Posted on 10/11/2010 8:12:25 AM PDT by neverdem
Earlier this week, I wrote that NRA would be foolish obey the wishes of Republican activists who want the NRA to endorse only Republicans, and especially to not endorse endangered House Democrats. Here are some data on NRA endorsements, and some of the actions that dozens of House Democrats have taken to merit their endorsements:
NRA Senate endorsements in 2010: 23 Republicans, 2 Democrats.
NRA House endorsements in 2010: 197 Republicans and 61 Democrats.
There were 251 Congresspersons who signed the pro-Second Amendment incorporation congressional amicus brief in McDonald v. Chicago. Of the signers, 81 were House Democrats, and 19 were Senate Democrats, including Majority Leader Harry Reid.
A top NRA priority in Congress is H.R. 2296, to reform the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Of the 243 cosponsors, 76 are House Democrats.
Another NRA-favored bill is H.R. 442, the “Veterans’ Heritage Firearms Act,” would create an amnesty period to allow the registration of war trophies (e.g., an automatic rifle captured from the North Vietnamese Army) that were brought into the United States between 1934 and 1968. There are 211 cosponsors, 66 of whom are House Democrats.
The bill that would have the most significant practical effect for most gun owners is H.R. 197, the “National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act .” Sixty-five House Democrats are among the 209 cosponsors.
Early in the Obama adminisration, Attorney General Eric Holder said that the 1994 ban on so-called “assault weapons” and magazines holding more than 10 rounds, which sunset in 2004, should be re-enacted. Sixty-five Democratic Congressmen signed a letter to the Attorney General, opposing a new ban. In addition, Ike Skelton, the Missouri Democrat who chairs the Armed Services Committee, sent a separate letter to Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer expressing his opposition to the Attorney General’s remarks. The show of Democratic opposition demonstrated that there was no chance that a ban could pass Congress. Since then, Attorney General Holder has not made any public statements in favor of gun bans.
As the numbers above illustrate, Democrats constitute an indispensible part of the pro-Second Amendment majority of the current Congress. Without the NRA’s strong working relationship with so many Democrats, 2009-10 would have seen the enactment of destructive legislation for gun rights, rather than the constructive legislation which has become law.
lol..Democrats support harry ,nancy and obama...they could care less about guns..
John F Kerry supports 2A- for hunting.
How many of these “supporters” support 2A because of the Declaration of Independence’s mandate that we rise against a tyrannical government?
I understand their strategy, but certainly don’t agree with all of it.
Your best course of action is to turn around now and exit this thread.
There ARE pro-gun democrats — especially at the state level. Michigan is a “shall issue” state thanks in part to pro-gun democrats. The law that “allows” us to carry stinks with a whole list of forbidden zones, but without pro-gun democrats, we might still be a “may issue” state.
Just like they were Pro Life!
Just like they were Pro Life!
Is the NRA ignorant?
An individual “pro-gun” democRat doesn’t mean diddly squat, when they will vote to further the agenda of Reid, Pelosi, and Obama.
Or are they ensuring their own survival by making sure there’s a need for the NRA? Do they need a foil to keep the donations and memberships flowing in?
there are a few.. john dingell for one comes to mind.. very pro 2a. NRA rates him A+.. but that’s solely on actual gun rights votes.
the problem is he tows the party line too often, and those votes mean second hand problems for gun rights. voting for pelosi, or certain epa regs, or healthcare, or any other votes that have trickle down effects that expand government power that will lead to further gun regulation.
GoA rightly rates this guy with an F.
Im guessing it is profitable for both..Seems the NRA is more about money than anything else. Just like the politicians
Agreed. Democrats have demonstrated with Health Care that that when push comes to shove, they will put their party above not only their constituents’ wishes, but the well-being of their country, simply for political power.
With a large enough majority, most of these Dems would vote the party line to confiscate all firearms, and be damned to their constituents or the Constitution. The modern Democrat is either a socialist, or like Obama, a fascist (who believes in the central government telling a few privately owned big businesses how to operate).
The basic thought pattern of both is subordination of the individual to the will of the State, for the “greater good of all.” To be a Democrat and to vote pro-2nd Amendment is a fundamental contradiction. Therefore, I would bet that when the chips are down, a Democrat will vote the Party line.
The 2nd amendment does not exist in a hermetically sealed vacuum. It depends on the whole Constitution. The NRA has had a consistent policy of supporting pro-gun incumbents over pro-gun challengers regardless of party. This year, this policy is a mistake. All of our Constitutional rights are being threatened and the Democrats are mostly responsible. True, rinos are no better than Dems, but pro-gun Dems are worse than pro-gun Republicans. It’s the leadership that determines the agenda and a pro-gun Dems will vote for the Dem leadership by definition.
I pray that the NRAs efforts to support Dem candidates fails. But if the NRA is successful in preventing the Republicans from getting the House, there will be a postmortem analysis. The NRA will get a large share of the blame.
Why can’t the NRA poll its members and change this policy? If there is a pro-gun Republican vs a pro-gun Dem, support the Republican or at least remain neutral.
I think a lot of people are fed up with NRA liberal endorsements.
Look, we all understand the NRA’s thinking on this. We just think it is stupid and short-sighted.
I get what the NRA is saying, I just can’t go along with them and am not renewing my membership.
No Democrat should be supported in this current political environment.
The Obama Administration and the Democrats are now using the IRS to intimidate political opponents.
Not my America and I will not “fund” any group that stands with any Democrat. Period:
Chuck Schumer says he supports the second amendment, “with reasonable restrictions.”
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