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"Multiple sources tell me the National Rifle Association is planning to endorse liberal Harry Reid against pro-gun champion Sharron Angle," Erick Erickson reports on RedState.com.
Why would NRA do that?
We're told Reid has been good on guns (NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre described him as "a true champion of the Second Amendment") and apologists for supporting him will tell you he has kept many bills from coming to the floor--if he is out as majority leader, we might get committed anti-gunners Dick Durbin or Chuck Schumer in his place.
Additionally, Reid was instrumental in opening a new shooting range, the Clark County Shooting Park.
Add to this a key component of NRA's endorsement policy:
NRA has an incumbent-friendly policy that dictates our support for pro-gun incumbents seeking reelection.
Reid has had some good pro-gun votes, which some may dismiss as reflecting political pragmatism as opposed to core principles, especially considering the attitudes of his Nevada constituents. But Erickson also presents a list of anti-gun votes the senator has cast, and these must also be factored into the mix.
And there's one other thing that must not be glossed over, and that is putting anti-gunners in power by giving them political support. It's not enough to cast a correct vote on legislation, as welcome as that is, if the entire effort is undermined giving aid and comfort to political enemies of gun owners.
While I would argue the entire debate is not about guns but about freedom, NRA is firm on being a "single issue organization." Fine, let's use their standard as our benchmark and look at just a few high-profile (and high-impact) examples where Reid has worked against our interests.
We know Reid put his party first and supported a candidate NRA warned us would be "the most anti-gun president in American history." Reid's position?
"I was a proud and enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama during the campaign and have worked as hard as I can to advance President Obama's legislative agenda," the senator from Nevada said.
We know that Reid voted to confirm Eric Holder for Attorney General. Holder, who Gun Owners of America tells us "was the point man for gun control initiatives such as the Brady bill and the semi-auto ban under President Clinton," didn't waste much time in using his bully pulpit to call for a renewed semi-auto ban to fight Mexican crime (along with a ban on "cop-killer bullets").
We know that Reid voted for Sonia Sotomayor, who, based on the Breyer opinion she signed onto in McDonald v Chicago, contradicted (that's polite-speak for "lied") what she told the Senate Judiciary Committee about not wanting to overturn the Heller decision. And we know NRA has promised to "score" that vote.
How? By subtracting a letter grade? If not, what does it matter?
And we know Reid has "express[ed] confidence" in Elena Kagan, telling her "he hopes to help make her transition go as smoothly as possible. Again, NRA has pledged to score that vote.
Is Reid down to a "C" yet?
But back to our original question: Will NRA endorse Harry Reid?
From The Wall Street Journal's "Washington Wire":
[T]hey might, said chief lobbyist Chris Cox...
Notice that's not a "No"?
Which means if you have concerns about that, they need to hear from you.
Comments
Hey Hey Ho Ho!
Chris Cox has got to go!
LaPierre needs to go too.
Reid may be a weasel, but he is on our side on the guns. NRA has to support him.
Anyone who endorses Harry Reid is a fool. And any organization that endorses him needs to be sent to the dust-pile of history, along with such liberty-hating vermin as Reid.
The NRA may endore Harry Reid. I won't! Harry Reid pushed this Health Care BS on us. Harry Reid is a socialist. I'm not!
I'm supporting Sharron Angle for Senator!
This is why I went over to the Gun Owners of America. No compromise. Harry Reid is useless, as is just about every incumbent in Washington. Starting in November, I want him and the rest of'em out by 2012....that includes The Emperor Obamination.
"NRA has an incumbent-friendly policy that dictates our support for pro-gun incumbents seeking reelection."
That's the weakness of having an access-based philosophy rather than a principles-based philosophy: if incumbents realize you won't feel bound to return their "favors," you won't get any. So NRA's hands are tied — it can't possibly operate in any other fashion. And an incumbent-friendly policy is the LAST thing you should have committed yourself to in this coming election.
Contrast this with GOA's "punishment-based approach," which works regardless.
As far as NRA being a "single issue organization," that's only when they want to be. Consider the famous 1984 "We The People pin" mailing explaining how they were so proud that NRA members were all pro-military, churchgoing, nuclear family-raised drug warriors who "don't watch Roseanne, MTV, [or] Beavis and Butthead."
