Opinion: We've Fought the NRA for Decades. We've Never Seen It as Panicked as It Is Now

[spanone]

JON COWAN
JIM KESSLER

There is a reason the Parkland survivors are being attacked so viciously.

In the immediate aftermath of the Parkland shooting, we drew on our combined 50 years of experience battling the National Rifle Association to predict that nothing would change on guns.

Those same 50 years of experience now tell us we were wrong. Why? Because we have never seen the NRA more vulnerable.

The NRA derives its power on one thing and one thing only: their ability to determine outcomes at the ballot box. In 1993, it knocked off Democratic Governor Jim Florio after he banned assault weapons in gun control-friendly New Jersey—a warning shot to blue state Democrats that even they could be beaten. In 1994, the group beat boll weevil House Democrats like Jack Brooks for supporting a crime bill that included gun restrictions, sending the message that even 30 years of pro-NRA votes didn’t mean jack if you crossed the gun lobby. Heck, even Bernie Sanders owes his first election for Congress to the NRA who called him the “more honorable choice for Vermont” when Republican incumbent Pete Smith bucked them. A Socialist is better than a Republican who messes with us, the group said.

This electoral lock now looks to be in jeopardy. The leadership at the NRA and the right wing are in a dither because Parkland teens have exposed that the NRA has a 20th century battle plan for a 21st century fight. Thanks to Parkland teenagers, everyone can see that the NRA made the wrong bets on geography; that it’s been complacent on technology; and that it may have lost an entire generation of future voters and office-holders.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/weve-fought-the-nra-for-decadesweve-never-seen-them-as-panicked-as-they-are-now?ref=home

[Upthevibe]

1. Excellent post!

Thank you...I encourage everyone to read this. It's not long and it packs a lot of punch. I feel heartened....

[First Speaker]

2. God, let's hope so...

...some sanity on this issue sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? But I'll believe it only when the stake has been put thru their hearts...

[sfwriter]

3. Yes...

Make this next election hurt, and then make the NRA the reason it hurt the GOP.

We can talk snowflakes as these deplorable mother fuckers evaporate on the pavement.

[SunSeeker]

4. K & R

[world wide wally]

5. I'm with them!

[Puzzler]

6. Yes!!!

-Puzzler

[C Moon]

7. I just saw a meme on FaceBook trying to spread horrible lies about Emma Gonzalez.

I didn't check closely, but there were probably Russian misspellings in the meme.
Jesus: she's a kid. They are treating her like she's 40-years old.
The NRA is fucking NUTS!!!
And, I believe the NRA is a traitorous organization. They will sell the U.S. for Russian money, no problem.
Fuck 'em.
As a side note: I believe this is what corporations are like. Pure evil. We need more strength in small businesses. That's our future.

[Pepsidog]

8. Florio in NJ was beat because he raised taxes. NJ always has has very restrictive gun laws

[Cha]

9. The more viciously the KIDS are

attacked by mindless, brainwashed idiots.. the more they're stepping on their own petard.

[aikoaiko]

10. Its more like a pendulum swinging back.

Gun restrictions ruled the roost for 25 -27 years from 1968 (the Gun Control Act) to about 1994 (federal AWB).

From 1996 the NRA and RKBAers have had 21years.


Who knows what comes next.