Are NRA ‘A’ ratings becoming a political scarlet letter?
Interesting story this morning: For the first time that I can think of, the National Rifle Association’s long-vaunted “rating” system of political candidates has been used to force a pro-gun Democrat out of primary race.
It happened in Illinois and raises the question: where will this happen next?
From ThinkProgress:
“Illinois State Sen. Toi Hutchinson dropped her bid to fill the Congressional seat of former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. on Sunday after her moderate views on gun safety made her a target of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s political action committee, Independence USA.
In what will be the first election since the shooting in Newton, Connecticut, the $2 million ad buy criticized Hutchison and another candidate for receiving an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA). “In the race for Congress, the big issue? Fighting gun violence. Debbie Halvorson and Toi Hutchinson both earned an A from the NRA, they can’t be trusted,” the ad began before endorsing former state Rep. Robin Kelly who supports background checks and banning assault weapons.
It’s about time someone took on the firearms manufacturing and sales lobby that masquerades “the everyman’s gun rights group.”
February 19, 2013 - 8:48 AM
Not all politicians have aspired to an “A” rating and some have worn their “failing” grade proudly before. Good to see somebody actually fighting the NRA.
Imagine that…the NRA endorsing an individual that they don`t want in office, and Bloomberg and fools take bait and waste $2 Million….Kansas and the oceanfront come to mind.
Speaking of the NRA and Congressmen who have been paid for by them see the link below.
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/283671-gop-proposes-30-million-a-year-to-fund-cops-in-schools-program
Also, the NRA knows that the Senate hasn`t created a budget in 4 years, something it is required by law to do each and EVERY year. Having NOT created a budget(what planet do these senators live on?) are having dire consequences on our National security. We the People WILL hold on to our guns…it may be the only protection we have before long.
#1…Probably the ones you voted for…excuse me, not probably, but most assuredly. I suppose you approve of the `No Budget Senate` ?
John Wilburn,
Perhaps you should start getting your pizza from this place. Sounds like your kinda place.
http://hamptonroads.com/2013/02/granny-get-your-gun-and-pizza-discount-va-beach
Funny how the North and South still think differently about just about everything…and guns are no exception.
I can promise you, Dan, an “A” rating from the NRA will not hurt you in Alabama.
“Funny how the North and South still think differently about just about everything…and guns are no exception. I can promise you, Dan, an “A” rating from the NRA will not hurt you in Alabama.”
It’s way more than North and South, Terps. The Idaho panhandle is farther north than Illinois, and way more backwards in the thinking, in many ways.
As for the south, they are usually far, far, far behind the times. Talk about freedom all you want, but my God, it took until 2013 for the Mississippi legislature to ratify the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery. (They thought they had done it in 1995, only 130 years after the fact, but they screwed up!)
You may think it is “funny”, I just think it is sad.
That;s Mississippi for you Dan.
20 years ago I was aggressively recruited for a college presidency in Mississippi. I went for an interview & was surprisingly, in my view, invited back for a second interview. For the second interview I was required to bring my wife along. The evening prior to the second interview on campus with all parts of the college community, my wife & I were treated to a very nice dinner, a tour of the community and a reception with many community leaders.
After we returned to the hotel that evening and as we were preparing for bed, my wife smiled and said, “Have a great interview tomorrow, but I’m not moving here nor are our children.”
The interview went extremely well, and at the close of the day the Board Chair offered me the job. I thanked him, but told him, as tactfully as I could, that I didn’t believe the position was a good fit for me and that I wasn’t a good fit for the institution. I also indicated that I would not submit a request for reimbursement for our travel expenses.
As for the south, they are usually far, far, far behind the times. Talk about freedom all you want, but my God, it took until 2013 for the Mississippi legislature to ratify the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery. (They thought they had done it in 1995, only 130 years after the fact, but they screwed up!)
It’s funny how Northerners like to lecture Southerners about race relations…for good reason. But it seems to me that blacks and whites get along better in the South these days. Not sure why.
