It's a well known and well documented fact that Texas Governor Greg Abbott is a walking, talking personality disorder that has no redeemable qualities as a human being, much less a governor.
As if there was any doubt in this, Abbott again proved it on Monday when he vetoed 20 bills sent to him by the Republican-controlled legislature, many of which appeared to be more than worthwhile. The victims of Abbott's veto pen included such things as expanding broadband in rural areas, teaching students about preventing domestic violence and child abuse and lowering penalties for trespassing because it would make it harder for him to abuse immigrants and asylum seekers.
But the one that triggered me the most was when he needlessly vetoed a bill that would help prevent cruelty to dogs:
Abbott also vetoed a bill Friday that would have banned tethering dogs outside with heavy chains, earning him the ire of dog owners and the hashtag #AbbottHatesDogs, the Houston Chronicle reported Monday. The bill, which would have expanded and clarified the state's animal cruelty laws, had the support of animal control officers, law enforcement agencies and organizations, county prosecutors, and advocates for animals, and it passed 28-3 in the Senate and 83-32 in the House.
Abbott, who owns a dog named Pancake, said the current laws are adequate and "Texas is no place for this kind of micro-managing and over-criminalization." The Texas Humane Legislation Network (THLN), which helped lead the effort to pass the legislation, disagreed. The current laws are "completely unenforceable," THLN executive director Shelby Bobosky said. "All the elements Gov. Abbott cited as 'micromanagement' were carefully negotiated compromises that addressed concerns from lawmakers in both parties to strike the right balance for our diverse state."
Anyone who condones cruelty to animals is as big a waste of hydrocarbons as the actual abuser. The fact that Abbott has a dog only makes me concerned about that poor animal's well-being and the level of care it's receiving.
Yes, I do realize that I probably am taking this more personally than I should, especially since I fortunately don't live in Texas. However, my wife and I own three beautiful rescue dogs, two of whom were abused by their previous owners. The third was abandoned at a shelter, along with his brothers and sisters, when he was only a few weeks old and too young to be weaned from their mother. So, in a way, it is personal.
I'm sure that my boys would love to meat, er, I mean meet, Abbott and explain to him why vetoing this bill was the absolute wrong thing to do.
