NY Post editorial
 

As the NY'ers probably know, NYCLASS has been spending mucho $$ trying to get carriage horses banned in NYC. The most frightening part of this whole affair is that it's created a situation where I actually agree with an editorial in the NYPost. ;)

http://nypost.com/2014/02/09/trojan-horse/

Seriously, this is really frustrating. And it makes you realize how separate most people's lives are from animals, that the absurd accusations of "abuse" are actually getting traction.

I work for one of the vets that was asked to investigate the abuse. He found no abuse and well cared for animals. This is pure politics.

reminds me of the accusations of abuse lodged against a certain thoroughbred retirement facility....cost them a lot of money to fight that. they prevailed in the end, the accusations were baseless-but if your attackers can outspend or outlast the target, then what?

it's simply ridiculous. where are these people to say that humans working is cruelty? then i'll talk!

BINGO

http://spectator.org/blog/57345/de-b...n-carriage-ban

I'm glad this is starting to get attention. NYCLASS is funded by the owner of Manhattan Mini Storage and it's clear he wants the real estate the stables stand on. George Carlin was right; it's always about stuff.

Jon Stewart, who I usually like, apparently made a comment about watching the "sad" carriage horses leaving the stables (they're near his studio) and it made me really think about the total disconnect between people and working animals. I'm no horse expert, but I've spent enough time around them (and around the carriage horses; I used to work near the park) to understand that a lowered head, ears at half mast and a slow pace are not signs of a "sad" horse; they're signs of a relaxed horse. Le sigh.

if people weren't so damn lazy they'd walk....

wonder if the same guy came up with both carriage rides and sweetest day?

Blog post from one of my favorite authors..Jon Katz. Talks about the working aspect of these horses.

http://www.bedlamfarm.com/2014/02/26...rses-or-carts/

Liam will kick his ass if they shut it down..

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/02/2...ayor/20840592/

"Mayor, this is someone that knows what you are up to"-Liam on phone in Taken voice

"Who is this?? Is this Al Roker again?"-DeBlasio angrily

"Listen carefully communist mayor as I am only going to say this once. Leave the horses alone"

"You can't tell me what to do! I'm the fukin mayor of New York!! We do want we want!"

"Shut up idiot! This is what is going to happen, you are going to leave the horses alone or I am going to take the fork and knife that your pansy ass eats pizza with and jam them into your eyes"

"Uh ok, I will leave the horses alone. I have enough fun making public school children go to school in blizzards and closing charter schools that actually teach kids something. Hey you dont need an SNAP card do you? I can have your neighborhood roads cleared 1st next time it snows...even if it is on the upper east side. If you get arrested I can make some calls for you. Hello? Are you still there...."

:tro:

...but what I do have is a very particular set of skills...

i saw that daily show where he made the comments. good for him, and especially since i'm sure he knew that stewart wants the carriages shut down, too.
that's what happens when people with no clue about animals think they know better, they go after peoples' livelihoods-people with the biggest stake in those animals' care, health and well-being.

I agree; his stuff on the carriage horses is great.

"The Duke? The Duke of New York, A-Number-1, the Big Man, that's who!"

And hizzoner refuses Liam's invitation to visit the stables:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/poli...icle-1.1709757

In all fairness, I understand why the school system was kept open on those snow days and I support rolling back the endless free goodies that Bloomie gave to his charter school buddies, but this carriage horse thing is so blatantly di Blasio giving something away to his real estate buddies it's just ridiculous. His time would be better spent dealing with the labor contracts that Bloomberg ignored for years so that they could be the next mayor's problem (way to run a business, Bloomie! You kick that can!). And eliminating an entire class of unionized workers is not a way to begin handling it.

Bleah.

Hooves up! Don't shoot!

de Blasio Unveiling Bill to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/02/ny...=top-news&_r=0

2 years later...

De Blasio retreats to his "safe space:"

http://nypost.com/2015/11/29/de-blas...re-ridiculous/

hey, gotta have priorities..... :rolleyes:

What's even dumber about this is that the idea of moving the carriage horses to the park has been floated before and it's just not financially feasible. The old stables have been converted and the cost of converting them back is astronomical. I have no idea what he's thinking, other than, as it's pretty clear he was just looking at being Mayor as a stepping stone to national office, he's trying to suck up to the people who financed both his campaign and the smears against Christine Quinn. Because after he doesn't win reelection he's likely to be little more than a political footnote. #sorrynotsorry

That said, and even though I'm no fan of his, I do give his administration huge props for expanding Pre-K here in the city. And for at least attempting some pushback against the Success Boondoggle, sorry, Success Academy bs.

Union backs out....

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ne...-idUSKCN0VD1HD

God bless the Teamsters. Once they pulled out, the deal collapsed and the vote is now off. I'm so relieved for all the drivers and the horses.

http://gothamist.com/2016/02/04/hors...ls_through.php

Allegedly, de Blasio had the votes to pass it, so this really is a victory by the union. Good work, Local 210!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCnEAH5wCzo