Regarding Kathleen Parker’s article (“Cats and dogs finally get a break – in the farm bill,” Dec.15):
Last week, House Speaker Paul Ryan decided to go out with a cowardly whimper by sneaking in a last-minute amendment to the farm bill. Five Democrats broke ranks and the farm bill passed.
One of these Democrats, Rep. Collin Peterson, offered his justification for supporting a farm bill that now, incongruously, included a ban on proceeding to a floor vote regarding the U.S. sale of military weaponry to Jared Kushner’s BFF, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and discussion of U.S. continued complicity in a war that has resulted in the starvation of 85,000 children.
Peterson’s defense: He didn’t know “a damn thing” about the war in Yemen.
Parker prefers to focus on the good news: the farm bill does include an amendment that restores protections of animals from the cruel practice of painful confinement in cages. Parker states: “Anyone who would seek to undo this minimal reduction of animal torture ought to be ashamed of himself.”
Of course, I agree. She continues: “Those who voted “yay” on the farm bill deserve rose petals at their feet and a sustained Bravo!” Of course, I don’t agree.
No mention of being “ashamed” of Ryan’s shirking his responsibility to proceed to a floor vote regarding our involvement in one of the worst humanitarian crises in a century.
And, for that matter, no mention of being ashamed of putting children in cages at our southern border.
Good riddance, Speaker Ryan, and shame on you.
Mary Benson
Durango
