Attack ads are as common as houseflies during this election. This past week, Rep. Jeff Flake was the target of one launched by the Humane Society Legislative Fund, a non-partisan organization that follows politicians’ voting records on animal rights issues.
HSLF launched a statewide radio ad opposing Flake for U.S. Senate over his Democratic challenger Richard Carmona.
Flake voted against “the most modest animal welfare reforms in Congress,” according to the ad, which claims he is “out of step with our values.”
In the HSLF’s press release endorsing Carmona, they list a plethora of instances when Flake “opposed numerous common-sense animal protection policies.”
Among these include a vote against a program that would fund training for therapy dogs for veterans with mental health issues, a vote to allow taxpayer dollars to be used for aerial hunting and toxic poisoning of wildlife, and he voted “yes” on numerous occasions on bills that would weaken the Endangered Species Act.
Personally, I gave up paying attention to the attack ads months ago. At least in the case of the HSLF ad, they aren’t stretching the truth or pandering to extreme ideologies.
Flake really does have a horrible record on even the most basic and common sense animal rights issues, such as his vote opposing adequate funding for the USDA enforcement of federal laws against dogfighting and cockfighting.
It’s hard to imagine the motivation behind such a consistent voting record on preventing animal cruelty. Perhaps he enjoys a tight-knit relationship with the lobbyists for groups opposed to animal welfare reform.
At least, that’s what it looks like when a Republican congressman who is opposed to federal subsidies gives one to private ranchers so that they can kill predators with steel-jawed, leg-hold traps, aerial hunting and toxic poisoning.
Jeff Flake is just another Republican so opposed to welfare and government hand-outs that he thinks animals need to pick themselves up by their boot-straps and take care of themselves without the federal government.
That means it’s time for all the endangered polar bears in Alaska to take the initiative and prevent themselves from being illegally hunted down, slaughtered, and then transported, because Jeff Flake voted twice to allow trophy hunters to do just that.
Despite the HSLF ad, the question is if voters will care whether Flake is a friend of the animals or not.
It is my personal view that the answer will be a big, resounding “no.”
And it’s for the same reason that nobody cares that the HSLF endorses Richard Carmona, especially since the reasons they give for his positive record are hardly telling of his views on animal welfare
In the press release, it’s noted that he was senior editor of a 2010 reference manual for public health emergencies and preparations which includes a section designated for the treatment of household pets and service animals.
It may seem like a socially aware thing to do, despite that the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act of 2006 required it.
Carmona hasn’t made animal welfare part of his platform this election at all, but anybody can be made to look like the patron saint of animals when he or she is being compared to Jeff Flake’s voting record.
Reach the columnist at damills3@asu.edu or follow him at @Dan_iel_Mills.
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