Just wondering WHO is going to enforce all the tyranny Congress has so far passed, not to mention the coming avalanche? And who will stand up to the unarmed (!) weanies who come to our doors to collect the taxes and take title to our homes if we refuse to pay them the "tithe" they think the Emperor must receive??? Who among us is willing to shoot the more obnoxious ones back into the street? Not saying I want to, but I sure as hell feel that is the ONLY "solution to the pollution" growing like a cancer in the agencies under control of Congress and the White House...
"Reid may be a weasel, but he is on our side on the guns. NRA has to support him." Partial list of Reid anti-gun votes:
June 28, 1991. Vote No. 115. Voted for a 5 day waiting period for handgun purchases.
October 21, 1993. Vote 325. Voted to eliminate the Army Civilian Marksmanship Program. Only the most fringe anti-gun Senators voted for the amendment.
November 19, 1993. Vote 385. Allow states to impose waiting periods over and above the 5 days waiting period required under the Brady Bill.
November 19, 1993. Vote 386. Voted to eliminate he 5-year sunset in the Brady Bill.
November 19, 1993. Vote 387. Voted to close off debate on the Brady Bill.
November 19, 1993. Vote 390. Voted to close off debate on the Brady Bill.
November 20, 1993. Vote 394. Voted for the Brady Bill, which imposed a 5-business-day waiting period before purchasing a handgun.
August 25, 1994. Vote 294. Voted to close off debate on the Clinton Crime Bill
The American republic is sinking under assault by the money thieving, lying, liberal, Obama cloned, socialist/communists. Jorge', your reasoning is dead wrong. Any one who supports Harry Reid deserves what they get. Harry Reid is like being pregnant, by reason of you either are, or aren't what you are. I don't think Harry Reid is "kinda" good and "kinda" bad. So what if he's been smart enough to vote for gun rights. Ditto, Anthony Martin: Reid is poison for America, a firm supporter of the worst and most dangerous world leader since Adolf Hitler. The NRA gets my grade "F" on this one. Wise up before it's too late !!
More Reid anti-gun votes, the list goes on......
August 25, 1994. Vote 295. Voted for the Clinton Crime Bill, which contained the ban on so-called “assault weapons.”
April 17, 1996. Vote 64. Voted to expand the statute of limitations for paperwork violations in National Firearms Act from 3 years to 5 years.
June 27, 1996. Vote 178. Voting to destroy 176,000 M-1 Garand rifles from World War II, and 150 million rounds of 30 caliber ammunition, rather than giving them to the Federal Civilian Marksmanship program.
September 12, 1996. Vote 287. Voted to spend $21.5 million for a study on putting “taggants” in black and smokeless gunpowder.
September 12, 1996. Vote 290. Voted to make it a Federal crime to possess a gun within 1,000 yards of a school.
May 12, 1999. Vote 111. Voted to give the Treasury Department expansive new authority to regulate and keep records on gun shows and their participants, and criminalize many intrastate firearms transactions.
Nough said
"No matter how cynical I get, I just can't keep up." - Lily Tomlin
Joe posted the following
[June 27, 1996. Vote 178. Voting to destroy 176,000 M-1 Garand rifles from World War II, and 150 million rounds of 30 caliber ammunition, rather than giving them to the Federal Civilian Marksmanship program.]
I actually forgot about that one until Joe reminded me. People that vote was so outrageous that the word traitor must apply.
If I remember correctly there were thousands of firearms destroyed during that time period and the NRA and their lap-dogs in Congress only gave lip service to it and never stopped it.
If the NRA endorses Reid over Angle then the NRA should be finished.
I’ve believed for a long time that LaPierre and Cox were shills and this would prove it to all but the most fervent NRA apologists
Something happens to some people when they get to "the top". They start believing that the rules of normal human interaction no longer apply to them. In some cases they start thinking they are even above the law. Remember Richard Nixon telling David Frost "Its not illegal when the president does it"? Or Leona Helmsley saying "Taxes are for the little people"? You'd have to be on something not to think that NRA, who is supposed to be America's foremost defender of RKBA, completely dropped the ball on Heller, came to the game very late on McDonald, and is about to walk into a PR nightmare if they endorse Harry Reid. Their case for Reid's record on gun rights is on ballance pretty good. But I would not be willing to overlook O J Simpson's guilt in the murder of his wife and her friend because of his NFL record. Harry Reid on ballance has been a disaster for the USA as Senate Majority Leader. The country needs for him to go.
