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JAGUARS.
• When you think of Jaguars you probably think of the South America, the rainforest, Mexico etc. WELL The Jaguar is also a NATIVE SPECIES to the UNITED STATES. Not a lot of Americans know this. Why? Because there are none in the UNITED STATES today. But there used to be.
• For thousands of years, jaguars roamed the states of ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, NEW MEXICO, TEXAS, LOUISIANA, COLORADO, OKLAHOMA, VIRGINIA, & NORTH CAROLINA.
• In the 1800s, with American expansionism the country’s prevailing foreign policy, more and more settlers pushed westward into territory long-held by these big cats. CATTLE RANCHING became a booming business in the region. Large tracts of land were fenced off for grazing. Railroads divvied up the land even further. Ranchers and farmers, in an effort to protect their livestock, began WIPING OUT large predators in the area.
• FEDERAL & LOCAL GOVERNMENTS paid bounties to anyone who could bring in carcasses from COYOTES, WOLVES, BEARS, MOUNTAIN LIONS, and JAGUARS. Throughout the 19th century, The AMERICAN PREDATOR EXTERMINATION PROGRAM ran rapid through the United States killing these apex predators. By the 20th century, jaguars had all but DISAPPEARED from the United States.
• TODAY: WILDLIFE SERVICES kill native carnivores primarily to SUBSIDIZE a handful of wealthy, powerful, and vocal ranchers who dominate the western livestock industry. CONGRESS ALLOCATES approximately $15-$20 million EACH YEAR to WS’s “livestock protection” program, primarily in the West.
• TODAY, Many ranchers benefiting from WS’s predator control programs GRAZE LIVESTOCK on PUBLIC LAND, where two-thirds of WS’s “livestock protection” money is spent. This SUBSIDY creates INCENTIVES for ranchers to OVERGRAZE, use sub-marginal land, & protect their herds through LETHAL METHODS.
• What’s my purpose in typing this? You don’t have to care at all about jaguars or any animal to learn a lesson from this. Many POLITICIANS & FEDERAL/LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS that are supposed to help improve the lives of AMERICAN CITIZENS & AMERICAN WILDLIFE do the exact opposite. They DETERIORATE LIVES. Why? Because they take money from SPECIAL INTERESTS to fill their own pockets, because they can.
• There is NOBODY stopping them. And as a result AMERICAN CITIZENS & AMERICAN WILDLIFE deal with the fallout, & get CRUSHED.
• CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM has always been important, but it has never been as important as it is TODAY.
I’m going to conclude by asking those who read this 1 question. IS THERE HOPE?