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Untold Story of Election 2008: The Death of the NRA

Equinox

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"Although the gun group unleashed everything in its arsenal to defeat Barack Obama and dozens of down ticket gun-control candidates, it lost by a margin as historic as the war chest it opened in an attempt to convince voters that Democrats were mortal enemies of the Second Amendment. Despite expending nearly $7 million in a national fear campaign, NRA-endorsed candidates lost 80 percent of their races against gun-control candidates. More than 90 percent of candidates endorsed by the NRA's nemesis, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, won their races. If 2008 was, in the NRA's own words, "arguably the most important year in its history," then the election results suggest that the gun group is arguably the most overhyped and impotent special-interest lobby in the country. The NRA even got its chamber cleaned in its home state of Virginia."

http://www.alternet.org/rights/109841/untold_story_of_election_2008:_the_death_of_the_nra/
 

The Donkey

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The election was win-win for the NRA:

They could claim credit if their candidates won;

They would clean up on donationsif their candidates lost;

NRA is laughing all the way to the bank about Obama.
 

Slayer of Paper

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If I may, that article is a bunch of horse do-do.

First, the NRA did not "attempt to convince voters that Democrats were mortal enemies of the Second Amendment." The NRA endorses several democratic candidates. Despite what the Brady campaign (and the neo-cons for that matter) would have you believe, gun rights is not a partisan issue. While democrats are more often on the side of gun control than not, it is by no means a defining democratic party principle. Nor are all republicans on the side of gun owners. James Brady, anyone? The NRA is far from perfect, but it is certainly not a republican organization.

Second, the article would have you believe that the AHSA is actually a legitimate gun-rights activist group that caters to those gun owners who are in favor of "reasonable restrictions." B.S. They are exactly what the NRA calls them: a gun control advocacy group, bankrolled by the Brady campaign, that pretends to be on the side of gun rights in order to confuse uninformed gun owners (which unfortunately happens to be the vast majority, just like the vast majority of all types of voters are uninformed).
 

thorvaldr

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Clearly a biased article. But, while I disagree with their "the NRA lost because they are wrong" spin, I agree with their main principle. By not being able to stop this blatant gun grabber from getting into office, we have proven to politicians and the MSM that people who care about the bill of rights are not politically powerful and they can remove our rights at will.
 

mobeewan

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Yeap, NRA doesn't care which whore gets elected whetherDemocrat or Republican. They only care which whore bestsupports ourgun rights.
 

compmanio365

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thorvaldr wrote:
Clearly a biased article. But, while I disagree with their "the NRA lost because they are wrong" spin, I agree with their main principle. By not being able to stop this blatant gun grabber from getting into office, we have proven to politicians and the MSM that people who care about the bill of rights are not politically powerful and they can remove our rights at will.

+1, and look how quickly they are moving to do so. Not only do we have a gun grabber in the head office, but now that gun grabber is electing more gun grabbers to all the important spots as well. If people can't see what's going on here, they either need glasses or need to get their head out of the sand.......

Unfortunately, we no longer have the upper hand in politics.....if we attempt to win this by playing the political game, we WILL LOSE. We have to find another way to put the pressure on the people in charge, whatever that takes. Otherwise we will all be sitting here on the day we decide to rise up and overthrow our tyrannical government, none of us having arms with which to fight.
 

Equinox

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Dustin wrote:
He's posted quite a few Topics that are off course.
Just sharing news articles that I've come across. Just because I share them does not mean that I also share their views. People should know what's going on in the media, as media can smear the images of gun owners in a good or bad light.

Perhaps the articles should have been placed under General Discussion. And/Or My Bad.
 

Dustin

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Equinox wrote:
Dustin wrote:
He's posted quite a few Topics that are off course.
Just sharing news articles that I've come across. Just because I share them does not mean that I also share their views. People should know what's going on in the media, as media can smear the images of gun owners in a good or bad light.

Perhaps the articles should have been placed under General Discussion. And/Or My Bad.

Well if we wanted to read the news we would. Otherwise what's the point. You've created about 15 topics in this thread alone, just seems a little overboard. :?
 

Citizen

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Equinox wrote:
SNIP Just sharing news articles that I've come across. Just because I share them does not mean that I also share their views.
What causes the friction is the forwarding of enemy propaganda without first disavowing it, or identifying it as such.

Its automatically assumed, and fairly, that the person forwarding it wants it to be accepted.