And, for similar reasons, the NRA needs to replace LaPiere.
thanks for supporting reid. i just cancelled my nra membership.
"NRA has an incumbent-toadying policy that dictates our support for any incumbents seeking reelection."
Now it looks right.
I will be canceling my life time membership with the NRA if they continue to posture towards endorsing "Dingy Harry Reid"! I will see to it that all friends and family are aware of what the NRA is about to do. If the NRA endorses Reid, I encourage all members to cancel their memberships and open new ones with the GOA, SAF or CCRKBA. Please contact the NRA and let them know how
you feel about them endorsing Reid.
JORGE: You are drinking your bath water! Take some time and research and look at all the anti-gun bills this socialist clown Reid has voted for! He has to go! You are showing your true socialist liberal colors when you support this IDIOT! Just more liberal dribble!
This is a betrayal as bad as when McCain hooked up with Ted Kennedy and wanted to give the illeglas amnesty. NRA can kiss my ass.
If the NRA endorses H. Reid, I will cancel my membership and demand my money back.
I will not compromise my ethics for political whoring.
Jorge-How many fewer guns will you be able to buy after paying for Obamacare, Crap-n-trade, the bailouts, etc., etc.,
Supporting the incumbent is how we got into this mess. I'll cancel my membership before the ink is dry on that endorsement, and I've already let them know it, too. Everyone who feels as I do should call or e-mail the NRA and let them know their ranks are about to get a lot smaller if they endorse Reid.
I think I'll have to write the NRA. Communists like Reid cannot be endorsed.
My sons, Grand Children and myself have been proud members of the NRA. That relationship will end the moment the NRA endorses a despot tyranical idiot like Harry Reed. Rest assured that in my family alone, the NRA would lose seven members. That doesn't include many friends and colleagues that feel the same way. We dropped our membership to the AARP when they sold their souls to the Messiah and we won't hesitate to do the same to the NRA. Hopefully it just gossip.
I have already used the link to the NRA with my lifetime membership number, my daughters lifetime membership number, and have stated I want a full refunds if they endorse Reid. That would be a complete breech of contract on their part to endorse a candidate just on the items listed above, not to mention other tramplings of the constitution such as Obamacare.
Once you compromise on one part of the constitution, you should have no expitations those candidate won't compromise on the other parts. They would be failing to live up to their end of the bargainas a "single issue" orginization.
I'll file a small claims suit against NRA within a week if they breach the contract by endorsing Reid.
The NRA is flawed in its logic. If they think that by supporting Harry Reid because of his past support on some gun legislation and the fact that they would prefer him to Schumer or Durbin as the head of the Senate makes no sense. First of all the make up of the Senate will surely change after the November elections. The Republicans will pickup up seats. Enough to shut down any legislation they do not like including gun legislation. Also Harry is not gauranteed his post back. With the shake up that is coming he might lose his post as Senate leader. Secondly it appears Harry is going down to a sure defeat. The NRA will gain nothing if they support this guy and he loses.They will only alienate many of there members and in this year of tea parties and great voter anger it could turn out that the NRA might be viewed by some as just another part of the political establishment that is considered the problem with our country and not the solution.
NRA for Harry Reid? Makes me sick! I'm voting both out of my life....................
The NRA has done a lot for gun owners for a long time but now I think they are getting away from their real purpose and getting too involved in politics.They are starting to sound like they dont care what the people want.Just like what we have now.TAKE MY WORD FOR IT,IF THEY SUPPORT HARRY REED,THE NRA IS FINISHED!!!
Hey,
Perhaps I'm looking at this all wrong, and should NOT leave the NRA. Perhaps I should take Wayne LaPierres lead and offer Political candidate "Official NRA Member" endorsements to the highest bidder!!!
What did it cost to gets Waynes verbal support for Reid? Check it out on youtube. It looked like his verbal support was bought for a 61 Million dollar shooting range. Just ignore the fact that Reid supported: Sotomayor, and now supports Kagen, and other judical nominees with anti-2A views.
Wayne and Cox BOTH need to step down immediately. Give the NRA back to the people supporting the 2nd ammendment, not the politically expedient.
