Trump walking back Elephant Imports

[sestoppelman]

My apologies.

No apology necessary. Trump isn't perfect, who is? I hope he does the right thing here, but if he doesn't, its not the end of the world either.

 

[tigris115]

I just get really easily frustrated with the folks upstairs. Like you gotta make a decision and ROLL with it.

 

[sestoppelman]

I agree, I wish he had stuck to it.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I just read a comment on one article where the person says, "Trump is a derange piece of garbage, but he got this one right"...I don't think this person is his voter base.

As mentioned, with Hillary or really anyone else running this issue was dead in water. Trump really was our only hope, and I have been very happy with job he and Sec Zinke have done for hunters, but I am not sure on what he is trying to achieve, with this reversal.

 

[sestoppelman]

He was getting a lot of backlash from both sides of the aisle on this. He probably was looking to take a little heat off at least temporarily. I suggested he give it a few days then quietly lift the ban again. History shows us he is not afraid to have a fight with his detractors, so I don't think that he is afraid of anything but perhaps just being more cautious than seems normal for him. That his sons are hunters should help.

 

[Royal27]

Agree @sestoppelman,

I just don' think this is a dead issue, and he certainly didn't say "you're fired."

I' thinking he got surprised by the backlash and had no clue what was going on, why would he? Or, the Zim situation may have caused then to tap the brakes. Would they really want to announce the lifting of the ban and then have a bloody civil war or genocide start 48 hours later?

I'm just not too concrned yet that this doesn' get done. And even if it doesn't, we are a heck of a lot better off than if the hag had won. And I think Zinke is the real deal, again even if he is forced to continue and enforce the ban.

Lawsuit could always be next as well.

 

[lwaters]

I quess we are not only the policeman of the world but also the game warden.

 

[johnnyblues]

Letter sent to the White House. I believe he will fire back or maybe Mr Zinke will with scientific facts but as you all know facts means little to the liberals. They only understand emotions. Stay strong Trump!

 

[edward]

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

ive sent my 2 cents.

 

[Dinsdale]

"Big-game trophy decision will be announced next week but will be very hard pressed to change my mind that this horror show in any way helps conservation of Elephants or any other animal."

Say good bye to import of the cats next........

 

[Royal27]

Lawsuit could always be next as well.

Well, with the "horror show" tweet a lawsuit may be the only option.

 

[sestoppelman]

The horror show I think is the situation in Zim in particular and poaching in general, not hunting. Just my opinion.

 

[Royal27]

The horror show I think is the situation in Zim in particular and poaching in general, not hunting. Just my opinion.

Hope you're right, but when he is also retweeting pro ban tweets it sure doesn' lead me to believe he understands the difference between poaching and hunting.

 

[sestoppelman]

I just sent him another email and asked for clarification.

 

[wesheltonj]

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday expressed more doubts about a new policy allowing trophies of African elephants shot for sport to be imported, appearing to question whether "this horror show" would actually aid in the conservation of any animal.

The trophy policy was among issues Trump cited in a series of tweets. He also insulted Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and branded as ungrateful the father of one of the UCLA basketball players jailed in China but freed after Trump's intervention. The death of a Customs and Border Protection agent in Texas brought a message of condolence.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has argued that encouraging wealthy big-game hunters to kill the threatened species would help raise money for conservation programs. It announced Thursday that it would allow such importation, drawing criticism from animal rights advocates, environmental groups and some GOP lawmakers.

Trump decided Friday to delay the policy until he could review it with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. However, on Sunday night, Trump tweeted that he would announce a decision in the coming days "but will be very hard pressed to change my mind that this horror show in any way helps conservation of Elephants or any other animal."

The Fish and Wildlife Service said in a written notice issued Thursday that permitting parts of elephants from Zimbabwe and Zambia to be brought back as trophies will raise money for conservation programs. The change would override a 2014 ban imposed by the Obama administration. The new policy applies to the remains of African elephants killed between January 2016 and December 2018.

