(The News as We See It) by R.T. Fitch ~ author of “Straight from the Horse’s Heart”
At the conclusion of this commentary is inserted a current press release announcing that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is extending the public comment period for the “New Direction” the BLM is taking with the Wild Horse and Burro program for an additional thirty days. A quick look at the statement’s face value and you would think it is a victory for the voting public, more time for the taxpayers of this land to comment on how the BLM and DOI have burned millions and millions of dollars for absolutely no reason (not discounting how many tens of thousands of wild horses they have allowed to go to slaughter and kill). And now the latest ploy is to ship, at your expense, western wild horses to leased acreage (Salazoos) in the mid-west where they will be sterilized and we, the public, can slowly watch our wild horses die off into only a memory, never to be seen again. And YOU get to pay for it all while it is FREE for them to stay where they are rightfully and lawfully located.
But under closer inspection it quickly becomes apparent that this extension is not driven by the goodness of Bob Abbey’s heart nor is it viewed as an opportunity handed to the public so that they can further cast their honest votes. NO; this is a direct and manipulated attempt to give the anti-horse factions an opportunity to further organize and invite the “horse-eaters” to continue their impotent attempts to pollute the public’s mind with additional misinformation.
The BLM knows that their broken policies and procedures not only do not work but that the bulk of America is on to their dirty little game. They are not giving the likes of you and me, the ones who pay their cushy salaries, more time to comment, no…a group from Wyoming has been pushing for the extension and the members of that group are no friends to horses.
In an effort to be fair and balanced, unlike the BLM who cannot even post correct numbers, we posted two articles last week on a Wyoming delegation that wanted the comment time extended.
Delegation Urges More Time for Input on Wild Horses
Wyoming Delegation Urges Feds to Extend the Comment Period for Wild Horses
Let’s just peel a few layers off from that smelly onion and take a look at the members of this delegation. Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) is anti-wild horse, pro-horse slaughter and the same is true of Sen. Enzi (R-WY) and Sen. Barrasso (R-WY). If you check their voting records and prior comments they all wanted the predatory and bloody business of horse slaughter brought to their beautiful state of Wyoming. (Ain’t technology great?)
Check out their comments (HERE)
Also, Rep. Lummis was dead set against Rep. Rahall/HR 1018, “Restore Our American Mustangs Act,” in Congress, April 2009.
Below are two videos of Lummis in Congressional sessions regarding the above bill.
This is where Lummis states that Wild Horses are the “Bullies of the Range”
And in this one she attempts to accuse the wild horses of ruining the range grass…in summer flies are on them and they roll on grass and destroy sage grouse habitat (naughty, naughty horses)…and the way they just pull up the roots (she must talking about the private cattle that out number the horses over 50 to 1)
And if you have not figured it out by now, Lummis is a rancher, just like the big guy who is gutting all of the west and destroyed our Gulf of Mexico, Cheif Rancher Secretary Ken Salazar of the Department of Interior.
Now, add to all of the above the depraved ravings of the not-so-politically-correct Rep. “Slaughterhouse” Sue Wallis of Wyoming and all of the pieces of the puzzle begin to come together. “Slaughterhouse” actually showed up to a recent BLM/Advocate workshop and after being chided multiple times to stay on topic she finally managed to get her message out about eating wild horses.
The “Wyoming Gang” are probably all in kahootz and “Slaughterhouse” has been so far over the top these three needed to pick up the “Horse-Eating” ball and attempt to wrap the whole bloody mess up in pretty pink paper and try to sell it to the public as a hand out. A free ride for us it surely is not.
We need to double our efforts during this period; comments to the BLM, sure, but they will only ignore them…I would say flood them anyway. But the real impact is going to come from a very skittish Congress and Senate that are nervous about November and they just might be in the mood to listen to what their constituents say. Write, fax, email your Reps and don’t forget to keep knocking on the door of the White House. Maybe after time the First Lady will become annoyed at her husband for not answering the door and listening to us, perhaps someone in that big White House will finally pick up the phone or swing open the door but just don’t give up, keep the pressure on and use this extra time to turn the tables on the “Horse-Eaters” and their corrupt partners in crime, the BLM.
