Wild Horses

Wild horses
Couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses
We'll ride them some day - Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Rolling Stones, 1969

In December 1971, the U.S. Congress passed and signed the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act into law to protect, manage, and control wild horses and burros on public lands. "Control" meant recorded sales to sanctuaries, preserves, ranchers, and trainers.

In 2023-2024, Project 2025 was introduced. It is a 30-chapter, 900-page policy blueprint developed by the Heritage Foundation and associated conservative organizations and used by the current administration. Currently, 40 primary chapter authors and over 300 total contributors are employed by the current White House admin. The FCC and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) are now controlled by P2025 authors.

When P2025 was introduced, you may have been warned about the danger of introducing it into our laws and current administration. One of the most talked-about warnings: dismantling reproductive rights and women’s healthcare access.

You may have ignored or laughed at the warnings of Project 2025, but here is what has happened in those 900 pages, not only women's healthcare;

*The removal of USAID, created by John F. Kennedy in 1961 to promote global economic prosperity, public health, and democracy. Elon Musk cut this program via DOGE and left designated food to go to waste. *The legacy television channels have been tampered with and censored. Medicaid has been restricted. *Major cuts to federal nutrition programs, downsizing of the USDA, and deregulation of environmental rules that impact the American food supply have been activated since the appointment of US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy, Jr. (Isn't he just a fine example of health as he swims in sewage and eats roadkill, but I digress... ) Because of these cuts our egg supply was limited. Lettuce, berries, jalapeños, green onions, and other leafy vegetables have been making people severely ill with diarrhea (Cyclosporiasis). Deli meats have also made the list since the USDA downsizing. 

And last but not least, Project 2025 proposed changing the law from protecting these animals on public land to now sending the wild horses and burros to slaughter. This summer, the Trump admin sent off hundreds of horses to be killed. Some of the animals were sent off via a ruse: "sold and going to a nice home... "

And no, don't buy into the myth that wild horses are interfering with cattle grazing. Cattle far outnumber horses: 36 million cattle compared to fewer than 82,000 wild horses. Let me add, it is one thing to control animals in the herd who are sick and should be humanely euthanized, but it's another to take healthy horses to slaughter so the government and their friends can pocket some money.

Last but not least, if you allowed Project 2025 into our government, has it been worth it? Are you still laughing? Honestly, I really don't want to hear how you are such an animal lover and love nature. Just shut the fuck up.