"Congressman Ike Skelton announced his endorsement by National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund Thursday," PoliticMo.com tells us.
We're told he has an "A" rating from the group. Indeed, they give the incumbent Democrat strong praise:
“Ike Skelton is a steadfast supporter of freedom,” said Chris Cox, chairman of the NRA Political Victory Fund. “We ask all Missouri gun owners, hunters and NRA members in the 4th Congressional District to vote Ike Skelton for Congress on November 2nd.”
The headline tells us he's attacking his Republican opponent, Vicky Hartzler as "anti-gun."
Why? Is it true?
He said Hartzler “voted against a freedom” for Missourians when she voted against putting conceal and carry to a vote on a ballot measure.
Why would Hartzler do that? Here's her explanation:
I opposed the legislation because I felt conceal-and-carry should be the right of individual Missourians and not subjected to a referendum. I took that principled stand and was praised for doing so by gun lobbyists, gun owners and the Western Missouri Shooters Alliance. It was due to that strong stand in favor of Second Amendment rights that caused the Alliance to endorse me in this year's campaign.
One who places principle over political "pragmatism" could make a strong case for that, because it happens to be true--unalienable rights are not subject to majority rule.
So what's going on and who should Missouri gun owners vote for in this contest, which Capitol Confidential calls one of "the ten most important House races of 2010"? Western Missouri Shooters Alliance backs Hartzler. NRA says they like Ike.
Gun Owners of America's review of Skelton's gun record is not as glowing. They give the career congressman (he's held the office since 1976) a "C."
Why so much lower than NRA's grade? The "Congress" tab on GOA's website allows you to access information on legislators and their key votes. In Skelton's case, click the GOA chart in this column's main photo to see key votes he was scored on and visit the links on the GOA site for vote details (unfortunately, their site does not allow for me to provide direct links here).
NRA, we are constantly reminded, is "a single issue organization." It appears on this single issue, Mr. Skelton's record bears closer scrutiny. And in fairness, make sure that scrutiny includes more neutral sources--like Project Vote Smart.
But the thing is, NRA's Cox didn't describe Skelton in terms confined to just that one issue. He called him "a steadfast supporter of freedom."
Shall we test that?
Skelton's overall record, from The Washington Post:
Voted with Democratic Party: 94.6 percent of 1487 votes.
A Skelton political endorsement, from The Huffington Post:
Rep. Ike Skelton is backing Hillary Clinton for president.
I could go on, but the point is made.
Here's another one, that can't be made strongly enough: Don't just automatically accept ratings, recommendations, endorsements from NRA, GOA, grassroots groups, opinionated agitators (guilty)...from anyone. As we see from this example, there's often a lot of over-the-top hyperbole, alternative explanations and ways to look at things...
Yes, certainly use special interest group ratings and endorsements as guides. But it's our civic duty--if we're presuming to impose our will on the rest of society through our votes--to do the best we can to ascertain the facts by doing some research of our own.
UPDATE: GOA endorses Hartzler.
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Comments
Looks to me like Hartzler would be the better pick. Skelton seems to have voted against gun owners on some of the more important issues.
As David says, do your homework before you vote. Spend your vote wisely as if someone died to get it for you. Because someone did. Lots of someones in fact. Don't shortchange their sacrifice because you can't be bothered to check out your candidates.
DDS -- NRA Life Member
"Rep. Ike Skelton is backing Hillary Clinton for president."
So? The man is a Democrat. His choices were Hillary or Obama. Which one of those would have been the "right" choice by you?
Most things are not rationally subject to a vote at all. Our right to self defense is certainly one of those.
I like Hartzler in that she refused to accept the premise that the Government, at any level, had any business infringing the Second Amendment.
You simply can't be any more pro-Second Amendment. Indeed: pro-Constitution.
Go Vicky.
Sam
III
OK I found there list of "votes." And you can directly link to it.
http://gunowners.capwiz.com/bio/id/354
Here is the problem...it is not a list of "votes." It is a list of titles the GOA has spun to make some legislators make worst than others. The GOA clearly has no credibility which is why the NRA is the standard for grading legislators. For instance, one of the bills they have Skelton voting on they labeled as "Squelching Free Speech." Do you really think Skelton voted for a bill entitled "Squelching free speech"?
The actual title of the bill was the "Disclose Act." The Disclose Act had the audacity to force organizations (liberal and conservative) to identify themselves when they run a campaign ad for or against a candidate. So if GOA runs an ad against Skelton they have to say "this ad was sponsored by Gun Owners of America." If that is "Squelching Free Speech" then I have a used car I want to sell you.
Eh....NRA (not exactly not as softies on gun rights) gives the guy an A. In your research you fail to provide one vote in which he even appeared to vote against gun rights. If you are looking for the guy who is going to take your guns...this is not that guy. I personally don't believe "that guy" even exists, but that is another debate for another day.
"not exactly KNOWN" I meant to say. Sorry.
Looks like several bad votes were documented on the GOA site linked in this article so you're wrong.
Only you can't name a single vote. Can't describe. It is like me saying "Ike Skelton has some skeletons in his closet", and then not being able to actually provide a specific example. At the least the evidence is not there. At the worst this is just part of smear campaign from the right.
