Jim Moran introduced a bill last week to ban exotic animals like elephants, tigers, and lions from circuses. The bill seemed trivial relative to the current economic and social turmoil facing the country, but the stakes have been raised – the bill threatens 750 jobs, including 250 in the 8th District, according to Ringling Bros.
This legislation would make it impossible for Ringling Bros. or any other circus to continue to operate with such animals. As a result, H.R. 3359 would jeopardize more than 750 Feld Entertainment jobs that are directly tied to Ringling Bros., including 250 located in Moran’s district. H.R. 3359 also has the potential to jeopardize thousands of local jobs in the more than 120 markets Ringling Bros. plays throughout the country.
What is particularly troubling is that Representative Moran refused Feld Entertainment’s repeated efforts to meet with him about this legislation. He then held a press conference yesterday with former game show host Bob Barker behind locked doors, even requiring one of our representatives to leave the room. Congressman Moran apparently prefers to serve animal rights activists from other states and countries rather than his own constituents.
Moran wants to eliminate circus 750 jobs when the unemployment rate is 9.1%. With Jim Moran, it’s apparently animals over people. Absurd.
Jim Moran’s entire political career has been a circus itself, and now he’s trying to put the real circuses, which actually employ people, out of business. Maybe the voters should finally put the Jim Moran Circus out of business on November 6, 2012.
