Say what you will, we're winning (CCW, castle laws, AWB sunset), and it's 'cause of the NRA.
Right there is where we disagree, and there's no reason we can't do it politely.
Everything you mentioned came about as a result of legislative action and much of it occurred at the state level. Legislators are driven by several factors. Often they run for office because they genuinely want to change things 'for the better'. Everybody has a different definition of 'better' and from the time they declare their candidacy until they leave office, lobbyists and special interest groups (NRA, VPC, Brady Campaign et al) try and sell their definition of it. Once in office, they feel like they just gotta be doing something so they sponsor, support and oppose various bills. They make those decisions based on some combination of their own beliefs, what they have been lobbied to support, and avoiding the wrath of an angry constituency. About halfway through their term, surviving the next election becomes real important to them.
You may recall the post-Brady Bill election, which resulted in removal of many Democrats from power. The passage of the Brady Bill was a catalyst in that sea change, which held through several more elections. LOTS of hunters, shooters and CCW advocates HAD ENOUGH! They knew Brady was but the tip of the iceberg if these people retained power.
A congressional clean out of that magnitude is not the sole property of NRA- who had just supported 'reasonable compromises' toward Brady's passage. Way more people than just NRA members were responsible for the that clean out. Congress is still stinging from it, and it scared them because they thought they could project 2A opposition based on NRA membership numbers. We-gun owners voting in masse-gave them a whoopin' they simply don't want another dose of. That is exactly why you have seen so little gun legislation introduced in the interim.
We can win, and we have proven it. Those wins will come only from solidarity on 2A issues. We can most assuredly convince the legislature we will accept no more infringement upon our 2A rights. We just had the opposition on the ropes. We lost that advantage in the '06 elec6tion, thanks in large part to a Republican leadership that proved no better than the people they had replaced.
The face of politics is changing, and for gun owners it's a high-stakes game. Think 'OODA Steam-Roller' here; we can either drive it, or get run over by it. We are going to have to convince both parties that neither can take our vote for granted; and that incurring our wrath will guarantee that they won't survive the next election. When we accomplish those two things, and hold that line, we will have proven to our elected servants that they are just that- servants.
The most important card in your wallet isn't your NRA card, SAF card, or GOA card. It isn't even that Platinum VISA.
It's your voter registration card.