The legislative season is winding down and the preparations for the Humane Society of the United States TAFA conference. In the jam-packed schedule of events, 33 workshops running over 3 days, nearly 2/3 of the workshops are directly involved in political influence, legislation and shaping public policy. This does not include the informal finale event of the conference, Lobby Day on Capitol Hill.
Some examples of the workshops include:
- Becoming a Citizen Lobbyist at the State and Federal Level, “Come to this workshop to learn effective approaches to getting bills passed for animals” Speakers: Speakers: Nancy Perry, Vice President, Government Affairs, HSUS; Jessica Feingold Lieberson, Director of Grassroots Campaigns, HSUS
- Sound Strategy: A Key to Ending the Use of Animals in Labs, “The panel discussion will offer a toolkit for how you can help educate the public, influence policy efforts and prompt action.” Speakers: Kathleen Conlee, Director of Program Management, Animal Research, HSUS; Laura Ducceschi, Director of Education at American Anti-Vivisection Society/Animalearn; Jennifer Campbell, Director of Member Services, New England Anti-Vivisection Society
- Advocating for Animals at Your State Capitol, “Speakers will focus on the state legislative process and cover topics such as picking the right author to advance a bill” Speakers: Kelly Peterson, Policy Advisor to Chief Operating Officer and Oregon Legislative Specialist, HSUS; Nicole Paquette, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Born Free USA
- Get Ready, Get Set, Lobby! And Training for Lobby Day, “You will get all the training you need for Lobby Day including tips on how to be a good citizen lobbyist, a refresher on how the legislative process works, a briefing on the highest priority animal welfare bills in Congress right now, and the logistics and schedule for Lobby Day.” Speakers: Nancy Perry, Vice President, Government Affairs, HSUS; Jessica Feingold Lieberson, Director of Grassroots Campaigns, HSUS; Heather Carpenter, Deputy Director of Grassroots Campaigns, HSUS (mandatory for Lobby Day Attendance)
- Advocating for Animals in the U.S. Congress, “Come learn about some of the federal bills that we’re working on to protect animals and how you can help ensure their passage!” Speakers: Tracy Silverman, Animal Welfare Institute; Lauren Silverman, Federal Legislative Specialist, Government Affairs, HSUS; Jean Flemma, Staff Director, Insular Affairs, Oceans & Wildlife, US House of Representatives (mandatory for Lobby Day Attendance)
That is just a small fraction of the workshops that are aimed at promoting political and lobbying activity. I feel like I’m being tedious documenting that much of the politically focused portions of the TAFA conference. (If you agree on the tedious part, I’m sorry. Really I am.) Yet, I feel compelled to point out the intense focus on political effect at the conference. Why? Because of the following comment on Twitter from the HSUS, “We’re not a “political group”. That’s a lame argument that our opponents use because they have nothing else.”
As usual, I have many more questions than answers. My primary question tonight is, “If it is such a lame argument, why does the topic form the significant majority of the TAFA conference?”
I don’t expect there to be much of a response forthcoming though.
Copyright 2009 by Erica Saunders http://AR-HR.com
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Not true that we don’t have anything else! I’m chock full o’ “lame arguments”: lobbying group, dog killers, fundraising scammers, convicted felons, liars liars pantses on fires…
not to mention using “lame” as an insult is up there with using “retarded”–not only does it perpetute discrimination against folks with disablilities, it denotes a bankrupt vocabulary. With all the money H$U$ has, you’d think they could afford more nuanced come-backs.
So what does HSUS spend their money on beside lobbying efforts and salaries?
So let me understand this, one can be tax exempt through most of the companies they own and lobby through another company? I thought Humane International was their only non tax exempt company? That sounds rather convenient, like having your cake and eating it too.
I wonder what the budget is for Humane Legislation Fund per year? In the book Speaking out for Animals, Wayne Pacelle is quoted in 2001, “We want power, we want credibility. We now have more than 100 active campaigns at HSUS.” Guess that certainly says it all, I would not think that 100 campaigns “come cheap”. Also quoted in the same book, Wayne Pacelle admits to being arrested several times and has led hunt protest in the field across the country. So he started out stalking hunters in the woods with guns and went around rustling bushes, and ends up stalking dog, cow and chicken owners through legislation. I just don’t find that credible, but he does have power through the monumental donations to HSUS. It is what Wayne does with those donated funds and exactly how he uses the power that I would question?