Canned response from Franken

[shadeslanding]

Here is what the Senator said when I wrote (e-mailed) him regarding my opposition to the then proposed "Regulatory Czar" Cass Sunstein. Sunstein has written books that propose animals be allowed to sue humans for damages (God I hope the doe and fawn fathered by the buck I took this year don't sue me!).

Of course the animal would need a human proxy to do so. Just picture chickens suing farmers for better living conditions. Or coyotes suing the state for a year round open season on them! Any how, here is the Senator's response.

December 10, 2009

Dear Gary,

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns regarding the nomination of
Cass Sunstein. I appreciate hearing from you on this issue and regret the
delay in responding.

In January of 2009, President Obama nominated Cass Sunstein to be the
Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs.  Mr. Sunstein has been widely regarded as a leading legal and
political scholar, and after careful review I was convinced he was well
qualified for his position.

For this reason, on September 10, 2009, I voted to confirm Cass Sunstein's nomination, which passed the Senate in a 57-40 vote.

I take very seriously the role the Senate plays in congressional oversight.

I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate in
continuing to review and confirm the President's appointments when those
candidates are qualified for the position.

Again, thank you for contacting me, and please don't hesitate to do so in
the future regarding this or any other matter of concern to you.

Sincerely,

Al Franken

United States Senator

[Stradawhovious]

Franken is a Jackass.

did it come with an Autographed Pictrure? Mine did.

[El Bandito Blanquito]

Sunstein has written books that propose animals be allowed to sue humans for damages

Do you have a cite/reference for this? Just curious.

[bstrawse]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cass_Sunstein

Sunstein's views on animal rights generated controversy when Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) blocked his appointment to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs by Obama. Chambliss objected to the introduction of Animal Rights: Current Debates and New Directions, a volume edited by Sunstein and his then-partner Martha Nussbaum. On page 11 of the introduction, during a philosophical discussion about whether animals should be thought of as owned by humans, Sunstein notes that personhood need not be conferred upon an animal in order to grant it various legal protections against abuse or cruelty, even including legal standing for suit. For example, under current law, if someone saw their neighbor beating a dog, they currently cannot sue for animal cruelty because they do not have legal standing to do so. Sunstein suggests that granting standing to animals, actionable by other parties, could decrease animal cruelty by increasing the likelihood that animal abuse will be punished.

[North Star Packer]

I don't know how he got in, we need to get him and others out the next time they come up for reelection.

[CraigJS]

And he was a piss poor comedian.. think he'll do better in the Senate.

[ex-LT]

And he was a piss poor comedian.. think he'll do better in the Senate.

You OBVIOUSLY didn't pay attention to his campaign ads. He wasn't a comedian, he was a SATIRIST. But you're right, he was pi$$ poor.