BLM Press release below
(Note that they have flip-flopped they have flipped flopped the numbers, again, on horses in captivity and free roaming horses – we have proven that they cannot manage numbers but now they themselves screw up in their own press releases)
extending the public comment period on its Wild Horse and Burro Program
Strategy Development Document to September 3, 2010. The extension will
provide members of the public with an interest in the management of
America’s wild horses and burros an additional 30 days to comment on the
document, which outlines possible management actions under consideration by
the BLM to implement Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar’s Wild Horse and
Burro Initiative. The bureau will also accept comments submitted via
e-mail.
The BLM’s Strategy Development Document was initially released to the
public for a 60-day review and comment period on June 3. The extension
announced today will increase the public’s opportunity to provide input for
the BLM as it prepares a long-term strategy for the management of America’s
wild horses and burros. The BLM’s strategy will be presented in a detailed
report to Congress. A PDF version of the Strategic Development Document is
available by clicking on
“We made this decision because we are committed to providing the fullest
possible opportunity for the public to join this dialogue regarding future
management options for the nation’s wild horses,” said BLM Director Bob
Abbey. “We are committed to working with all stakeholders in a transparent
manner to ensure the future health of our wild horses.”
To ensure input from the broadest number of stakeholders, the BLM will also
accept comments by email at wildhorse@blm.gov and by mail at BLM Washington
Office, 1849 C Street NW, Rm. 5665, Washington, DC 20240. If e-mailing
comments, please put “WHB Public Comment” in the subject line. If sending
by mail, comments need to be postmarked no later than September 3, 2010.
The BLM is also soliciting feedback online using ePlanning (accessible
online at http://blm.gov/m14c).
The BLM estimates that more than 38,000 wild horses and burros roam
BLM-managed rangelands in 10 Western states. Another 35,000 wild horses
and burros are fed and cared for at short-term corrals and long-term
pastures. Costs for the program, particularly those for animals in holding
facilities, have risen dramatically in the last several years. In Fiscal
Year 2009, for example, approximately $29 million, or about 70 percent of
the total wild horse and burro program budget of $40.6 million, was spent
on animals held in corrals and pastures.
The original news release, the Udall Institute Report, and other documents
are available at http://www.blm.gov/whbstrategy .
The BLM manages more land – more than 245 million acres – than any other
Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is
primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with
a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of
sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use
mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for
the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau
accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation,
livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by
conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public
lands.
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to SFTHH user “Ronnie” for much of the research and information contributed to this article.
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Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter, The Force of the Horse, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
What I am anticipating; BLM gets all the anti wild horse folks to comment and they decide to respond to them as if we did not exist. If the Anti’s tip it- it would be the first time they paid attention to any comments. Period. Wouldn’t it be ironic? mar
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I was waiting until the last minute – I don’t know why – this is sort of how the DOI one went, without an extensions, lots of comments from DOI in the last week, but nothing to do with horses.
Now if you already commented on this start drumming the beat to get more to comment for the horses – this time was probably already planned for them to subvert our efforrts so far but we cannot let them do this.
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Eating horse meat is going to catch Slaughterhouse Sue in the end… notice the steroids at work? She will pay for what she preaches!
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Love your shuttle bus, RT! Good work!!!
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I must admit that I cannot take credit for the Salazar Shuttle to destruction, that is pure, prime, vintage John Holland from beginning to end.
“There’s a new Sheriff in Town”
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It’s time that these people had to WORK for a living.
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This is another piece of evidence that substantiates the advocates contention that DOI/USDA listen and respond to anything anti-equine and always whatever the equine eaters want; NEVER, not one acknowledgement or granted request by the advocates submissions and pleas. Now, if that isn’t bias, I surely don’t know what is.
They even lifted the term “stakeholders” from those three creeps from WY. Anyone see any response from the horsekillers regarding Grijalva, Rahall or Landrieu letters or requests? Didn’t think so.
Seems our right to petition our government with pleas for humane, satisfactory resolution of this issue is being denied via the basic right of fair, balanced equality of justice for all. How a judge can ignore that and all our science, the deaths, the holding numbers is beyond comprehension.
