Giving Up The Helmke -- Brady President to Step Down (Effective 7/10/11)

[shadowrider]

Back in 2006, we reported that "transition" seemed like a good word to describe the Brady Campaign's trials and tribulations over the years. Based upon focus group polls, the group changed its moniker from Handgun Control, Inc., to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, but that change in semantics didn't achieve the desired results. The group then hired former Maryland Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Barnes as its President, which again turned out to be a big flop, as during Barnes' tenure, the group suffered a series of legislative and political losses. The group then tried to "right the ship" and appear "mainstream" by hiring former Ft. Wayne, Ind. mayor, Paul Helmke -- a Republican -- as its new president (though at the time of Helmke's hiring, it was reported that 93 percent of the Brady campaign's previous donations to political candidates went to Democrats).

Now, Helmke's reign will soon come to an end; he will be stepping down as Brady Campaign president on July 10th.

Obviously, Helmke is anti-gun to his core. During his tenure Helmke assailed the non-existent gun show "loophole," decried the dangers of individuals buying or owning more than 10 firearms (what he considers an "arsenal"), and the private sale of guns. He called for California-style gun controls and believed that "having more guns correlates with more gun violence."

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=6956

[DonP]

1. Great - A job Opening for Holder

The way things are going he may need a new gig pretty soon. This fits his skill set perectly.

[Kolesar]

2. from the weapons industry lobby

http://www.nraila.org/

[aikoaiko]

18. You're confusing the NRAILA with the NSSF

http://www.nssf.org/ is the actual firearms industry lobbying group.

[Bold Lib]

3. I wonder why he is leaving.

To pursue something else

The money was getting tight there and he needs to find better work

Or was he being asked to leave.


I've very curious.

[safeinOhio]

4. Now if only Lapierre, Nugent and Norqust

would step down from the NRA to make it a legitimate organization. Seems to be a lot crazy people on the extremes of both sides of this issue.

[Blown330]

5. With their winning record against the Brady group....

...it seems they already are the more legitimate organization.

[DonP]

6. Well, that and one actually has members - ntxt

[safeinOhio]

7. Tea Baggers have as many supporters.

Doesn't make them any less crazy. Seems to be a lot of support for the bat crap crazy right wing, like Kasich, Nugent, Norquist, Walker and Rick Scott here in the gun room. I have seen little if any support for the Brady Campaign here, yet many use it to support their favorite winger politician on a Democratic site.

[shadowrider]

8. Considering the Brady Campaign is decidedly anti-gun/2A and this is a pro-gun forum IMO

I expect little to no support for them except from those on the anti side.

[safeinOhio]

10. I think you may have made a mistake about

this forum. It is about gun issues and no where has Skinner said it is a "pro-gun forum". Correct me if I'm wrong.

[shadowrider]

11. I followed up "pro-gun" forum with IMO..did you not see that part? n/t

[gejohnston]

13. Brady are not Democrats

and they are wrong on logic, history, facts, and have no problem with dishonesty. So what is your point? There is always one or two things opposites agree on. Bernie Sanders and Ron Paul agree on the Fed, empire is a bad thing.
To me, liberal includes defending the the enlightenment against all authoritarians. Norquist, Walker, and Scott are pro RKBA partly because it serves their purposes for the moment. Guns have nothing to do with maintaining corporate greed.

[gejohnston]

14. A poll of rank and file tea baggers, found that

They are with us on issues like corporate welfare and empire, so what's your point?

[beevul]

16. You seem to be conflating support for one or two specific actions...

You seem to be conflating support for one or two specific actions on the part of those you named - with support for those individuals in general.


Just an accident, I'm sure.

:sarcasm:

[safeinOhio]

9. Please google

"members disagree with NRA leadership"

Even many gun rights members of DU support NRA safety and training programs, they say they do not contribute or support the political arm of the NRA.

[gejohnston]

12. and the top hits are from Huff Post and

Think Progress. Huff is all op ed and not reporting and Think Progress is kind of the Faux News of the left IMHO. Think Progress misreported Ohio and regurgitated the Al
Qaida says you can buy machine guns without background checks, so it must be true nonsense. Most of it refers to the Terrorist Watch list. Like Rachel Maddow and Thom Hartmann, Think Progress was against the watch list before it was for it. Most of the good folks believed Bush when he said that there were real terrorist suspects on it. If it were true, I would for it too. We both know there are not real terrorists or terrorists suspects on it.

[aikoaiko]

17. I usually diagree with you SiO but I too would like to see leadership change in the NRA.

I would like to see the hyperbole, distortions, and exaggerations from the NRA stop. I know it started as a retaliation against the BS rhetoric of anti-gun fear mongers, but the truth is on the side of the RKBA.

[spin]

20. I hate to admit it as I am an NRA member but I agree with you...

Part of the reason that we can't resolve our national problems is that we are so deeply divided that we are like the Pittsburgh Steelers playing the Cleveland Browns in a football game to decide who wins the North Division of the AFC.

Life is not football and if we ever want to seriously address the problems we face as a nation, we need politicians of both the Democratic and Republican parties as well as the leaders of organizations such as the NRA and the Brady Campaign to set down together and reach compromise.

In my opinion the Brady Canpaign needs to stop pushing another assault weapons ban, a ban on "assault clips", and foolish ideas such as microstamping ammo and the NRA needs to support opening up the NICS background check for all private sales including private sellers at gun shows.

Both organization should and do, to a certain extent, support improving the NICS background check to input the names of those who have criminal records and have been legally adjudged to have serious mental issues on a more timely basis.

The Brady Campaign needs to join the NRA in efforts to investigate the ATF's Fast and Furious gun scheme that allowed possible as many as 2500 weapons to be bought and smuggled into Mexico or into cities in the United States.

Future gun control efforts should be directed to enforcing existing law and to improving and financing those laws to be more effective. We live in a nation that has a gun culture unique to the world. Many believe that citizens should be disarmed or gun ownership should be greatly restricted as in many nations which they consider more "civilized" then we are.

But the fact remains that we have the longest lasting written constitution in the world today. I personally attribute that to the First and Second amendments in the Bill or rights in that order. Currently we have seen many rights that we enjoy as a nation eroded by both the administration of Bush the Junior and despite promises by the Obama administration we seem to be continuing down the same path. We have faced many challenges in the past and have protected and preserved our liberty and freedom. I personally believe that we will preserve the rights we were granted by the founding fathers without revolution. We have faced such challenges in the past and have prevailed.

[Pullo]

15. Plaxico Burress - the perfect man for the job

Sorry, I couldn't contain myself :)

He is involved with the Brady Camp. already, and making him the face of the org would attract a lot more attention.

[aikoaiko]

19. Na-na-na-naah, Na-na-na-naah. hey hey hey, good bye!!!!!!!!!!

FUPH.

Welcome to the rest of your of life as a known failure.

[DonP]

21. Wonder if he'll move back to Indiana and get a CCW permit?

The irony would be exceptional on that one.

[spin]

22. Quite possible ...

Many people who oppose gun ownership for the average citizen feel that they are responsible enough to own a firearm for self defense while the average citizen fails to posses the intelligence and the responsibility to own or carry a firearm.

Elitists who believe that they are far superior to the average person because they are "educated" often believe in this misconception.