 

[sestoppelman]

If he sticks to this position and doesn't rescind the ban, then its all about politics. Lets face it, most people in America, on both sides of the aisle want nothing to do with killing an elephant or a lion and don't understand or even care about the value of sport hunting. Even the vast majority of hunters in America will never travel outside the country to hunt, let alone go to Zim or Zam to shoot an elephant. Trump risks very little by doing this and risks a lot by not doing it. By not rescinding the ban, he gains a lot of kudos from mainstream America and the press, while losing not very much support from the base. We are not the base. We are the fringe of the base and I don't mean that in a bad way, but lets face it. We are viewed by most as the so called wealthy sportsman who can afford to go all the way to Africa just to bring back elephant " body parts" as the press likes to call it. Everyone knows that elephants are an "endangered species" and must be protected from hunters and poachers, the same thing in the eyes of many. So while I still have hopes that Trump will do whats best here, I fear having seen and read the latest, that its unlikely he will do so. Instead he will try to curry favor with the larger group that has ZERO interest in killing an elephant or anything else, at the expense of pissing off a few well heeled hunters. Its a no brainer from a political perspective. I suspect that Zinke and FWS got ahead of Trump on this, thinking he would go along with it. Looks like they may have misjudged him. In the overall scheme of things, its probably the smartest thing for Trump to do. Just some thoughts late on Sunday night.

 

[daawg1963]

For sure his own sos were on safari and

 

[daawg1963]

For sure his own sons were on safari and holding an elephant tail - ok for them but not us ? How can this be

 

[enysse]

I could blast Trump but what is the point, he has enough problems. It's not like we would have done better with Hillary in office. You hope for the best and hope politics don't get in the way.
I have said it many times before the people in favor of hunting in Africa VS the people who don't care about hunting in Africa are not even close.................. And then trying to explain that elephants are not endangered????? Well most people, flat out will never believe you!!!

 

[Royal27]

If he sticks to this position and doesn't rescind the ban, then its all about politics. Lets face it, most people in America, on both sides of the aisle want nothing to do with killing an elephant or a lion and don't understand or even care about the value of sport hunting. Even the vast majority of hunters in America will never travel outside the country to hunt, let alone go to Zim or Zam to shoot an elephant. Trump risks very little by doing this and risks a lot by not doing it. By not rescinding the ban, he gains a lot of kudos from mainstream America and the press, while losing not very much support from the base. We are not the base. We are the fringe of the base and I don't mean that in a bad way, but lets face it. We are viewed by most as the so called wealthy sportsman who can afford to go all the way to Africa just to bring back elephant " body parts" as the press likes to call it. Everyone knows that elephants are an "endangered species" and must be protected from hunters and poachers, the same thing in the eyes of many. So while I still have hopes that Trump will do whats best here, I fear having seen and read the latest, that its unlikely he will do so. Instead he will try to curry favor with the larger group that has ZERO interest in killing an elephant or anything else, at the expense of pissing off a few well heeled hunters. Its a no brainer from a political perspective. I suspect that Zinke and FWS got ahead of Trump on this, thinking he would go along with it. Looks like they may have misjudged him. In the overall scheme of things, its probably the smartest thing for Trump to do. Just some thoughts late on Sunday night.

This nails it.... Very well said.

The only thing I will add here is that, assuming the ban stays in place, I feel kinda silly for thinking that someone who openly stated before the election that he didn't' understand hunting would suddenly be a major supporter of hunting.

SCI and a protracted lawsuit is likely the only hope of the ban being lifted. The NRA won' be much help for the same reasons Trump won't be. Why alienate the base to support the fringe?

I've calmed down a bit since last night. Trump is likely just as ignorant as the masses on this issue and that' sad. But, we still don' have Hillary in the Whitehouse and I'd have gladly given up the elephant ban for that when I voted and not like Hillary would have rescinded it anyway.