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While very important to leave our footprint on this document, it is primarily a PR piece that Salazar needed to show senators that he had made a ‘good faith effort” to work with the advocacy groups, when he goes before the appropriations comittee in oct..which is why he only gave them a 30 day extenstion, and not the 6o day extension the “Steak-Holders asked for…perhaps we should send CC to all the members on that comittee our response with specific refrences to the millions and billions this program will eventually cost the taxpayers, the waste, fraud and criminal activity which surrounds this program…Seeing the political climate and the absolute reluctance of congress to fund ANYTHING, and especially 1 month before the Nov. elections-I think this will be tabled or denied..and we should already have hit these senators with OUR alternative proposals, which in some way shape or form should involve returning them to their lands, and removing the current BLM from future management of the Wild Horse and Burro program..be thinking ahead folks-because this is where the real showdown is going to happen…from Calico to Oct1 is our time to document the abuses and get them to that comittee & our senators and congressmen and woman. Donot let anything distract you , or anyone, from the showdown.
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Did it Sandra, sent my copy of the comments to the White House and my reps and Senators including as comments the trickery and chicanery that has been the benchmark of dealings with the BLM. And commented that this was just an underhanded method to play Congress also. Told them they should ask for independent corroboration of the results of the comments. I didn’t trust DOI not to round file my comments so I made sure it went elsewhere also.
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Amen R.T.!!
Thank you, R.T. When you posted earlier, July 26, “Delegation Urges More Time for Input on Wild Horses,” it was subliminal, but so obvious what Lummis, Enzi, Barrasso were up to. And of course with Suzy in there too, orchestrating all with her captive bolt wand.
And of course, the OTHERS (Wyoming “delegation”) BLM request are given an extension, a realistic opportunity to comment: lengthened time-frame and……..{{{EMAIL}}} !!
Whereas, “our,” the “public’s” comment period was severely limited and only by postal mail (takes weeks to reach recipient as screened for anthrax, etc.) and a convoluted internet process, that most often, once completed, got deleted!
No easy EMAILS were allowed as the Wyoming “gang,” et al, can now do, as you wrote above. Nor fax, as a fax needs to be kept on record.
August recess just about here.
In the past, we called our Rep’s regional offices during August. I will call, email, D.C. …and regional. And Obama needs to get a massive amount…every day. Son-of-a Gun, we were literally in-his-face in Nevada with the wild horse rally signs! (Btw, the Pres. just might be a little po’s already with “pal” Sal over the MMS/BP/Gulf oil GUSH.)
Rep. Rahall, Rep. Grijalva have opened the door W-I-D-E with their powerful letter to Salazar, delivered this week. Sen. Landrieu again, writing for the wild horses. Go with it>>>>>>>> We need to reinforce, back them up, Big Time!
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The BLM may use the “stakeholder’s” comments in support of their “new” management direction but basically I believe they have already decided on the “path” and “stakesholder’s” interests be damned. What may well stand in the way of a portion of the plan is their ability to secure 400 million from Congress in an election year to purchase land in the East and Midwest. Also, if by law the horses cannot be moved to land they did not formerly inhabit, as per the BLM’s refusal of Madeleine Pickens’ sanctuary plans, the law will have to be changed in order to accomplish this. I do not believe Washington is listening to the public’s concerns about anything – the health care law, immigration, unemployment or endless war in the Middle East. Unfortunately, our American mustangs fall low on the scale in the scheme of things. The American public is up in arms in general and very well armed. One has to ask – at what point will this go beyond angst and turn into action, and I am not talking about civil disobedience. How much longer will the public accept being at the bottom of the food chain in America – way below the corrupt government and politicians, the corporations and special interests? We are very close to anarchy as it stands.
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We have to help the canadians stop slaughter for horses. The canadian avocates do have a good positive roll and a good chance of stopping horse slaughter.
We need to take the market away from them!
Far as mexico goes, that country is totally in the hands of the drug Lords. The gov there and the common people are terrified of them. We will never stop slaughter there.
Somehow someway thousands of american guns have made it over the border into the hands of criminals. The mexican border states have the highest murder rates in the world!
In my opinion federal employees who acording to court documents poach wildlife, steal taxpayer money making fake counts and fake reports…could be the same people who are sending guns/cash over the borders and working with druglords to bring in drugs.
We need to sic the terror squads on them as they very well could extend their lifelong corruption to national security threats.
I think everything we have needs to be turned over to the FBI and those in congress working on terror issues- in a formal complaint.
