NRA Membership Spike May Be Driven By Huge Discounts

[obama2terms]

WASHINGTON -- The National Rifle Association is currently experiencing what officials say is an "unprecedented" jump in membership. More than 250,000 people have signed up in the last month, and the group is crediting the surge to Congress' contemplation of new legislation that would restrict some forms of firearms.

"This is in direct response to the threats and accusations coming from Sen. (Dianne) Feinstein and President Obama," NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam told CNN on Tuesday. "If anyone is wondering if the American people cared about the Second Amendment ... those numbers give a very clear answer."

Arulanandam is leaving out an important detail.

While some gun owners may feel jittery about the prospects of new legislation, the NRA is also giving them another incentive to join its organization. Since December, the group has been running a major discount membership campaign. The Huffington Post called up the hotline and was offered some impressive deals.

A lifetime membership, which usually goes for $1,000, now costs $300. The group throws in a monthly magazine (the reading variety, not ammunition), a decal for your car, as well as promises of membership discounts on hotels and car rentals. The person who answered the phone thought that a free knife may have come with the offer but, upon checking, she discovered it did not.

A 70 percent discount is a tough deal to pass up. But the hotline was also offering discounts on a yearlong membership. The usual price was $35. It had been knocked down to $20.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/15/nra-membership-discounts_n_2481607.html

[Mojorabbit]

1. I doubt people are going to join that organization for a free gift.

At least it seems like that would be weird to me. Perhaps people who had been thinking of joining but could not afford it but joining cold for a discount doesn't ring true to me.

[virginia mountainman]

2. Word of warning..

If people are willing to PAY a fee to be a member....They damn certain will vote on that issue....

You can "join" all gun control groups I know of, by signing up for a email list....

Who do you think feels more conviction for their cause?

What will be the effect on Democrats come election day when everything the NRA said in the past election was PROVEN TRUE? What will be the effect of Democratic legislators in red states??

"Some" Democrats have a tiger by the tail, and are happily pulling away, what happens when the now enraged tiger turns around?

Better be aware of the electoral consequences of such an action.

[DLine]

7. I fear you are right..

I can only hope we are the ones proven wrong.

[chicoguy]

3. I did not join for the gift, or a discount

I wanted my money to go to the organization in this country that is fighting crazy gun laws. Just like how I like my money to go to the ACLU to fight a bunch of other crazy laws.

Maybe if the ACLU would fight for all our rights instead of just the ones they feel are worthy, I would not have to give my money to an arguably hate filled organization like the NRA.

[Pullo]

4. The NRA runs promotions on memberships all the time.

This is not a new phenomenon, especially around the holiday season.

[holdencaufield]

5. I only paid $500

But ... that was some years back

[AtheistCrusader]

6. The NRA also isn't going to tell you when people leave.

Most people just don't re-up their membership. So it could be a full year before we start to see a the fallout of the fucking debacle of a press conference post-sandy hook, for instance.

[jimmy the one]

8. electoral consequences of dem guncontrol

virginia mountainman (4,001 posts) 2. Word of warning.. If people are willing to PAY a fee to be a member....They damn certain will vote on that issue....

As if those 250,000 new members were going to vote democrat to begin with? the nra is simply appealing to their base & their base is reacting, whether for the discounts or the pseudo belief that nra is protecting them from gun confiscation.
How does your logic work, pertaining to YOU, va mtn man? I presume you're democrat in lynchburg maybe, or shenandoah, or west virginia perhaps, pro gun democrat ala joe manchin. Are you throwing obama/biden &/or other democrats under the political bus?
.. you say 'they damn certain will vote on that issue...', will YOU? are you a future republican?

Better be aware of the electoral consequences of such an action. Do tell, Va-mtnman.
--------------------------------------

atheist c: Most people just don't re-up their membership. So it could be a full year before we start to see a the fallout..

Concur, I think nra should lose one to a couple hundred thousand over the course of 2013, maybe will negate any gains for a net zero.
Prior to last month the nra had backed into a favorable approval by american public in general (over past 10 yrs), thanks in part to pro gun gwbush/cheney/scalia, to no opposition from obama admin or anyone really, leading people to believe nra mythology about guns. This morning a wash post poll had nra approval at ~36%, disapproval ~44%. This surely translates into a hell of a lot of nra members 'suddenly' seeing 'their' nra in a new light, an appalling realization & insight into nra propaganda. This will surely mean much fewer renewals as current nra members passively abandon nra.
.. contrast with nyc bloomburgs guncontrol advocacy group which reportedly has had a similar influx of 500,000 new members since mid december, perhaps doubling nra membership gains.
But guncontrol advocacy has been what the bloomburg group has ALWAYS stood for, & there's been nothing to diminish it's status amongst americans as with the nra via lapierres speech, video games for 4 yr olds, loud mouthed gunnuts on tv, & polls showing public support for guncontrol & the wash post poll of 36% approval of nra.
.. so there's little reason for bloomburgs people to abandon him as would nra members abandon the nra, outside of normal attrition.

NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam... "If anyone is wondering if the American people cared about the Second Amendment ... those numbers give a very clear answer."

.. a quarter million people is one thirteenth of one percent of the american population, just more example of nra propaganda out of the mouth of andrulanadamadam. To translate that into 'the american people' is a stretch.
.. nra member tanya metaksa, so proud that the last 4 letters of her name stand for AK, semi-automatic, that she points it out on occasion. She should move to alaska.