OK I found there list of "votes." And you can directly link to it.
http://gunowners.capwiz.com/bio/id/354
Here is the problem...it is not a list of "votes." It is a list of titles the GOA has spun to make some legislators make worst than others. The GOA clearly has no credibility which is why the NRA is the standard for grading legislators. For instance, one of the bills they have Skelton voting on they labeled as "Squelching Free Speech." Do you really think Skelton voted for a bill entitled "Squelching free speech"?
The actual title of the bill was the "Disclose Act." The Disclose Act had the audacity to force organizations (liberal and conservative) to identify themselves when they run a campaign ad for or against a candidate. So if GOA runs an ad against Skelton they have to say "this ad was sponsored by Gun Owners of America." If that is "Squelching Free Speech" then I have a used car I want to sell you.
Philosophy. Defined in part as-- the rational investigation of the truth of being, knowledge and conduct.
Morality: defined in part as-- a code of personal conduct.
Conscience: serves the individual in some circumstances as restraint upon certain actions and in other circumstances as a calling to act.
Rights: defined in part as-- the natural status of an individual without regard to the presence of another person or persons.
Moral conduct is simply conducting oneself in a manner as to not intentionally violate the ‘Rights’ of another person.
Missouri Constitution Article I, Section 23
"That the right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or when lawfully summoned in aid of the civil power, shall not be questioned; but this shall not justify the wearing of concealed weapons."
While the ‘State’ reserved for itself in its own Constitution the power to regulate the ‘wearing of concealed weapons‘, this act is a violation of the Citizen’s RKBA, interferes with the moral obligation and duty of all Freemen to provide, keep and bear arms, and thus must be stricken.
Carrying of weapons concealed in no manner violates the ‘Rights’ of any other person.
I think the Second Amendment IS a concealed carry (or
open carry) permit! That's what I think.
David, you're not from Missouri, Ike has been a friend of gun owners his whole career, and has been good for Missouri. But is it because he's a Democrat you would have us back the Republican? Sorry David, but as strong a supporter that I am for 2A, I also vote for Missouri.
I am from Missouri, and as a member of a grassroots gun rights group that would be affected by Disclose, I don't see that as standing up for my gun rights. They use a muzzle on the First Amendment to try to remove the Second. Ike really doesn't understand the issue since he tried to claim Vicky Hartzler was anti concealed carry. She is not, she worked with the grassroots Second Amendment groups in the state. To say Ike is less anti-gun than say Claire McCaskill is probably, I say, probably true. He is less most likely than say Charles Schumer, but does that make him pro-gun? No. Less poison, is still poison.
If you all will excuse me for paraphrasing former president Jimmy Carter, "If he were accused of being a suporter of The Second Amendment, would there be enough evidence to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt?" In this case I think not. But to be fair to Rep. Skelton, that would also be true of most of our "congress critters" who avow their support but always seem to be otherwise occupied when that support is really needed.
Consider for a moment, the late Neal Knox, his son Jeff Knox, Ted Nugent, the late Harlon Carter, Tanya Metaksa, the late Charlton Heston, and the late Jeff Cooper, and of course David Codrea. Look at their lives, their words, and their deeds. Is there any doubt that they truly support or supported The Second Amendment? Why can't America's gun owners find, support, and elect people to congress who's support is just as steadfast? The answer is that we could, but most of us aren't paying any attention.
DDS -- NRA Life Member
The NRA has a policy of endorsing incumbents if they have a fairly good record of supporting us.
Vicky has a much better outlook on the Second Amendment. I am supporting Vicky on this. She has always believed that the Second Amendment is a individual right!
Dear Ryan - the NRA sure as hell is "softies on gun rights". They let the DC & Chicago & San Francisco & NYC & other gun bans stand for over 30 freaking years. They did absolutely nothing on concealed carry until other groups started in FL & other states, OFCC in Ohio. Then, like in Heller & McDonald, they jumped on the bandwagon at the last minute, after trying to scuttle the legislation, so they wouldn't get left out in the cold. During the passage of the 1986 "Firearm Owners Protection Act", they were out cold on the wheelhouse floor when the amendment to ban ALL NEW MACHINE GUN SALES to serfs like us was added before passage.
"GOA clearly has no credibility" - what are you, a NRA BoD member ???
I've been a member of the NRA for over 25 years, but also joined GOA, OFCC, ORPA, OGCA & probably a couple more I can't even remember. The NRA leadership, if it can be called that, DOES NOT WANT GUN RIGHTS TO IMPROVE. They want constant political fighting over it so they can collect money forever. Wayne LaPierre has got to go.
I, also, am a Missouri grassroots activist who was involved in getting CCW in Missouri. Gov. Carnahan, the Missouri Association of Chiefs of Police, and Handgun Control, Inc. intended to kill CCW by forcing a referendum and then using the heavily Democrat-controlled vote in St. Louis to kill it and CCW could then be opposed on the grounds that "the people have spoken." Missouri grassroots said no. Missouri progun legislators said no. You don't vote on basic rights. NRA came in said any legislators opposing it because they opposed the referendum would receive an "F" rating. That's why grassroots Missourians support Vicky Hartzler and why NRA opposes her--she stood on principle and stood up to the NRA's compromising.
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