All you would have to do is preface the post with some textidentifying it as enemy propaganda, criticizing it in some way, or some such.
 

VAopencarry

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Citizen wrote:
Equinox wrote:
SNIP Just sharing news articles that I've come across. Just because I share them does not mean that I also share their views.
What causes the friction is the forwarding of enemy propaganda without first disavowing it, or identifying it as such.

Its automatically assumed, and fairly, that the person forwarding it wants it to be accepted.

All you would have to do is preface the post with some textidentifying it as enemy propaganda, criticizing it in some way, or some such.
That's horse hockey Private!!

I can't post a story without first declaring 'my thoughts' on it?
So if I post a news story about a family being murdered in a Home Invasion I must first declare I am against Home Invasion or everybody will think I am for Home Invasion? I used to think you were a smart guy.....:uhoh::monkey:lol:
 

Citizen

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VAopencarry wrote:
Citizen wrote:
Equinox wrote:
SNIP Just sharing news articles that I've come across. Just because I share them does not mean that I also share their views.
What causes the friction is the forwarding of enemy propaganda without first disavowing it, or identifying it as such.

Its automatically assumed, and fairly, that the person forwarding it wants it to be accepted.

All you would have to do is preface the post with some textidentifying it as enemy propaganda, criticizing it in some way, or some such.
That's horse hockey Private!!

I can't post a story without first declaring 'my thoughts' on it?
So if I post a news story about a family being murdered in a Home Invasion I must first declare I am against Home Invasion or everybody will think I am for Home Invasion? I used to think you were a smart guy.....


You weren't listening, recruit!

What were you doing? Dreaming of Susie? Don't talk to me without snapping your body to attention!! When I talk to you, you WILL LOCK IT UP! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!

I said, "forwarding ENEMY PROPAGANDA!" Not any old information!

See that cloud of sand-fleas over there!?! Stroll over there and SIT DOWN until I decide you're ready to attend my class!

:)
 

Citizen

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That reminds me of one of the funnier boot camp scenes I witnessed.

(See? Now, you've done it.)

Location--Confidence Course. Obstacle--Slide for Life (or whatever we called the tower with downhill cables leading out over water)

Two drill instructors were trash talking each other over whose recruits were the best disciplined.

One DI said, "I'll prove it." Of course, here it comes. Somebody's gonna experience something more unpleasant than the usual Parris Islandbuffet of pain and humiliation.

One of his recruits had just started out from the tower, on the cable, over the water. The DI chose him as the victim.

DI: "Private, what are the eight steps in the cycle of operation of the M16A1 service rifle?"

Recruit: "Sir?"

DI: "(repeats question)"

Recruit: "Firing, unlocking, extraction..."

DI: "You know better than to talk to me without assuming the position of attention."

Recruit: "Yes, sir." (Rotates under cable, lets go with his feet, hangs down by his hands and says) "Firing, unlocking, extraction..."

DI: "That is NOT the position of attention!"

(The readersees what's coming by now, don't you?)

Recruit: (Takes a deep breath, snaps his hands to his sides, and says) "Firing, unlocking, extr...[KER-SPLASH].



God, I can barely type I'm laughing so hard.
 

Theseus

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I don't normally look at new posters as annoyances, but when the first 15+ posts by a person are to a series of articles INSTEAD of learning about our cause it makes me wonder and suspicious.

But maybe it is just me.

Equinox, welcome to the forum. I hope that you can lay off the "NEWS" posts and work in the forum and let us get to know you.

Thanks.
 

LiveFreeOrDie

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The NRA couldn't overcome the fact that Republicans suck and hadn't learned a thing from their losses in 2006. They couldn't overcome the fact that the GOP nominated a power-hungry and slightly-insane octogenarian liberal who's sole difference with Obama was his desire to have unconstitutional wars so that he could re-live his childhood. They couldn't overcome the fact that this same liberal couldn't think of anything to talk about except an unpopular and unnecessary war and how Americans' freedom was making us unsafe.

This election wasn't about guns. It was about the last 8 years of big government socio-fascism that the GOP gave us and the disastrous economic, geo-poltical and freedom-related consequences of the same.

I was glad to see the GOP lose. I didn't vote GOP and I'm a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment.

Maybe the GOP can nominate someone worth voting for in 2008, like Mark Sanford of SC.
 

KBCraig

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LiveFreeOrDie wrote:
The NRA couldn't overcome the fact that Republicans suck and hadn't learned a thing from their losses in 2006.
The lost learning opportunity for the GOP was when they failed to learn a thing after their victory in 1994.