After reading todays update from the NRA about the "good things" Reid has done in the past years, I wrote them and told them they failed to mention the MOST important thing, votes for judicial candidates, who actually enforce the 2A.
They quipped back with an e-mail I am keeping on file: "There may be no vote a United States Senator casts that is more important than a vote to confirm a nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court."
Items against the NRA in lawsuit for breach of contract, and membership dues refunded:
-NRA admission e-mail Supreme Court is a top consideration in rating senators.
-Collection of News Articles NRA said it would DOWNGRADE any senator (Repub and Dem) who supports Sotomayor. (Reid did, but they are still praising him to NRA members and the media)
-Collection of News Articles NRA said they are against Kagan who once compared NRA to KKK, but Reid supports her.
-Long list of anti-gun Reid Votes
If the NRA endorses Reid we are cancelling our membership . The very idea is insane !
Lyle%&Grace,
What every you do, NEVER sign up as a lifetime member. Even if they were acting as they once used to, only renew year to year, they could change their philosoph at any time (as they have). Then they laugh at you when you request your money back for failing to live up to what they promised. (apparently they have been through lawsuits like I was considering numerous times before)
Its supposedly in the paperwork the Membership funds are NON-REFUNDABLE. I don’t know that I even have that paperwork anymore, I generally don’t keep paperwork for causes I believe in past Tax time for deductions if it was a Tax deductible contribution (NRA is not). I used to see the NRA as representing a cause I believed in, like Police Benevolant funds, Firefighter drives, and Church.
This orginization has changed, I wish I had NEVER become a Life Member. Can’t wait till I get time to go to the range and shoot my NRA stickes I peeled off my cars and stuck on targets, my NRA hat and shirts.
I'm a Wyoming machine gun owner. (yeah, LEGAL, REGISTERED, TAXED full auto spray and pray "black gun" collector) I left the NRA 15 years ago when they told me they did NOT support my right to own NFA weapons. Screw them. My money goes to people who REALLY get the 2nd, like JPFO and GOA. NRA are relics, and clueless.
If this endorsement becomes reality, we could define the event/demise much like Humpty Dumpty.
NRA sat on a wall, NRA had a great fall;
LaPiere and all his men, could not put NRA together again!
I take a "solemn oath".....that if the NRA endorses this moron,
my membership will be immediately "dead on arrival !!"
I did not join the NRA to have them endorse people like Harry Reid,what are they thinking? In this day&age even a passing thought in this direction is reason enough to look elseware for 2nd amendment protection.
Because the NRA is even considering the possibility of backing Harry Reed, who also sold us down the drain with the healtghcare bill, I have already canceled my NRA membership, and will urge others to do the same. When you vote this fall don't forget, the american public did'nt want the health bill, they did it anyway. It certainly appears that Obama has in mind (in collusion with heads of state of other foreign countries ) to completely remove the rights citizens have of determination.The Russians will be laughing. They said "They Would bury us" As long as Obama is in charge they are right.
First of all, I agree with all the above. With the current scam in our goverment I wonder if this is a way to divide and conquer. How do we take out the current NRA Leadership and make the changes needed. The perfect way to destroy a pro gun group as large as the NRA is #1, get to the leaders and #2, destroy from within. The current administration is very skilled at the search and destroy missions they have undertaken. If we desert the NRA who will take it's place? We should reform the organization from within and the question is, how can we go about it? They would love to neuter the NRA and that, I am afraid, would be a good first step to coming then for our arms. Lets cut out the cancer and save the patient
I just cancelled my NRA membership after they informed me they may endorse Dingy Harry Reid and it would because, regardless of all other issues, he might support the second amendment.
My positions" in Author Thomas Mann's famous novel "Dr Faustus" the doctor SELLS HIS SOUL TO THE DEVIL IN RETURN FOR FAVORS. NRA HAS NOW SOLD IT'S SOUL TO THE DEVIL FOR A FAVOR.
Regardless of whether the NRA supports Harry Reid or not, I will be asking them to remove me from their Life Member list. The NRA has already colluded with the government to be given an "exemption" from HR5175 (Disclose Act). Perhaps their impending endorsement for Harry Reid is quid pro quo? The NRA is more concerned with their political clout rather than standing on principle. I can't be a member of such an organization. For now, I'm going to invest in GOA. God help us...
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