After reading the white paper, this problem with BLM and contracters and corruption that likely stole many millions of federal dollars- goes far beyond the wild horses and their life.
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Okay, so they’ve ‘extended’ the comment period to September 3, 2010; not for the Horse Advocates, but strictly to cater to the anti-horse/pro-slaughter groups who want the extra time to use their deceitful propaganda tools to shove down the throats of unsuspecting Americans and the vermin in Wyoming can futher their cause…eradicating our American Wild Horses and Burros and push for reopening slaughterhouses. What happens to the ‘Strategic Development Document’ that hundreds of us ‘managed’ to get in on time during the original BLM deadline of August. I know for a fact that mine were received on time because I submitted 5 of these ‘documents’ via USPS [snail mail] and paid to have them delivered ‘overnight/next day delivery’. Do THOSE get tossed! Oh, wait, of course they will, along with all the ‘documents’ received since the extention…silly me; WHAT WAS I THINKING? We’re dealing with Salazar and his loyal band of killers within the BLM, who will likely retain a ‘few’ Horse Advocate’s ‘documents’ and an overwhelming number of ‘documents’ from the pro-roundup/pro-slaughter groups as well as those from the people and delegates of Wyoming. We all know the BLM numbers skills [lies] so I’m quite certain they’ll miscount the number of ‘documents’ received by Horse Advocates and those from the ‘other’ side!
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To my knowledge, all advocate comments were submitted via the DOIs very public unfriendly submission constraints. So three horse killers ask for more time and get the extension which frankly buys more time for the agencies to murder our wild ones and shift the final solution timeline playing admin law proceedure garbage.
I’m not against extensions per se (although I have not seen one granted to any advocate to date[barring the ruling in West Douglas issue]); I am however, not in favor of the extension being granted to individuals whose only goal is to justify the brutality of the DOI. We don’t get consideration….why do they? (rhetorical)
Another example of unequal treatment and consideration by a taxpayer supported executive branch agency.
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Sandra Miller
Jul 30, 2010 @ 20:57:19
Louie Cocroft asked me to post this information that I left on The Cloud Foundation Blog today:
I found the following in the weekly “e-Newsletter of the Center for Biological Diversity” (July 29, 2010) and thought I should post it for you. This group does not support the wild horse and burro campaign, to my knowledge, but they are fighting one of our battles. I will write to them and thank them – and encourage them to join forces with us:
Center Challenges 677-mile Gas Pipeline in Five States
In defense of several endangered species dependent on more than 1,000 western waterways, the Center for Biological Diversity this Tuesday petitioned federal regulators to withdraw approval of the 677-mile “Ruby” natural gas pipeline, proposed for Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Oregon and California. The pipeline would cut across more than 1,000 rivers and streams in some of the country’s most pristine and remote lands. It would use more than 400 million gallons of the West’s precious water and affect habitat for several endangered fish — including the Lahontan cutthroat trout, Warner creek sucker, Lost River sucker and Colorado pikeminnow. Yet the project’s proponent, the El Paso Corporation, failed to take basic measures to protect fish (even after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service flagged serious environmental risks).
“It’s not too late to stop this terrible project from moving forward,” said Center Endangered Species Program Director Noah Greenwald. “If the pipeline ruptures at a stream crossing, it could have devastating consequences for endangered fish and other stream life.”
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Thank you Louie and Sandra…..yes, I am well aware of the CBD. I’ve been to their website many times and read their mission statement, legal filings and projects.
You are correct about their position on the wild ones. Sadly, you’d think that comparing numbers of livestock versus wild equines would help that org see some scientific value in supporting these reintroduced native species. At a minimum, I would think they would understand the meaning of the old phrase…”the enemy of my enemy is my friend”.
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So BLM is removing horese for the pipline (regardless of thier objectioins to this agenda) and for damaging the trout.
While at the same time the trout are being threatened by the pipline.
But no mention of that in those ranchers speeches on the BLM website – hum – wonder why?
Do they really care about the trout or big payoffs from BLM via the pipeline people?
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Slaughter Sue did you know that slaughter WILL NEVER be humane. By its very nature it can’t be. I’m not going to ruin my dinner by explaining this to everyone who has already heard it ad nauseum.
