Wolf bills are probably dead

Will they emerge in the next Congress?

Due to the gridlock in Congress, the bills to sidestep the endangered species act seem to be dead in the current lame duck session of Congress.

Wolf bills unlikely to advance this Congress. By Matthew Brown. Associated Press

On the surface it would seem like the reactionary* new Congress will be fertile ground for attacks on the ESA, but a government shutdown, attacks on social security and medicare, might cause so much conflict that lesser things will not move.

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*Today’s poplar political rhetoric is impoverished. The word “radical” is freely applied to all kinds of views a person or groups don’t agree with. However, long historical use is for extreme left wing measures to be called “radical,” while extreme right wing attempts to move backwards beyond conservative are called “reactionary.”

Special interests are Utah politicians’ cash cows

Compared to the Utah legislature, members of Congress raise much more from their local constituents-

Only 5% of the campaign money spent by candidates for the Utah legislature came from the folks in the candidates’ home legislative district.

Special interests are Utah politicians’ cash cows. Salt Lake Tribune. By Lee Davidson

This is important because of the constant drum beat pounding out the tune that the state’s are closer to the people than the astronomically far off denizens of Washington D.C.  This matters plenty when wildlife issues are considered.