Recently the New Jersey state legislature passed a law banning the use of gestation crates on the state’s 300 pig farms. The bill passed 53-13 in the state Assembly, and 32-1 in the state Senate. Polls suggested that 93% of the state’s population supported the bill.
But the bill is not law, because Governor Chris Christie vetoed it.
He said he did so because the bill was a non-issue. New Jersey only has about 9000 pigs in the state, and most pig farmers have already done away with those contraptions of torture.
Iowa, on the other hand, has over 20 million pigs in that state. It’s the largest pork producer in the US, and is home of the National Pork Producers Council. Senator-elect Joni Ernst, during her campaign, touted her skills at castrating hogs.
Iowa is also the home to the first presidential primary.
And, what a coincidence, Christie is running for president.
To be sure, Christie has made no bones about how much he loves Iowa. He’s all but kissed Iowa Governor Terry Branstad’s ass. And Branstad quickly let it be known how pleased he was that Christie vetoed the bill.
Christie blames the Democratic legislature for setting him up to look bad before the presidential primaries began.
Maybe they did. But they also showed me that this guy is more concerned about getting what he wants than in representing the will of the people who have elected him now. I’m guessing the Pork Council made a sizable contribution to his campaign coffers before the ink was dry.
And THAT, people, is why you and I have to be politically vigilant on behalf of animals.
Dogpaddling Through Life 
All politicians are the same – out for what they can get, only interested in being re-elected!
Politicians do what is politically in their best interest. If more of us animal lovers held their feet to the fire, they’d support our efforts. It’s up to us.
Absolutely agree! The only real weapon we have, is our vote. Sadly, only 1/3 of Americans are willing to wield that weapon. That’s why we never get any meaningful change. 😦
Yeah, well we can’t give up hope that some day those other 2/3 will eventually get up off their asses.
On the 2nd picture, those pigs who are in a way, tortured look so sad…… 😦
How cruel to treat an expectant mother that way, all because of human obsession with eating bacon.
I wonder that so much meat-eating peeps are not interested what happens before the pig lands on their plate…. my grampy was a pig-farmer and he NEVER did such cruelty things, he always said meat produced this way has no quality.
I agree with your grampy. People will eat meat, but they shouldnt condone animal cruelty to do so.
You are absolutely 100% right. We live in NJ and are disgusted with the things we know about Christie – people outside the state have no idea how bad this guy really is. To override the will of the people in his state on this issue speaks volumes about what he’d do in the White House – God forbid. In my humble opinion, a person who shows no compassion toward animals has little compassion for humans. I know some people don’t equate the two, but to me a living thing is a living thing and should be treated with kindness, compassion, and respect. (getting off my soapbox now….) Thanks for raising awareness on this.
Oh i agree alright, and wrote about last Saturday! Keep up the good fight you guys! This bill can still become law!
Happy to be a none meat eater.
The pigs are happy too, I’m sure!
I really LOATHE Chris Christie with ALL my being! I live in NJ, and he is a PIG of a different nature! What a jerk royale to Veto a good bill! Anyway, I love your blog! Lots of love to you and your babies, Emily
Someone should shove Christie’s fat ass in one of those crates until he reverses his decision..it’s a given fact that all these animals, and other farm animals are being raised for food and will be killed eventually….but there is absolutely no reason why they have to be treated inhumanely in the meantime. All animals deserve to be treated kindly and compassionately, regardless of their station in life.
I can’t really say I’m surprised. It just goes to show that politicians serve the people who give them the money, not the people who vote for them. It’s all about getting elected, and very little about doing what’s right for the country or the state you supposedly serve. Is Christie definitely running for president?
NJ could have been a good place to start getting this changed.
😦 poor mumma piggies
It is incredibly sad.
It’s sickening that many people in power are so driven by the pursuit of *more* power. I agree with Gay Johnson’s comment above!
It’s incredibly sad that people think that having power is going to make them happy. It never does. Instead, it causes them to seek ever more power, while destroying the very part of them that once made them feel good about themselves. The fact that they do so at the expense of other living things is unconscionable.
Christie didn’t have much of a chance as a presidential candidate to begin with. But I think he’s sealed his fate with this veto. Not because people are going to care so much about farm animals. But because he tried to make his reputation as the realist who would do whatever it took if it was best for his constituents.
Now he’s exposed himself as a hypocrite. And I don’t think New Jersey voters (which is a very populous state) are going to forget.
The one heartening thing about this story is seeing how many people in NJ are opposed to inhumane confinement. How often do you see that kind of agreement on any issue?
That IS good news!
sharing!
GOOD!!