The "contract with America" proved that when they run with a clear, consistent, and principled message of smaller government and lower taxes, they win. Every election since then has proved that when they try to out-Democrat the Democrats, they lose.

The election and re-election of Bush was a fluke; Gore and Kerry could not have been better candidates to run against if the RNC had hand-picked them. The GOP returned the favor in 2008 by pitching them a slow fat one right down the middle.
 

Swampbeast

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I think its important to remember that although Obama has the most anti gun voting record of any president elect, he did a great job selling his pro gun message (with a little help from his media cronies) that he was pro-2A, and even some harcore gun owners took him at his word.

Then again, when you're better option, John McCain, is somewhat of an anti-gunner too, supports illegal immigration, and wants $100s of billions in bailouts, it should be no surprise many conservatives stayed home.

And its true not all Democrats are bad. In my district, we've had Democrat Jason Altmire in Congress since 2006, and he's arguably more pro-gun than the republican we had before him.
 

Alexcabbie

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I suppose there are all sorts of reasons the Republicans got their clocks cleaned when it shouldn't have happened. IMHO when McCain dropped his campaign and went to DC over the first bailout brouhaha, he ought to have stumped for the lenders to re-negotiate loans and for arrest warrants. Dodd and Frank should have been named - he said he would name names, right??? but nooooooooo......

While I respect those who like Ron Paul, Ron's a bit of a lunatic. I like hisrespect for thletter of our Constitution but he was wrong on the war and most foreign policy. Romney's a Mormon, and for President that would probably have made him unelectable what with the polygamist scandals and the story of that Utah massacre being hyped all over, even though it took place in the late 19th Century. He would have made a better choice for Veep than Palin, probably.

The Dems made two brilliant moves: Practically no Dem candidate ran against his opponent, from the most junior Representative to Obama himself they all ran against George Bush, who wasn't even running for dog catcher. Obama also ran against Palin, painting her as a nut who would surely become President as McCain was bound to croak as soon as he completed the Oath of Office.

And Obama ran on a short and simple sound bite. While McCain and the Republicans had to explain their positions, the Dems had a simple mantra: Things are rotten and wrong and it is time for a "CHANGE".

And lots of white folks wanted to put a little gold star on their personal report card and/or "Make History" by electing the first black President. I personally watched two neighbors go across the street to Ubamanista Central, pick up their yard signs, and carry them home held out in front of them, smiling like toddlers who have just pooped in the potty and think they deserve a toy. Well, they pooped all right. What a mess.

WHAT IS SIGNIFIGANT is that almost no Dems ran on or even went anywhere near guns. THAT issue is STILL a very live wire, and they damn well know it. This is where the NRA has resources we cannot do without. The assault on the RTKBA will come as riders quietly slipped into bills and snuck past debate. Look for some Democrat to sponsor a bill ratcheting up the penalties for possession of Kiddie Porn another 5 years for example, so that his buds can sneak anti-gun riders and amendments into it (also to protect the kids, natch) and accuse anyone who objects of "coddling child-abusing perverts" or some such. It takes a very vigilant atchdog to detect such subterfuge and nip it in the bud. OCDO, VCDL, etc. do not have the money or the people or the expertise or the connections to do this.

The National Rifle Association does. You all know I have a short ton of 2A cred. I am also an NRA member. I don't always agree with the NRA either. But as Benjamin Franklin said, if we do not hang together, we will assuredly hang separately.

SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS
 

LiveFreeOrDie

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Alexcabbie wrote:
While I respect those who like Ron Paul, Ron's a bit of a lunatic. I like hisrespect for thletter of our Constitution but he was wrong on the war and most foreign policy.
As long as the GOP continues to be married to debt-funded, unconstitutional, unnecessary made-for-tv adventures that decrease our liberty and increase our debt here at home, you can count on losing more elections than just '06 and '08.
 

c45man

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The funerals for the NRA have been replayed many times, many eulogized as a dead paper tiger. During the last year of the George H Bush administration, the NRA was down to 2.8 million member. The organization lost membership over a jack-booted thug remark made by NRA leadership in defining the ATF. The NRA continued to lose members until the beginning of the Clinton Administration. During the 8 years of Clinton, the NRA went from 2.7 million members to 4 million. Under OBama, the organization will again grow by great numbers, as it always does during anti-gun adminstations.
 
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