Farm Bill Gives Breeders 444 Mil inTax Breaks!

Incorporated into the recently enacted Farm Bill, the Equine Equity Act gives industrial horse owners and breeders $444 million dollars in tax breaks over the next 10 years! Who, we ask, ultimatley pays the "vig" on these lucrative tax breaks? We the tax payers of course, and also, the poor over-bred, over-used, over-raced horses as a species. Imagine if just a small portion of this money could be put into a national retirment fund for retired industry horses? There would be our answer to "who is going to take care of all these horses if the slaughter option ends?"

Click on title above to see the full report;
http://www.customcareequine.com/news_notes/horsepac_legislative_summary.pdf

What is "The Congressional Horse Caucus?"

Basically, the Congressional Horse Caucus is a group of politicians "representing" the equine industry to see to it they get their way in Washington; but here is the industrys "polite" discription of what it is;

The Congressional Horse Caucus is a bipartisan group of Members of the House of Representatives formed to educate Members of Congress and their staffs about the importance of the horse industry in the economic, agricultural, sporting, gaming and recreational life of the nation.

This group of Representatives has an expressed interest in the industry and wants to support the issues important to it. The Caucus presently has 54 members and are listed below;

Bloggers note: The names IN BOLD are politicians who, while representing the (pro-slaughter) industry, have also pledged to support the HR 6598, "The Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act" currently pending in Congress. This is the bill that would end horse slaughter and exportation for human consumption.

Member State District Affiliation

Boucher, Rick VA 9th D
Burgess, Mike TX 26th R
Capito, Shelly Moore WV 2nd R
Cardoza, Dennis CA 18th D
Carter, John TX 31st R
Chabot, Steve OH 1st R
Chandler, Ben (Co-Chair) KY 6th D
Cole, Tom OK 4th R
Conaway, Michael TX 11th R
Costello, Jerry IL 12th D
Crowley, Joseph NY 7th D
Davis, Geoff KY 4th K
Davis, Lincoln TN 4th D
Duncan, John TN 2nd R
Feeney, Tom FL 24th R
Gordon, Bart TN 6th D
Herger, Wally CA 2nd R
Hinojosa, Ruben TX 15th D
Issa, Darrell CA 49th R
Jones, Walter NC 3rd R
Keller, Ric FL 8th R
Kirk, Mark IL 10th R
Kline, John MN 2nd R
LaHood, Ray IL 18th R
Lewis, Ron KY 2nd R
McCarthy, Carolyn NY 4th D
McCotter, Thaddeus MI 11th R
McCrery, Jim LA 4th R
McKeon, Buck CA 25th R
Meek, Kendrick FL 17th D
Mollohan, Alan WV 1st D
Pallone, Frank NJ 6th D
Pascrell, Bill NJ 8th D
Payne, Donald NJ 10th D
Pearce, Steve NM 2nd R
Peterson, Collin MN 7th D
Putnam, Adam FL 12th R
Radanovich, George CA 19th R
Rahall, Nick WV 3rd D
Rehberg, Dennis MT At Large R
Rogers, Hal KY 5th R
Ros-Lehithen, Ileana FL 18th R
Ross, Mike AR 4th D
Ruppersberger, C.A. "Dutch" MD 2nd D
Schakowsky, Jan IL 9th D
Smith, Adam WA 3rd R
Spratt, John SC 5th D
Stearns, Cliff (Co-Chair) FL 6th R
Thornberry, Mac TX 13th R
Tiberi, Pat OH 12th R
Wamp, Zach TN 3rd R
Weller, Jerry IL 11th R
Whitfield, Ed KY 1st R
Wilson, Joe SC 2nd R

Click on the title above to go to the CHC page of the NTRA website; http://ntra.com/content.aspx?type=other&id=24197&style=red

What is NTRA's "HorsePAC?"

Horse PAC is a membership-based Political Action Committee activated in 2002 by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA). The PAC makes targeted contributions to federal political parties and candidates. The PAC is part of the NTRA's proactive legislative strategy in Washington, D.C., which also includes federal lobbying and education programs such as the 55-member Congressional Horse Caucus for Members of the House of Representatives.
Horse PAC supports federal political candidates who:

Serve on Congressional committees that oversee matters pertaining to livestock and agricultural issues, Internet gaming and taxation
Are established Congressional leaders and/or control Congressional leadership PACs
Endorse tax legislation benefiting horse owners, breeders, players and businesses
Have racetracks, breeding farms, training centers and other equine venues in their districts
Are members of the Congressional Horse Caucus
Are emerging leaders meriting “early support”

