Republican Senators have just voted unanimously to legalize the killing of hibernating bear and wolf mothers, along with their cubs, in Alaska’s wildlife sanctuaries.

Every single Democrat voted in favor of retaining existing protections, which were originally signed into law by President Obama, part of an extensive environmental and animal protection legacy that will likely save the lives of billions of animals, and countless species over the next few decades. See “Why Animal Lovers Need To Stop Donald Trump” for details.

What is the purpose of this savage cruelty that Republicans have just enacted (other than appeasing the NRA and the bullet and gun manufacturers they represent)? To reduce the populations of apex predators so that hunters will have more moose and caribou available for themselves to shoot, either for sport or cancerous “nourishment.”

The bill will now go to President Putin, sorry President Trump for signing. As someone who has publicly defended his sons’ torture (shooting animals with a bow, so that they can slowly and painfully bleed to death) and killing of endangered species for ‘sport’, and whose entire party supports the bill, it is highly likely the former Reality TV star (who used a Presidential-campaign news conference to sell his personal brand of steaks) will sign the bill into law.

For anyone wondering, the candidate who won the 2016 election by nearly 3 million votes, Hillary Clinton, had a 100%+ voting record on animal rights issues before leaving the Senate, for voting in favor of, or authoring every single animal protection law that came before her as a Senator in 2006.

While this new law will cause unspeakable suffering and death for wolves, coyotes and bears as soon as it is enacted, it is sadly just the tip of the iceberg as far as how Trump and Republicans will spell disaster and extinction for countless species.

If you’re reading this and all you can think is “How can Trump and the Republicans be stopped?” keep three things in mind:

1) While its too late to pressure Senators and Congressmen to stop this particular law (and good luck e-mailing Trump about it) the Republicans only hold a very slim majority in the Senate, and Congressmen are also susceptible to public pressure. Please make sure to have your elected representatives on speed dial, and follow the chief political watchdog on animal issues, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, to stay informed on what’s happening in D.C. and nationwide.

2) Congressional and Senate elections are coming up next year! Please get involved now, and if yesterday’s legislation doesn’t make it obvious enough, please volunteer with the Democratic Party to help advance animal protection laws. No the Democrats aren’t perfect, but the Green Party’s only major accomplishments thus far have been helping destroy the planet for 8 years by their crucial role in George W. Bush’s election, as well as playing a pivotal role in Trump’s Electoral College victory in the decisive states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Just as Bernie Sanders has helped popularize progressive ideas like Universal Health Care and public funding for University education (so millions more Americans won’t fit into the “poorly educated” category that Trump loves so much) an “Animal Rights Wing” of the Democratic Party can do the same for animal protection issues. Its leader is already apparent, vegan Senator, and likely soon-to-be Presidential candidate Cory Booker, who authored legislation (signed into law by Obama) designed to lead to the end of animal experimentation in the United States.