Michigan State Senate's Top Priority: Wipe Out the Last Wolf

A few days ago, the Michigan State Senate held an “emergency” one-day session.  You know, the Rust Belt's unemployment rate is through the stratosphere, Detroit is pretty much on fire, etc.  Except, the Michigan Senate only voted on one issue, which is apparently much more urgent.

Michigan has two competing ballot measures — both concerning trophy hunting of wolves —  coming up in the next election.  Both initiatives already have more than enough valid signatures to qualify.  One initiative — being promoted by Keep Michigan Wolves Protected, among other groups — would maintain protection for Michigan's small wolf population.  The other initiative would allow the trophy hunting of wolves.  And there's more:  this other pro-hunting initiative would not only allow trophy hunters to ejaculate all over the wilderness — it would permanently lock in the rights of trophy hunters to hunt and shoot and kill wolves forever; to ejaculate all over themselves 'til they collapse in ecstasy.  This initiative would be irreversible, with no chance of ever being changed or over-ridden.

Basically, if one side wins, they've won a battle.  If the other side wins, they've won the war and annihilated the enemy.   If the 49ers beat the Seahawks, both teams congratulate each other and go on to the next game.  If the Seahawks beat the 49ers, every player on the 49ers will get kneecapped and blinded before the next game.  Or something.

Anyway, so we have two totally different mindsets; two opposing initiatives on the ballot.  Michigan voters will make this decision.  Right?

And this is why the Michigan Senate held their emergency one-day session.  They voted Yes on a bill which is identical to the pro-trophy-hunting initiative.  Presto!  The pro-hunting initiative is now the law, and the wolf protection initiative has just evaporated into thin air.  Poof!  It never existed.  And that's not all:  the trophy hunters' rights bill is technically an “appropriations” bill, which means it can't ever be overturned by a referendum.

This legislative sleaze is all legal under the Michigan Constitution.  Legal, but about as slippery and underhanded as anyone can get.

The Michigan House will be taking up this issue on August 27th.  Let's hope they have a little less contempt for voters than their counterparts in the state senate.

Here is a link to the Humane Society's website, where I first heard about this.

Power Grab by Michigan State Legislature

Voters in Michigan, as in lots of other states, have made frequent use of the initiative process.  Among other initiatives, voters enacted a ban on the target shooting of Mourning Doves — which passed by a landslide in 2006.

And an organization called Keep Michigan Wolves Protected has turned in their petition — with over 250,000 signatures — to the Secretary of State’s office.  This group has a referendum, to ban the hunting of wolves, which is expected to be on the November 2014 ballot.

And now, state senator Tom Casperson (R—Inbred) is trying to squelch those pesky treehuggers.  Tom Casperson sponsored the 2012 law that allows wolf hunting in Michigan, and his law could be overturned in the upcoming referendum sponsored by Keep Michigan Wolves Protected.

Can’t let that happen now, can we.  Tom Casperson has introduced a bill, SB 288, which would take these decision-making powers away from the voters, and even from the state legislature.  If SB 288 becomes law, the state Natural Resources Commission — which is heavily stacked with ranching and trophy hunting advocates — will have the sole power to determine which species are protected and which ones are fair game for hunting, trapping, poisoning, you name it.

The Natural Resources Commission could open a new hunting season on ANY species, with no public input whatsoever.

SB 288 also contains a million-dollar appropriation, which means that if this bill gets passed, it can’t be overturned by a citizens’ referendum.  Sleazebag.

Here is a link asking Michigan residents to call and/or e-mail their state legislators and ask them to oppose SB 288.