What is the problem with the NRA?

American Rifleman ( November issue 2002) ^ | 27 October, 2002 | M.K. Borders

[M.K. Borders]

A few months ago, this forum was burning with condemnation of the up-coming vote on Campaign Finance Reform (CFR). During that time I posted to this form several NRA sponsered "FAX Alerts" which opposed this legislation and those who would vote for it.
We were all encouraged to call our Representatives and voice our opposition to this law.

So now I open my November issue of American Rifleman (The NRA's main publication for it's members) and turn to the much awaited "Voter Guide". There I find that in the 9th Indiana District the NRA has awarded an "A" rating to both candidates, Democrate Baron Hill (encumbant), and Rebulican Mike Sodrel.

Congressman Baron Hill voted for CFR, yet the NRA is endorssing Hill over Sodrel!!
What is going on?!! Next year the very voter guide I am reading will be illegal under the law that Hill just voted for. Yet the NRA endorses Hill.

Wow! NRA. Thats really making them pay the price.

And with both men recieving an "A" rating, what did the NRA have to lose by not supporting the encumbant? Well one thing I think they would lose would be prestiege. If they supported the challenger and he lost (as they usually do) the the NRA could not go around saying that they are the king makers in the political process. Thats a very "beltway" kind of thinking. It's not something I'm very proud of belonging too right now.

[M.K. Borders]

I encourage everyone to go to the NRA website, NRA.ORG and give them hell about this.

Congressman Billybob, it would be good to hear from you on this one.

[M.K. Borders]

Ping

[fortheDeclaration]

I do not understand how the NRA could endorse any Democrat-period!

The Party is anti-gun and if someone belongs to it and is pro-gun they need to get out of the Party or not get elected.

As for GOP'ers who voted for that horrible bill, they need to be dealt with at the primary level, and the NRA needs to support replacing them when they run in the primaries.

Personally, I am a lifetime member of the Gun Owners of America.

Those you who are upset with the NRA should join the GOA, they do not compromise.

I think the NRA things gun ownership is about hunting not the 2nd Amendment, which the Democrats hate with a passion.

[shuckmaster]

Folks In Georgia are absolutely flabergasted at the NRA endorcing the liberal Barnes over conservative Perdue.

[SSN558]

There are a number of Democrats that are very progun. It is a very small number granted, but they are out there. For example Alexander and Lucas from Kentucky both have respectively A's and B's on the Gun Owners report card. They are both Democrats. My own congressman Portman from Ohio only got a C, and he is a Republican.

I believe the NRA with its huge budget, is very well equipted to study the overall big picture, and formulate political stratgies. None the less it is an organization comprised of Human Beings, and as such subject to making mistakes. It they get enough nasty grams from members, it can hurt their bottem line which is membership. It is good and right to give NRA hell when it needs doing.

[M.K. Borders]

Well when democrate Evan Bayh ran for an open Senate seat, the NRA endorsed him. That made sense as the republican opponet was an out-and-out gun grabber who recieved the NRA "F" rating. (Our State Republican party at work).

I have real problems with the Indiana GOP. They are the main reason I will not join the GOP and remain an independent.

It takes real talent (to fail) to find a republican who earns an NRA "F".

[Dick Bachert]

We spent 4 years in DC while in the service in the 60s and went back for a visit several years ago.

While circumnavigating the infamous Beltway, noted the PALATIAL NRA headquarters building.

It was right there, INSIDE THE BELTWAY.

Significant?

Looks like it to me.

Larry Pratt and Gun Owners of America continue to operate out of MUCH SMALLER quarters OUTSIDE the Beltway.

Also significant?

You decide...

[Redcloak]

I do not understand how the NRA could endorse any Democrat-period!

So they should support the GOP candidate no matter how anti-gun they are? The "R" in NRA stands for Rifle, not RINO.

[Redcloak]

The NRA always supports an A-rated encumbant over an A-rated challenger. They know to show some gratitude to those who have cast votes in support of the organization's views. There's no good reason at all to stab a pro-gun Democrat in the back just to keep the GOP happy. After all, the GOP has been more than happy to stab gun owners in the back. (Remember George H.W. Bush??)

