Idaho governor candidate A.J. Balukoff spurns NRA questionnaire

[SecularMotion]

Democratic gubernatorial candidate A.J. Balukoff has refused to answer the National Rifle Association survey and blasted the group for its push for Idaho's latest pro-gun bill.

"Special interests gave us Idaho's guns on campus law," Balukoff said. "We don't need a governor and Legislature who are beholden to special interests. We need independent thinkers in government who answer to voters."

Rather than complete the 23-question survey, Balukoff wrote a letter to the Virginia-based political powerhouse.

"The leading questions and multiple-choice answers in your questionnaire allow only for polarizing and extreme positions," Balukoff wrote Dakota Moore of the NRA's Political Victory Fund PAC. Moore, a lobbyist, led off the testimony in February in the Senate State Affairs Committee on the guns on campus bill - Senate Bill 1254 - sponsored by Sen. Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/04/12/3130731/democratspurns-nra-questionnaire.html#storylink=cpy

[Straw Man]

1. Hmm... "special interests."

Are unions a "special interest"? How about veterans? Women? Seniors? People of color? Gays?

US politics is a game of voting blocs based on "special interests." To pretend otherwise is disingenuous.

[gejohnston]

2. He has two valid points

"Special interests gave us Idaho's guns on campus law,"

Everyone is a member or supporter of a "special interest group." Question is, how will the voters react to the campus law, and are their opinions based on facts or emotion?

"We need independent thinkers in government who answer to voters."

Totally agree. I'll go even further and say that we need more independent thinkers, and civil and principle discussions, among the electorate. The only question I have is that is he willing to tell MAIG and Brady the same thing?