hey that got it right again
question is what they got right?The following article is from the Aug. 16 edition of "Roll Call," the
influential Capitol Hill newspaper -- which supports more gun laws.
GOP Takes Aim at NRA
Gun Group Criticized Over Lobbying Tactics
By Jim VandeHei
ROLL CALL
The National Rifle Association is under fire for its lobbying tactics,
but, this time, the shots are coming from Republicans and other
pro-gun activists. The NRA, easily the largest and most influential
gun-rights lobby in America, has been too quick to compromise
and too slow to mobilize its troops to defeat anti-gun legislation in
the House and the Senate, GOP leadership sources and gun
activists say.
As a result, several sources warned that the NRA has presented
anti-gun Democrats with the perfect opportunity to score a major
political victory next month when key Members of the House and
the Senate convene to put the finishing touches on the juvenile
justice bill, which is expected to include the first new collection of
gun laws since 1994.
The NRA plans to focus most -- if not all -- of its attention on killing
a 72-hour waiting period for purchases at gun shows. But the
group, which Democrats claim is the major obstacle to gun
restrictions, is willing to allow several provisions, such as
the so- called Juvenile Brady proposal, to sail through, according to
its top lobbyist, James Baker.
Baker's strategy, which reflects a belief inside the NRA that some
gun control measures will pass in the wake of recent shooting
sprees, has ticked off many pro-gun Members and activists who
deplore any talk of a compromise.
"They are not effective at all," said a senior GOP leadership source.
"Their efforts have been disorganized and mis-targeted and when
they actually fire up their grass roots, it's an effort that [has been]
less than impressive."
Another senior GOP leadership source added: "They have told us
all along that it would be fine to support Juvenile Brady and other
proposals and their membership would not care. But they did
[care], and [Republican leaders] are not happy about that."
Larry Pratt, executive director for Gun Owners of America, said he
and many other pro-gun activists are unhappy with the NRA as
well.
"People want a more proactive position [from the NRA]. That's why
our membership has increased" since the June debate over gun
control, said Pratt, who estimated that thousands of former NRA
members have defected to his organization. Gun Owners of
America, he said, opposes any new gun control measures.
Baker defended the NRA's performance as reasonable and
effective. "If we had opposed everything, we would have lost
everything," he said. "We had a responsible position."
"It's easy to second-guess when you don't have three million
members and gun owners nationally you are trying to protect."
The NRA, duplicating the approach it employed during the gun
debates in June, will not oppose new trigger locks or a ban on
the possession of assault weapons by most people under the age of
18. It vehemently opposes the 72-hour waiting period idea
proposed by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and the Senate version of the
ban on the importation of ammunition clips.
While several GOP leadership sources said the NRA's position
virtually ensures that some new control measures will be
enacted, Baker says a more reasonable approach is needed in today's
political climate.
It's unclear which provisions will be written into the final compromise
version of the juvenile justice conference report, which is
slated for floor action in September, but the aforementioned items are on
the table. The House-Senate conference team includes the highest-ranking
members of the Judiciary committees from both chambers.
While the juvenile justice bill is the logical home for gun
control measures, Democrats and Republicans alike also predicted a new
round of gun debates when the House and Senate conferees sit
down to hammer out the final details on spending bills.
Appropriations bills, Baker said, "have become the Christmas
tree of choice" for anti-gun forces.
Ignoring the criticism, the NRA is preparing a media and
lobbying strategy to target conferees and several Democrats, such as
Reps Bart Stupak (Mich.) and Chet Edwards (Texas), on the 72-hour
waiting period proposal.
One leadership source said, "The NRA failed by not going after
Stupak and Edwards and others who voted wrong the first time,"
but one NRA official said their time will come.
The short-term lobbying plan, according to Baker, will include
direct mail, radio ads and one-on-one pressure from the group's
lobbying team when Members return from the August recess. Baker refused
to say how much money the NRA is willing to spend on its new
campaign.
It will focus on conferees initially, but the NRA also has its
eyes trained on Members like Stupak who they feel voted the wrong way
on gun control the first time around.
In 1998, according to records filed under the Lobbying
Disclosure Act, the NRA spent $2.25 million on lobbying. The NRA has 10 in-
house lobbyists working Members on Capitol Hill and has six
lobbying firms on retainer. Lobbyist Mark Barnes, whom the NRA
paid $360,000 in 1998, and the firm Timmons and Company, Inc.
($300,000) do most of the outside work for the organization.
Other pro-gun groups plan to lobby as well, but they lack the
clout and resources the NRA can bring to the table.
Pratt's group, which spent less than $150,000 on lobbying last
year, is considered the most aggressive pro-gun lobbying
organization. "Gun Owners [of America] is much smaller, but much
more active. They moved quickly and we heard from their people,"
said one leadership source close to the issue.
John Snyder of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and
Bear Arms says his organization spends nominal money directly
lobbying Members, but he insisted its network of members can
exert pressure from the outside far more effectively.
"The real power of the gun lobby is so many ... people own guns.
That's the most significant respect of the gun lobby per se," he
said. "So we're informing our members and supporters around the
country and encouraging them to visit their Congressmen."
My answer is give the more agressive groups
more clout.
Atleast theyll represent you.
www.gunowners.org www.ccrkba.org www.ccops.org www.citizensofamerica.org
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"those who sacrifice
liberty for security deserve neither"