[Fighting Irish]

NRA Life Member PINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

[Sir_Humphrey]

I have real problems with the Indiana GOP. They are the main reason I will not join the GOP and remain an independent.

Whatever problems you have with the GOP in Indiana, they pale in comparison to what we have in here in New Joisey. Last gubentorial election we have a chance to elect a genuine conservative (Brett Schundler) who could have made this state livable. ( OK it's livavble but the quality of life improved significantly) Instead the counry club RINOs that run the GOP avoided hoim like the plague. No money for his campaign, no organization support from the party is what doomed him to get under 40%.

How does this relate to guns? Very few of our RINOs would stand up to the gun grabbers who scare our soccer moms. As a result, most of our RINOs have conceeded the point that gun owners rights must be limited for the "better good". Sad, but I'll be damened if I'll give money to a party like this. (BTW- guns is only one of many issues they capitulate on)

This is why I am an independant .

[M.K. Borders]

There's no good reason at all to stab a pro-gun Democrat in the back just to keep the GOP happy.

Read my post again. This pro-gun democrate voted for CFR, which the NRA (I thought) was vehmently opposed to.

[Redcloak]

And Bush signed the POS. Should the NRA abandon him in '04? Despite the fact that his administration is the first in decades to explicitly say that the 2nd Amendment guarantees an individual right?

[M.K. Borders]

A good point, but may I remind you that who ever runs against Bush in 04 will not have his pro-gun record. The choice will be between a pro and anti gun candidate.

Both men in the race I have mentioned recieved the NRA "A" rating. Both men equally pro-gun. It is the CFR vote that seperates them, and the NRA was opposed to CFR.

But not the men who voted for it?

[Drop the Vernacular]

Part of it may be that the NRA wants to show that the candidates it endorses tend to win. If a more pro-gun candidate has no chance of winning, the NRA may officially support the less pro-gun candidate. It is a sacrifice so that the NRA can point to statistics indicating that it has a strong influence on the outcome of elections, so that, theoretically at least, candidates in future elections are more likely to support policies that the NRA favors.

[Redcloak]

Again, it comes down to encumbancy. No Democrat would ever cast a pro-gun vote if he knew that the NRA would abandon him for the first equally rated candidate the GOP tossed into the ring. I just looked at Sodrel's website. As far as I can tell, this guy has never held elective office. No matter what his NRA rating is, you can't point to a single pro-gun vote that he's ever cast. In other words, he's "A-rated" only on paper. Without a voting record, there's no way to tell whether or not he's really an A-rated candidate. The encumbant, on the other hand, has cast those pro-gun votes.

[Drop the Vernacular]

I should clarify by saying that by "more pro-gun" I am also including "anti CFR," so that if two candidates are equal in terms of gun rights, the one who is anti-CFR is more pro-gun than the one who is pro-CFR

[M.K. Borders]

It is a sacrifice so that the NRA can point to statistics indicating that it has a strong influence...

That would be my guess also, but it dose'nt make me very proud. Like I said before, thats beltway thinking.

You see, I think that the GOP candidate can win the 9th district. When Hill first won, he was being beaten, and then the GOP candidate decieded to embrace Social Security and all the rot contained therein, and all of a sudden her support just drifted away.

Personnaly I think the 9th district would respond to an NRA endorsement.

[Shooter 2.5]

I'm working for my candidate, Jeb Hensarling[R], in the fifth Congressional District. We're going door to door reminding people to vote and putting up yard signs.
I was in a conversation with a guy who was wearing an NRA jacket and we were joined by another person. It took only a few minutes to find out all three of us were NRA members. I didn't see anyone from the GOA. Mr. Hensarling also mentioned he had the support of the NRA which he said he was very happy to get.
It takes a lot more than claiming an organization is a "no compromise" group. It takes getting the vote out and working for pro-gun candidates.
We also have to work together.

[M.K. Borders]

Without a voting record, there's no way to tell whether or not he's really an A-rated candidate

It is my humble opinion that the CFR vote is part of a person's gun voting record.

I repeat, this endorsement at this time (10 days from election) will be illegal next year.