NRA backs Democrats in key races, frustrating GOP

[babylonsister]

:wow:

NRA backs Democrats in key races, frustrating GOP

By Ben Pershing
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 6, 2010; 12:36 PM


The National Rifle Association has endorsed incumbent Democrats in several crucial congressional races this year, frustrating Republicans who believe the group is hurting its cause - and the party's chances in November.

Although the NRA's agenda usually aligns with that of the GOP, the powerful group also adheres to what it calls "an incumbent-friendly" policy: If an incumbent and a challenger candidate have equally strong records protecting gun rights, the incumbent gets the endorsement, regardless of party.

The result: Of the 20 most endangered incumbent House Democrats in the country - based on race ratings by The Washington Post's "The Fix" - 14 have received the endorsement of the NRA's Political Victory Fund.

The NRA's bipartisan strategy has existed for several years. But the stakes appear higher this cycle, as control of the House is in play and Democrats' red-state gains in 2006 and 2008 mean the party has a huge number of incumbents running for reelection in conservative-leaning districts.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/06/AR2010100603363.html?hpid=topnews

[derby378]

1. This is what I've been talking about for some time

I've got my own problems with the NRA, especially with these links to Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, etc. But I've always maintained that the NRA has been trying to broaden its outreach to Democrats for a few years, and this looks like proof that they're stepping it up.

[karnac]

11. the NRA endorses. but does it campaign for?

in a "red" state, it certainly matters. however, in many cases, it finds a "true friend" on the other side. the "true friend" might NOT be able to claim the endorsement BUT THEY can still claim being a "TRUE FRIEND" in an an ad. it negates the advantage.

to the NRA, endorsement means you espouse the goals of the NRA and ARE in power.
Being a "true friend" means espousing the goals of the NRA but you are NOT yet in power.

if you are in the NRA, who would you align with after the election win? switch the letters NRA for NOW and you have your answer.

[Broderick]

16. have not

seen them campaign for anyone. Endorsements mean something from them.

[karnac]

19. endorsement means you won't get attacked against a "trusted friend"

therefore you can concentrate your money/attacks against 3 or 6 TRUE liberals in another place/state!!!

got to protect that "moderate democrat"!!

ain't politics fun?

[Broderick]

23. Is politics fun?

no. Herding cats is a difficult task. It is too much a sports fan issue of sorts now. My team, your team. Common sense on issues is rare imo.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Most excellent!

[proteus_lives]

3. K/R!

[NickB79]

4. NRA backs Democrats in key races, frustrating DU members

There, fixed the headline for you :-)

[ieoeja]

13. Makes me happy. Their refusal to back Democrats is one reason I quit the NRA.

Their refusal to back Democrats probably came in third on reasons I quit. The top two:

- After the Oklahoma City terrorist attack, Wayne LaPierre wrote a lengthy article defending the NRA against accusations that the NRA ramped up the paranoia that contributed to that attack. In the very same issue of American Rifleman in which that article appeared, there was a Neal Knox article claiming UN Black Helicopters had rounded up the entire population of a Chicago suburb in the middle of the night in a practice raid. I knew people living in that suburb at the time. None of them could recall this. Or ... were too afraid to talk?

- The NRA was *the* initiator of Three Strikes laws. NRA lawyers wrote the Three Strikes law for the California State legislature who proposed it. And when the State released a first time offender, the NRA proudly and successfully sued the State for non-enforcement of the law. While everyone understood the law to be applied to recidivists, the NRA wrote the law in such a way as to apply to anyone convicted of three or more "violent" offenses. The convict in question (1) used a gun in the commission of a crime, (2) pointed it at the victim and (3) threatened them. So the first time offender had three violations in a single instance. As draconian as today's Three Strikes laws are -- and draconian laws were the #1 reason we rebelled from England -- they are nothing compared to the Three-In-One version the NRA originally put into play.



After dropping out, I had several calls from them asking me to rejoin over the next couple years. It's like we were reading from the same script every time.

NRA: We would love to have you back.

ME: While I am extremely pro-gun, I am also very liberal on....

NRA: {click}


They sure as fuck did not want any liberals or Democrats in the organization back in the early 90s.

[MattBaggins]

49. Ding Ding Ding. That's why I have nothing to do with the NRA

National Republican Association. They have become just plain stupid in their zealotry and have a fricking crooked ass as the leader.

Need a group to return to what they used to be and replace them as a powerful force.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

24. Give me a fucking break. -nt

[X_Digger]

25. LOL!! n/t

[uncommon]

42. Like it or not, the second amendment exists.

[tularetom]

5. It'll take a lot for these folks to regain my confidence

But I'm willing to be convinced.

It used to be a great organization before it went off the deep end politically.

[karnac]

20. why would they WANT your confidence?

just sayin'. ;-)

[tularetom]

22. Because with my confidence, they might get my dues

I was a life member of the NRA until I got fed up with all their political scare bullshit and quit.

[Bonhomme Richard]

6. The NRA wants to look bipartisan so they throw........

their backing behind a few pro NRA Dems who are most endangered to lose their seat. Seems like a decent bet that won't cost them very much. It's all about marketing.
Am I a cynic or what?

[babylonsister]

8. I'll take cynic for $100, Richard.

:hi:

[Deep13]

10. Probably. nt

[spin]

46. Wrong! The NRA is and has been bipartisan ...

Our party is finally realizing that proposing draconian gun laws is a losing plan.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

7. Shove this on the face of every "Democrats are gonna grab yer guns" dumbass. -nt

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[slackmaster]

41. We should remove renewal of the failed "assault weapons" ban from our platform before 2012

It creates misunderstandings and doesn't serve our party well.

