This would be hilarious if these idiots weren’t serious.
Democrats and Republicans all agree that the nation needs to move on a jobs agenda. And Republicans have a new plan: unleash the reins of snake commerce.GOP members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee today called attention to a proposed regulation that would restrict the transportation and importation of nine types of snakes, including the Burmese Python.
In a new report entitled “Broken Government: How the Administrative State has Broken President Obama’s Promise of Regulatory Reform,” GOP members cited the proposed snake ban as one of seven examples of red tape choking off job growth in an already ailing economy.
One witness invited to testify, snake breeder David Barke, told lawmakers that the rules “threatens as many as a million law-abiding American citizens and their families with the penalty of a felony conviction for pursuing their livelihoods, for pursuing their hobby, or for simply moving with their pet to new state.”
You know, if this was one example of regulation killing jobs in a list of thousands or even hundreds, I would just shrug it off. But this is one of only seven examples they give. And they brought in a witness to testify on it.
Meanwhile, down in Florida, they are dealing with an onslaught of Burmese pythons that are changing the ecosystem — an artificially introduced invasive species that is eating up native species at an alarming rate. The Nature Conservancy has a “Python Patrol” program in their land holdings and is supporting Ben Nelson’s bill, the one that the GOP is so upset about.
Think it’s not a problem? Check this out:
That’s a Burmese python that exploded after eating a 6-foot long gator. And, guess, what? There is a new species showing up that’s even more aggressive. If they can eat gators, these things can eat anything.
Including, it appears, jobs and Republican Congressmen’s rationality.
