Bowing to the NRA gets you nothing, if you are a Democrat.

[Dawson Leery]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/07/1334956/-If-you-re-a-Democrat-bowing-to-the-NRA-gets-you-nothing#comments

"owing to the NRA will, if you are a Democrat, gain you nothing. Sen. Mark Pryor voted against expanded background checks after the Newtown murders and the NRA still endorsed his opponent; Alaskan Sen. Mark Begich voted against it and still faces anti-reform attacks from his opponent because Begich voted for Obama's judges, and those judges are probably anti-2nd-Amendment anyway.

After the vote, many commentators—including some liberal ones—argued that Begich and Pryor had done the politically prudent thing, even if it meant contributing to a big setback for a key issue in the Democratic agenda."

[bravenak]

1. I see the Begich ad to the right side of my screen.

All day long. I still hope he wins, voting for expanded background checks would have made it even worse for him in this state. People here have a love of guns and we kinda need them sometimes. Bears break into homes in town here sometimes, and I have seen a few hanging out at the maid cart at the Ramada. That was in downtown Anchorage. And moose don't use crosswalks, and if you hit one, you don't want the poor thing laying there for hours dying. Poor Begich, can't win for losing.

[flamin lib]

3. So how would Manchin/Toomy take any guns away? nt

[bravenak]

4. I have no idea.

I have never thought it was actually possible to take our guns away. But if you lived here, you would hear the strangest things.

[flamin lib]

2. I saw this earlier in the week and almost posted it here or in GD.

The NRA supports Republicans with a "C" rating against Democrats with an "A" rating. Voting for the Manchin/Toomy bill did not hurt Democrats and voting against it didn't help.

There's another interesting g thing happening in WA state. An initiative on the ballot to extend background checks to every gun transfer will pass. The NRA, GOA and a local gun group all oppose it but can't raise enough money to activate the gun nuts but $50000 from Everytown gathered millions from grass roots people to promote it.

As is typical of gun nuttery an alternative initiative was offered with the caviar that "I'll give you that if you give me a lot more" but it failed to get any traction.

The NRA's power is in decline because they oppose what the majority of voters want AND because they really have no real power.

[Dawson Leery]

6. Ted Strickland has an "A" rating from the NRA

Ted is an avid gun sportsman. The NRA begrudgingly endorsed him. They did not spend one cent on advertising for his campaign.

The NRA is a nothing more than a front for the GOP.

[world wide wally]

5. Very accurate observation...but what will Dems do now that they know about it?

Most likely bend again.

[krispos42]

7. Of course not

Despite what a few candidates and elected officials do, the Democratic party organization and many rank-and-file Democrats are anti-gun. It's in the party platform and it's in the talking-points and boilerplate arguments that get made on TV and such.



And yet, the party is still hell-bent on banning protruding pistol grips, which of course is totally worth losing elections over.