I vote for Slaughter Sue to go raise her own horses and slaughter them. Give the woman a tax break–the money that would have gone to the BLM from her share of taxes is credited. Now that she’s paying nothing into the system she has NO VOICE.
God I hate horse eaters.
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“””The bureau will also accept comments submitted via
e-mail.”””””
That right there is why they had to extend comments, imo.
Someone got on their ass when the BLM started that “no email” crap. plus that online system is broken and I bet pissed off the wrong persons when they tried to use it. 🙂
Like to know if there is a way to FOIA the blms email and phone call records. They are required to save email and phone contact records. deleteing is not allowed by gov employees. and I bet the blm deleted years, thousands of emails. and phone recordings aswell.
I read just recently that a Judge ruled about Palins old yahoo account, the one the guy guessed the password on. He ruled palin may not delete any emails as that is considered a gov employees email account.
of course anything they deleted will still be on the server forever, phone messages and emails. I think it would be huge to uncover the deletion of by now what could be millions of communications from the public. and many of us all have records of emails sent over the years.
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This is where slaughterhouse sue will submit her official “let me eat the wild horses” plan.
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The trout were mentioned in the Environmental Assessment–they had to be protected from the horses.
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But not the cattle, sheep, mining or water diversions?????
Hmmm….
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Exactly! But I guess since that video was made WWD has forced BLMs hand and the cattle folks are getting a taste of what we have been getting and they are not happy about it – some are saying “join” forces. Maybe. And best of luck if that works out. I think they will just turn on the horses again once they win.
I still say if the cattle are completly gone we save $1/2 billiion in cattle rancher welfare and then no resaon not return the unadoptable captured horses in holding saving another $30 million a year.
And there is no reason energy and horses cannot co-exist. Mining – maybe, maybe not.
Fact is we are not going to stop either of these as our country is desparate for engergy independance. But look how much time we could devote to common solutions with energy rather than fighting BLM gathers one at a time, one law suit at a time.
There should be no reason for horses and cattle to coexist – but they are too greedy, corporate profits only, and they feed that long held cowboy tradition that wild horses are cockroaches – with rodeo footage to prove it – so there you have it.
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I just couldn’t watch these videos. I knew they’d make me queasy. But I guess I really don’t need to, because I get the idea.
Why don’t we pull an Erin Brokovich? Set a plate of bute, banamine and ivermectin tainted horse meat in front of these pro-slaughter folks and exclaim, “Bon apetit!” Put a little side of live virus vaccine on the plate, too. You know, like a condiment.
We had this brought in special just for you!
OK, you knowing I’m not serious. But the thought did at least cross my mind…
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I meant “You know I’m not serious.” My fingers got a little giddy there for a minute …:)
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Don’t ya just hate it when fingers ruin a perfectly good sentence?
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🙂
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AS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN IT IS MY RIGHT TO DEMAND THE USES OF TAXPAYERS MONEY TO DO THE WISHES OF EVEN “THE LITTLE PEOPLE”
IF THE GOVERNMENT WANTS INHUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS MOST PEOPLE WOULD BE OUTRAGED, AS I AM!
BIG MONEY LINES THE POCKETS OF THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE SO DETERMINED TO EXTERMINATE HORSES AND BURROS…THEY ARE IN BUSINESSES FULL OF CLANDESTINE BEHAVIOR.
I AM FRUSTRATED, SAD AND ANGRY AS ARE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS ABOUT THE ROUNDUPS OF THE WILD HORSES.
I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM (IF THERE IS ONE) IS THE FACT ALL OF THIS IS TO BENEFIT THE RANCHERS AND HUNTERS AND BLM , ETC.
OUR BLM AND WHATEVER ELSE THEY CALL THEMSELVES , ARE DESTROYING THE PREDATORS THAT NORMALLY KEEP THE HORSE POPULATION IN BALANCE.
I AM VEHEMENTLY AGAINST THE BLM AND THOSE THAT DEFEND IT!
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Melva, well said!
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RT,
Just wanted to say thanks for your accurate and informative blog posts! All the info out there is SO overwhelming, but when I read your work, it grounds me again. You do such a great job cross referencing the information, and verifying what you post!
A special thanks to Terry for her artistic talent and dedication!
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