Click title above to go to HORSE PAC Website;
http://www.ntra.com/content.aspx?type=other&id=20396

NTRAs HorsePAC: $5,000 to "The Moderate Victory Fund"

Pac-to-pac giving again. How sweet it is; you scratch my back and I'll scrath yours! Click title above to see whos in it and who benefits from it. You might be suprized to see some of our anti-horse slaughter supporters and co-sponsors of our bill(s) here. Is this what they mean by "double dipping?" Except that we arent paying anyone off, ....its rather like they are just "burning their candles at both ends," playing "both sides" against the middle, taking money from lobbiests and contributors who want to keep the slaughter going. They get the power and influence and we get the empty promices.

http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/committees/moderate-victory-fund.asp?cycle=08

NTRA's HorsePAC: $5,000 to LINC PAC

LINC PAC - Leadership in the New Century - Political Action Committee. Here we go pac-to-pac!
Click title above to see who they are and what they stand (or dont stand) for.

NTRAs HosePAC: $5000 to "The Blue Dog Coalition"

What is the "Blue Dog Coalition?"...just another buncha influence peddlers in Washington, DC, claiming to represent and appealing to..."the mainstream values of America"

Click title above which will bring your to their website.

The Equine Industry's "HoofPac," contributed $5,000 to this org in 2007-8

Does "The Blue Dog Coalition" represent your "mainstream America Values?" Not mine, they dont. Not if they are for horse slaughter. Real Americans dont eat horses.

NTRA's Congressional Pay Off List

The NTRAs "Horse PAC" Political Action Committee Has Contributed to these campaign funds;

Names in bold are co-sponsors of HR 6598
Names marked with an "CHC" are members of the Industry's "Congressional Horse Caucus."

In the House;

Arthur Davis, (D) AL
Marion Berry (D) AK
Mike Ross (D) AK CHC
Dennis Cardoza (D)CA CHC
Jim Costa (D) CA
Devin Nunes (R) CA
Lauretta Sanchez (D) CA
Adam Schiff (D) CA
John Salazar (D) CO
F. Allen Boyd (D) FL
Tom Feeney (R) FL CHC
Ric Keller (R) FL CHC
Tim Mahoney (R) FL
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) FL
John Barrow (D) GA
Jim Marshall (D) GA
Leonard Boswell (D) IO
Melissa Bean (D) IL
Joe Donnelly (D) IN
Baron Hill (D) IN
Dennis Moore (D) KS
Ben Chandler (D) KY - CHC
Geoff Davis (R) KY CHC
Ron Lewis (R) KY CHC
John Yarmuth (D) KY
Rodney Alexander (R) LA
Charles Boustany (R) LA
Mike Michaund (D) ME
Dave Camp (R) MI
John Dingell (D) MI
Collin Peterson (D) MN CHC
Mike McIntyre (D) NC
Heath Shuler (D) NC
Earl Pomeroy (D) ND
Frank Pallone (D) NJ CHC
Steve Pearce (R) NM CHC
Joseph Crowley (D) NY - CHC
Kirsten Gillibrand (D) NY
John Hall (D) NY
Carolyn McCarthy (D) NY CHC
Charles Rangel (D) NY
Patrick Tiberi (R) OH CHC
Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D) OH
Charile Wilson (D) OH
Dan Boren (D) OK
Darline Hooley (D) OR
Phil English (R) PA
Tim Holden (D) PA
Patrick Murphy (D) PA
Stephanie Herseth (D) SD
Jim Cooper (D) TN
John Tanner (D) TN
Sam Johnson (R) TX
Jim Matheson (D) UT
Rich Boucher (D) VA - CHC
Randy Forbes (R) VA
Bob Goodlatte (R) VA
Ron Kind (D) WI

also to:

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee: $15,000
National Republican Committee $5,000
Congressional Black Caucus: $5,000
Blue Dog Coalition: $ 5,000

Total to house reps : $162,500

Pay-Offs in the United States Senate;

Pay-Offs in the United States Senate;

Richard Shelby (R) AL
Mark Pryor (D) AR
Charles Grassley (R) IA
Dick Durbin (D)IL
Jim Brunnin (R) KY
Pat Roberts (R) KS
Thad Cochran (R) MS
Max Baucu (D) MT
Byron Dorgan (D) ND
John Sununu (R) NH
George Voinovich (R) OH
Lindsey Graham (R) SC
John Cornyn (R) TX
John Brrasso (R) WY

and contributed to both;

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee; $15,000
National Republican Senatorial Committee; $15,000

*Talk about hedging your bets and losses!

Total contributed to Senate: $82,000