[RZM]

9. Not surprising at all

If Republicans back off on gays and Democrats on guns, we can bury two contentious issues in one fell swoop. Too bad it won't happen . . .

[ieoeja]

15. This is one of those urban-vs-rural things whose root cause is racism.

A few years ago, in the uber-wealthy suburb of Chicago, a white homeowner successfully used his firearm to fend off a home invasion. He immediately became the poster child for liberalizing firearm laws in Illinois (probably the most restrictive state in the country). This sparked debate that went on for weeks. Until....

A middle-class, professional black homeowner successfully used his firearm to fend off a home invasion on the southside of Chicago. He immediately became a suspect in the eyes of the media. This sparked speculation that went on for weeks. Until....

The police ultimately determined both men acted properly and legally (except the minor charge of handgun possession in Chicago which I believe they did not bother pursuing).


I never met a Black man in Chicago who did not wish he could use a firearm legally. And I never met a Black man in Chicago who voted for that right. Because they know that even if they could use it legally, they will have to face a lot of racism. They know the cops are more likely to shoot first and ask questions later when they encounter a Black man with a firearm. They know the media will find them guilty until proven innocent. And that by the time they are proven innocent, they will have been forgotten.

Worse yet, I have on more than one occasion flipped White guys from pro-gun to anti-gun with the simple statement, "there are almost half a million Black men within 30 miles of here who would love to be allowed to own firearms".


So that, my rural friends, is why urban areas are rabidly anti-gun.


Any of my urban friends reading this ... well, I've said it a hundred times. And you insist on disbelieving me. But there are areas right here in Illinois, especially downstate, where it is not at all uncommon for the nearest law enforcement at a particular point in time being 20-30 minutes away. Where that law enforcement is USUALLY 10-20 minutes away. Sure, I have never felt the need to arm myself in those regions knowing the odds of needing it are quite remote. But then, I don't have a home, etc in those regions. I have only what I carry on back to protect. And they can have that. It is unreasonable to expect the people living there to unilaterally disarm themselves knowing there is noone around to protect them.

[karnac]

21. having too many arms in a concentrated urban environment IS bad.

and probably is best to heavily regulate.

perhaps we should spread out. at least the miscreant won't know for sure what he is up against.

[Winterblues]

37. So in your opinion if a black mans owns a gun whitey is gunna get it...

A pretty darn racist post if you ask me...:shrug:

[ieoeja]

47. Maybe if you read that again, you will see that I was talking about OTHER people's racism.

[friendly_iconoclast]

14. Excellent! K&R n/t

[ProudDad]

17. God, Gays and Guns

Three entirely irrelevant wedge issues that should be entirely IGNORED...

And that government should have NO input or control over...

The only important question today is how to end the system of Domination and its handmaiden capitalism before it destroys the Earth as a hospitable environment for large air-breathing mammals.

Anything less than that is a waste of time...

[rucky]

18. wow, they're actually being fair.

[X_Digger]

27. NRA-PVF always has been..

Their rules are simple.

If an endorsement is given,
-Higher score gets it.
-If the scores are the same, the candidate with an actual record gets it (so 'A' v 'AQ' = 'A' -- 'Q' refers to a candidate with little or no record, whose rating is based on a questionnaire)
-If the scores are equal, the incumbent gets it

[Arkana]

26. Uhbadanyuh?

This is the same NRA that thinks all Democrats are vermin, right?

[DonP]

35. Only the ones that keep proposing more pointless and ineffective gun laws. ntxt

[aikoaiko]

28. Excellent news. Many pro-RKBA DU folks have been saying to look for this.

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[KansasVoter]

29. The Fucking NRA spends 83% of their money on GOP idiots. No matter how much they hate this country!

The best liberal in the world could be against conceal and carry and a tea parety candidate who was pro CC would get the NRA money. They spend millions against GREAT dems. I hate them.

[X_Digger]

30. How'd that concealed carry class go? (The one you said you were going to attend..) n/t

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hangingon]

36. As you know from the materials you received when you joined

the NRA has a well established nad defined formula for campaign support. Missed your report on the concealed carry class. How was it>

[diveguy]

38. I thought KV was a NRA member.

am i wrong.

[slackmaster]

39. KV, you said you were going to take a CCW class during the month of September

Your exact words were "to see the type of people who attend these classes."

How did it go?

The best liberal in the world could be against conceal and carry...

That seems to me rather an odd definition of "liberal". I thought liberals based policy on actual data rather than on unfounded fear.

[Bold Lib]

40. How did you CCL class go last month?

[old mark]

44. KV, you must have missed my PM - how was the class - I hope you enjoyed it....nt

[oneshooter]

45. Please show, with actual current hard data that you know of what you speak.

By the way, how did the CCL class go? We are breathlessly awaiting your comments and ideas.

Oneshooter
Armed and Livin in Texas

[shadowrider]

48. Just curious. How did your CCW class go? n/t

[rrneck]

51. But you're a member.

How'd the CCW class go?

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[X_Digger]

32. And here I thought it was popcorn cooking.. n/t :)

[fizzgig]

33. where did they get that picture of betsy markey?

probably won't make much a difference for her on the plains, though.

[old mark]

43. Many of us Liberal gun owners have said this for years - get the anti-gun

rhetoric out of the Democratic platform and we will gain a lot of support from people who really want to vote for Democrats (or vote against the republicans) but fear stringent gun laws or even confiscation. We can only gain by this.

mark

[LiberalAndProud]

50. ^What you said. (+ a lot of 1s)