Dems Karnette & Richardson Dance with the Devil . . . and blow off dog and cat owners Will a pact with PETA and HSUS save them when election season rolls around? True Blue California pet owners are waiting for Republicans to save their bacon from the flames of hell. What's wrong with that picture? When the dust finally settled in Sacramento, the tally for the California Assembly's final vote on Lloyd Levine's extreme and misguided bill requiring the surgical sterilization of every single pet dog and cat in the state of California was pathetic. 100% of Republican Assemblymembers voted against AB 1634, and in support of loving pet owners who think they're competent to make their own veterinary care decisions. Six lonely Democrats had the nerve to vote against Levine's Testicle Eradication proposal. To all of the rest of them: Hang your heads in shame * Arambula, Juan (D-Fresno) AD 31 * Bass, Karen (D-Los Angeles) AD 47 * Beall, Jim (D-San Jose) AD 24 * Berg, Patty (D-Eureka) AD 1 * Brownley, Julia (D-Santa Monica) AD 41 * Carter, Wilmer (D-Rialto) AD 62 * Coto, Joe (D-San Jose) AD 23 * Davis, Mike (D-Los Angeles) AD 48 * De La Torre, Hector (D-South Gate) AD 50 * de León, Kevin (D-Los Angeles) AD 45 * De Saulnier, Mark (D-Martinez) AD 11 * Dymally, Mervyn (D-Los Angeles) AD 52 * Eng, Mike (D-Monterey Park) AD 49 * Evans, Noreen (D-Santa Rosa) AD 7 * Feuer, Mike (D-Los Angeles) AD 42 * Fuentes, Filipe (D-Sylmar) AD 39 * Galgiani, Cathleen (D-Tracy) AD 17 * Hancock, Loni (D-Berkeley) AD 14 * Hayashi, Mary (D-Hayward) AD 18 * Hernandez, Ed (D-Baldwin Park) AD 57 * Huffman, Jared (D-San Rafael) AD 6 * Jones, Dave (D-Sacramento) AD 9 * Karnette, Betty (D-Long Beach) AD 54 * Krekorian, Paul (D-Burbank) AD 43 * Laird, John (D-Santa Cruz) AD 27 * Leno, Mark (D-San Francisco) AD 13 * Levine, Lloyd (D-Van Nuys) AD 40 * Lieber, Sally (D-Mountain View) AD 22 * Lieu, Ted (D-Torrance) AD 53 * Mullin, Gene (D-South San Francisco) AD 19 * Nava, Pedro (D-Santa Barbara) AD 35 * Núñez, Fabian (D-Los Angeles) AD 46 * Portantino, Anthony (D-Pasadena) AD 44 * Price, Jr., Curren (D-Inglewood) AD 51 * Richardson, Laura (D-Long Beach) AD 55 * Ruskin, Ira (D-Redwood City) AD 21 * Salas, Mary (D-Chula Vista) AD 79 * Saldaña, Lori (D-San Diego) AD 76 * Solorio, Jose (D-Anaheim) AD 69 * Torrico, Alberto (D-Fremont) AD 20 * Wolk, Lois (D-Davis ) AB 8 The Devil wears a West Coast tan So what did Bob Barker whisper into Democratic ears? And did those Dems know where those lips had been? "From all of us at PETA, cheers to you Bob Barker." Do California pet dog and cat owners, including the La-La Land types that earned themselves a little free publicity by coming out as animal extremists, understand what's at stake? Has anybody bothered to explain to them that the Gonad Nazis will be dropping by their homes, too? This struggle is not about "breeding rights." The overwhelming majority of owned dogs and cats in California are already, voluntarily, sterilized. Their owners have no interest in breeding them. If anybody managed to ask the right question, though, cat and dog owners would be clear on who should be making decisions about health care for their pets. This struggle is about taking yet another option away from pet owners, and making yet another lawful, responsible choice in some circumstances illegal. Lesson learned during Round One of California's Testicle War Democratic elected representatives like Karnette and Richardson are ready to break promises if the kitchen gets too hot. Not what most people are looking for in a public official, is it? Laura Richardson thinks she's got the stuff for a career in the U. S. Congress. She's going to have to deal with disillusioned Long Beach pet owners, first. And irate Long Beach business people who stand to lose a lot of money if the AKC makes good on threats to move the Eukanuba show out of the city. Message to the AKC: Speak softly, carry a big stick. And every once in a while? You're gonna have to swing that stick, baby. The amendment game: who spins the wheel? The California Veterinary Medicine Association, apparently in response to the howls of protest from member veterinarians who aren't ready to abandon their ethics the way the CVMA itself did, is now backing a "spay or pay" amendment to the proposal it co-sponsored.

Civil rights and liberties: available if the Price is Right

Under a "spay or pay" ordinance, if you've got enough money, you just might be able to buy yourself-- and your dog or cat-- out of a nasty situation.

Basically, wealthier people could purchase more civil rights for themselves than the next guy.

Let's see if California Democrats can spot the fly in that ointment. Standing up for the little guy: no longer a Democratic Party ideal Will liberal and progressive Dems let Republicans continue to eat their lunch? While Republicans broaden their appeal among lower and middle-income voters, California Democrats are busy pretending they can't hear their own constituents. The (Republican) Governator is already distancing himself from Levine's mandatory castration scheme. He has the sense to avoid catching a finger in that buzz-saw. In the meantime, Dems are so busy dancing to a beat called out by animal extremists and special interests, they just don't care how extremely divisive, controversial and misguided Lloyd Levine's bill is. That's a problem. Blowing off voters, with November 08 getting closer and closer, just isn't smart. It leaves a sour taste in the mouths of Democratics.

They're beginning to feel a touch devilish themselves.