HSUS 2012 Ballot Initiative: Your Vote Counts

BREAKING NEWS! HSUS LEAVES MISSOURI

Missouri group suspends quest for constitutional amendment
A suspended ballot initiative that would have made it harder for Missouri legislators to overturn voter-approved laws would have had much further-reaching consequences for agriculture than met the eye, says the state senator representing much of Northeast Missouri.

"I'm glad to see them pull that back," Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown, said after learning that Your Vote Counts has suspended its campaign to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot for the November election. "I think they had much further-reaching dynamics than what most people would think."

Your Vote Counts, whose campaign manager Dane Waters confirmed that the campaign is over, came about after Missouri lawmakers approved sweeping changes to the provisions of 2010's narrowly voter-approved Proposition B, which toughened Missouri's regulations on dog breeders.

HSUS FLEES MISSOURI WITH TAIL BETWEEN LEGS.
Radical Animal Rights Group Shifts Focus to National PUPS Bill

Animal-Rights Extremists' Contribute To Your Vote Counts Committee
Vast majority of their funding comes from extremist animal-rights groups and donors from outside Missouri. Compiled by Missouri Ruralist staff Published: Jan 19, 2012

"Your Vote Counts should be called 'Their Money Talks,'" says Missouri Farmers Care Chairman Don Nikodim. "Contrary to their rhetoric, this initiative petition isn't about giving a voice to Missouri voters, it's about giving more power to out-of-state special interests like HSUS and ASPCA. These animal-rights extremists are just trying to make it easier to advance their anti-hunting and anti-agriculture agenda."

The report, found on the Missouri Ethics Commission's website, shows that the Your Vote Counts Committee received a total of $164,863.92 in monetary and in-kind contributions from out-of-state individuals and special interests groups. Animal-rights groups ASPCA and HSUS contributed $50,000 and $87,305.39 respectively. Only two donors accounting for $150 were from the state of Missouri. In total, 99.91% of the Your Vote Counts Committee's funding came from outside of Missouri in the fourth quarter of 2011.

"For an organization claiming to stand up for Missouri voters, they don't seem to have much support from Missouri," adds MFC Vice-Chairman Jeff Windett . "These groups are abusing the initiative petition process to force their values on us. This initiative petition is just a way for these extremist groups to make it easier to come into Missouri and spend their way onto the ballot. I hope people will take a close look at who is really behind Your Vote Counts before they decide on it."

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Ag groups commit money, members to battle HSUS

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Political tinkering targeted. Democratic Rep. Scott Sifton is spokesman for Your Vote Counts

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