced concern over the slaughter of sick and injured cows whose meat was channeled into the national school lunch program.
As secretary of state, she led international efforts to crack down on wildlife trafficking and, through the Clinton Foundation, she helped to launch a major campaign to fight the illegal ivory trade and poaching of elephants.
Bernie Sanders: Sanders has been a steady and consistent supporter of animal protection in Congress. As a House member, he earned a 58 percent on the Humane Scorecard for the 103rd Congress, 75 percent in the 104th, 60 percent in the 108th and a 100 percent score in the 106th and 109th. As a senator, he scored 100 percent in the 110th, 112th, and 113th Congresses, an 89 in the 111th and an 86 percent in the most recent session.
In the current session, Sanders is cosponsoring legislation to protect pets in domestic violence, ban horse slaughter for human consumption, create a felony penalty for malicious animal cruelty and a crack down on horse soring abuses. He opposed the weakening of the Endangered Species Act.
In previous sessions, he cosponsored bills to crack down on puppy mills and animal fighting, to restrict the private trade in big cats and primates as exotic pets and to ban barren battery cages for egg-laying hens. He also helped to lead an effort to end the use of chimpanzees in invasive research.
Sanders was the first presidential candidate to publish an animal welfare statement and it’s a strong and compelling one that demonstrates his concern for the issues, as well as his leadership.
In the GOP
Donald Trump: When Trump owned the Steel Pier in Atlantic City, he reportedly was involved in canceling an inhumane horse-diving act. On the down side, he has defended his sons’ trophy hunting of African wildlife, including giraffes, buffaloes and lions. Trump also lamented Ringling Bros.’ decision to phase out its performing elephants.
Ben Carson: Carson has said little about animal welfare issues throughout his career, but he says in interviews that he is mostly vegetarian, and, in a 1990 interview with Vegetarian Times he shared his belief that “eventually there will no longer be a reason for most people to eat meat. And animals will breathe a sigh of relief.”
Ted Cruz: Cruz received a score of 12 percent in the 113th Congress and received a zero for the first session of the 114th Congress. He is not cosponsoring any current animal protection legislation.
Marco Rubio: Rubio was among a handful of senators who opposed a floor amendment to ban bringing children to animal fights. He scored 28 percent on the Humane Scorecard for the 112th Congress. He received a score of 12 percent for the 113th and he scored a zero in the first session of the 114th. On the positive side, Rubio cosponsored legislation to strengthen enforcement against horse soring in the previous Congress and, in the Florida Legislature, he sponsored a bill to strengthen an animal fighting statute.
John Kasich: As governor of Ohio, Kasich acted swiftly in response to the release of dozens of bears, lions, tigers, wolves and other exotic animals in Zanesville, setting a moratorium on the sale of exotic animals. He has signed bills upgrading laws on animal cruelty and puppy mills and allowing pets to be included in domestic violence protective orders. He entered the governor’s office following an agreement between The HSUS and the state, and he’s done a creditable job of handling the provisions — including the phase-out of veal crates for calves, gestation crates for breeding pigs, tail-docking of dairy cattle and protections for “downer” cows.
Categories: Horse News
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
He’s not running for president, but if he was, he would get our votes
GEORGE KNAPP
The Safari Club International
http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/street-talk-safari-club-international
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Absolute perfection. The seminar on “gutless gutting” was priceless. And was there even one person of color to be seen among all these rich, great white hunter wannabes? These people are anachronistic holdovers from the colonial era.
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Trump and horsemeat on google bring up an article written stating his grandfather served horsemeat in his first resteraunt in America. So it brings up questions.
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Heres a New BIG problem….someone needs to be Defense of these horses. This is Insane. http://www.ecprogress.com/index.php?tier=1&article_id=18729
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Thanks! Great article and fairly written.
Also big huge THANK YOU to George Knapp (and Louie C for posting it!) for a great video piece. We need more guys like this, that can hit home the points to the general public.
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I hope more Americans take the time to consider each candidates support or non-support of animal welfare. The Animal Welfare Institute maintains a website that not only lists critical animal-related bills, but also tracks HOW members of Congress have voted on bills – you can see how your U.S. Reps and Senators have voted
https://www.compassionindex.org
The fact that Donald Trump has defended his son’s trophy hunting should be a BIG red flag!
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He may likely push to bring back horse slaughter (as it represents “exports”) and “deregulate” wild horses, i.e. do away with the WFHBA and let the ranchers do what they want with them. And Cruz will certainly do that… he was already quoted as being pro-slaughter and I am sure AQHA has him in his pockets.
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«I am sure AQHA has him in his pockets…»
sorry I meant “their pockets”
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Ted Cruz has also said he agrees to give the Public land to the states
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Something else to consider
KEYSTONE PIPELINE
Bernie was one of the senators who stepped in and requested disclosure It’s a long document, but scroll down to page 43 and you’ll see his name/signature
Click to access Keystone%20Final%20Report%20020912.pdf
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We need to know their voting track records.
For those of us who care deeply about our Wild Horses & Burros and Public Lands, there is something else to consider.
Where do they stand on Public Land issues?
AND
How did they vote when it came to fast tracking the
Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement?
The Terrible Truth about The Trans Pacific Partners Agreement
http://www.forbes.com/sites/emmawoollacott/2015/06/04/leaked-tisa-documents-reveal-privacy-threat/
http://www.rosieontheright.com/the-terrible-truth-about-the-trans-pacific-partners-agreement/
would surrender control of 544 million acres of public land – a quarter of the entire U.S. land area – to international authorities
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who campaigned vigorously against Fast Track, said the vote represented a win for corporate America. “The vote today-pushed by multi-national corporations, pharmaceutical companies and Wall Street-will mean a continuation of disastrous trade policies which have cost our country millions of decent-paying jobs,” the presidential candidate said in a statement.
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/06/23/great-day-corporate-america-us-senate-passes-fast-track
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Sen. Bernie Sanders is the only candidate I know of that has cosponsored the Safe Act & the Past Act for horses & safe food. http://www.sanders.senate.gov/legislation/animal-rights
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Thanks for this info! I am getting older & realize my priorities for helping the innocent ones who have no voice… I will vote for the candidates who support my beliefs, re: animal welfare, etc. Thanks to everyone who cares, including RT, Jerry Finch, Vivian at the Horse Fund, & so many others!!! TOO many to name, but we have your back & fully support you, ALWAYS!!!! BLM needs to be held accountable for their misguided, mismanaged agency that sends the innocent ones to round-ups & , slaughter, etc. Not voting for the Trump Machine.
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Same here, Marissa! Does not sound promising for our wild & domestic animals if Trump gets in office, nor Cruz or Rubio. If a politician has made it known that he is against horse slaughter – that’s one step in the right direction (there are many more).
And yes, BLM really should be held accountable – past time for that to happen.
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