Dems Give Duncan Hunter (R-52) the Birds as Capps(D-23) Reports House Victory

Dems Unite & Collectively Flip Duncan Hunter the Bird

Congresswoman Lois Capps, a progressive icon amidst the increasingly reactionary U.S. House or Representatives, flew back to her sunny Southern California district for a couple of days and joined the Santa Barbara Democratic Service Organization for a chicken dinner in the foothills of one of America's richest environmental paradises. In a park setting known for its red tail hawks, bald eagles and falcon population, she announced a provisional but decisive victory of ther predations of San Deigo Republican Duncan Hunter, best known for his vitriolic attacks on Mexicans and his pandering the the military.

Hunter's most recent act of depravity is his attempt to subvert a settled environmental solution which stipulated that the Santa Rosa Island would be closed to hunting after a date certain.

According the National Park Service website, "Santa Rosa has several rare plants, some of which are found nowhere else in the world."

The island was first settled by the Chumash who referred to it as The Isle of Huima. There were three Chumash villages, Nichochi, Coycoy, and Estocoloco. A Spanish explorer, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo who called the island Nicalque,was the first European. Later, George Vancouver extended his writ and history, written by English speaking white people, soon forgot the history of this island. Duncan Hunter takes that process even further. Having first been taken from the Chumash and then the Spanish-speaking, he now poises ready to snatch this treasure away even from the general use and enjoyment of civilian US citizens and turn it into a Military-Only reserve.

What does Hunter want to do? Tear up the settled agreement and open the island for hunting in perpetuity.. Oh, before you grab your bow or rifle, hold on – the hunting is not for you and me, unless you happen to be active military or DAV.. He wants it to be a closed, effectively private hunting reserve for military use only. As a sop to his constituents, he throws in disabled vets in a calculated appeal to jingoistic hyper patriotism.

But most disabled veterans are perfectly happy to hunt during normal hunting season just like every body else. I know plent of disabled veterans and I don't know a single one of them that is out there panhandling for special privileges from Congress. Nor would they wish to trample America's natural resources in a selfish self-entitled system of privilege. Hunter's proposal is an insult to veterans and the disabled as well as to the people of California

According to Defenders of Wildlife, a reputatable source, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2004 officially listed four subspecies of the island fox -including Santa Rosa Island fox – as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

Boxer is against him; Feinstein is against him; Capps is against him. Hunter lost his first time around in this attempted boondoggle, but managed to sneak his slimy amendment onto a bill that made it out onto the house floor.

Lois was happy to report today that she has discussed the matter with her colleagues and feels that the Hunter amendment will not pass muster out on the House floor. Hooray for Lois!

Ariana Huffington posed the following question for Duncan Hunter: So, apparently torturing prisoners is ok, as long as you follow that up by serving two types of fruit with dinner?

Bard's Corrollary: So, apparently wiping out rare plant and animal species is ok, as long as you get your photo opportunity?

Hunter had said that he got this (stupid) idea when driving through Santa Barbara.

Capps quipped: Better not let Duncan Hunter drive through YOUR district.

About the Author: Geof Bard, who does not oppose hunting when it is consistent with intelligent wildlife management practices, has worked on bringing hunters and fisherman together with wildlife preservationists since the year 2000. He also researched and reported on post-conflict epidemiology associated with Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War.