" Change Has Come ... For Animals "

TheNewRepublic.com
November 7, 2008


Tuesday's election was a watershed for a lot of people--Democrats, African Americans--but it was also an historic day for animals. Two major referenda passed, bringing unprecedented progress for animal welfare--and new influence for the animal welfare groups behind them.

In California, Proposition 2 mandates that confined animals must have enough space to "lie down, stand up, fully extend their limbs and turn around freely." This effectively bans veal crates, chicken "battery cages," and pig "gestation crates," all common in livestock farms. The referendum, which passed with 63% of the vote, will affect an estimated twenty million farm animals, according to the Humane Society.

Massachusetts' Question 3, which passed by a slimmer 56%, will ban dog racing in the state. The state's two betting tracks, which race thousands of Greyhounds annually, must close by the end of 2009.

I spoke with Michael Markarian, Executive Vice President of the Humane Society of the United States, who said that such ballot measures, introduced in states where they are likely to pass, do much more than reform a single states' animal treatment laws. They are a message to American industry as a whole that considering animal welfare is increasingly within their economic self-interest. California agribusinesses, fearing a rise in operating costs, spent heavily to combat Proposition 2 and have nothing to show for it. Markarian is hoping that all animal-related businesses will draw the lesson that it is simply cheaper to improve animal treatment of their own accord, rather than risk a costly political fight they will probably lose.

It is a surprising strategy for groups like the Humane Society and People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals, which have traditionally made ethics, not economics, the centerpiece of their campaigns--but one that may yield substantial results for animals.

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"The Party At Florida's Five-Hour Voting Lines"

TheNewRepublic.com
November 3, 2008

Reader Kathryn Sheps of St. Petersburg, FL, writes:

I voted early on Sunday Nov. 2nd, the last day of early voting here in St
Petersburg, FL. We arrived to the polling place at 11:30 am, about a half-hour
before the office opened for the day. We expected that we would be there early,
and that Sunday Football might keep people away from the polls until later in
the afternoon. Well, we were wrong, a line had been forming since 7 in the
morning (again, the polling place didn't open until noon)!

It was an incredibly festive environment - people were laughing and chatting,
Obama volunteers were passing out bottled water, local candidates (mostly
Democratic candidates, I noticed), were shaking hands, thanking people for being
there to vote, talking about their platforms. Kids of all colors were playing
together on the courthouse lawn. A violinist with a small amplifier had staked
out a position, and was playing for the crowd. A couple, who had nearly left the
early voting lines the day before came back and brought a couple of hundred
pizzas down to the lines, to keep people from leaving the line up due to hunger.
The mood was light-hearted, fun and festive, despite the occasional rain
showers. I was wishing I had brought my camera. We finally got in to vote
at around 4pm. It was 4:30 by the time we had left the polling place. It was a
4.5-5 hour wait, and I'll remember it for the rest of my life.

Email viewfromthepolls@gmail.com to share your own story. And send photos!

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"The View From Your Polling Place"

TheNewRepublic.com
November 3, 2008


A lot of you are voting early this year--as many as 9.8 million ballots have already been cast in the 31 states that allow early voting in person. With the massive numbers of newly-registered voters, your local polling place could be quite a scene as early voting continues, and there's no telling what election day will bring.

We'd like to know what it looks like out there. Are people camping out for Georgia's four-hour lines? Did Florida's newly extended voting hours ameliorate voters, or is it getting unruly? We've set up a new feature we're calling "The View From Your Polling Place" as a way for you to share photos and stories from your local ballot stations.

When you head out to the polls, snap a photo and send it to us at viewfromthepolls@gmail.com. We'll post the most interesting, most unusual, and funniest right here on The Plank. Include any backstory, explanation, or anecdotes along with the photo for us to post as well.

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