Terps, you’re right that blacks and white, generally, get along better in the South than they used to. (Unless you’re on a plane landing in Atlanta and you’re sitting next to a nut from Hayden, Idaho, I mean. Then, all bets are off).
I think one race not owning the other has something to do with that.
Congrats to Mississippi, for only being 150 years behind the rest of the country on the issue of slavery!
After we returned to the hotel that evening and as we were preparing for bed, my wife smiled and said, “Have a great interview tomorrow, but I’m not moving here nor are our children.”
–Ron May
Please elaborate, Ron. What turned her off so strongly?
The south is still heavily segregated so that might account for someone calling race relations “better”.
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http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/harrymount/100047583/america-is-still-segregated-obama-can-forget-his-post-racial-dream/
I’m not sure slavery is a “race relations” issue.
Dan,
We were living in Georgia at the time & saw, in the early 1990s that racial attitudes really hadn’t changed much. What she & I experienced that evening in Mississippi indicated that Mississippi was even farther back in that area than Georgia. We were uncomfortable in Georgia and Mississippi would have been even worse. She was concerned about the quality of the schools our children would have attended. However, a big issue was that throughout the evening, the Board Chair introduced her to others as Dr. May’s wife. He never acknowledged that she had a name of her own.
Beta isn’t better. This blog appears to have some of the bugs back again, that were fixed yesterday. The comment box is blocking out most of the last comment posted on each thread.
Here is a clear example of a crime that would have been prevented had just the state of Calipornia ban pistols. No doubt the shooter would have turned his in, don’t ya think? After all, it would have been illegal to own it
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/19/17017782-california-carjacking-spree-leaves-at-least-four-dead?lite
Lets see….Olympic Arms…York Arms…LaRue Tactical….Extreme Firepower…Templar Custom. Just naming a few gun manufacturers that have written the state of NY stating that they will NO LONGER sell their product to the Gov`t. Not to Police officers, the Mayors security detail, nothing..!!!! “No particular gun or clip to private individuals, then NONE to Government“. They say that it should ring true with liberals because they just like things `consistent and fair`. Sounds consistent and fair to me. If all the guns were gone, why would ANY Government employee need guns to be protected ? From what I can see in the White House and the rest, they`ll probably die of stupidity before a gunshot.
Awood,
Are you saying they’re totally pulling out of the state? Otherwise, how would they know who they’re selling to? And if they don’t know that, how can they prevent sales to the folks they don’t want to sell to?
Besides, what smart business fires large classes of its customers?
One more thing…“All around Pizza and Deli` in the great city of Va. Beach has announced that anyone showing his/her weapon or his/her concealed carry permit, will receive a 15% discount. You are going to see this flourish exponentially across this great NATION. Makes me want to head to the local Chik-fil-a this evening. Get it ?
“If all the guns were gone, why would ANY Government employee need guns to be protected ?”
Let us know, Awood, when you’ve gotten rid of the 300 million guns already out there.
Are you really this dumb or do you just act this way?
Oh noes. Maybe no one will sell any more bullets to the US government! Maybe our soldiers will run out of ammunition! The ChiComs are coming!
I’m no expert,but I’d bet someone takes that contract.
No big loss Awood.
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“It doesn’t appear the sales policies’ of the handful of smaller-to-mid-size manufacturers would have an impact on the state and local governments’ ability to procure weapons for police.
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The country’s largest gun manufacturers — including Smith & Wesson and Remington Arms — have not signaled they would halt sales to the state’s police and sheriffs“.
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20130219/NEWS01/130219005/Some-gun-makers-stopping-sales-NY-police
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Sounds like this will only backfire on those small to mid arms dealers.
What business has a strategy of excluding a class of customers?
A dumb business!
“What business has a strategy of excluding a class of customers?”
The only types of business that have a strategy of showily excluding potential customers are those that cater to a remaining customer base stupid and insecure enough to value the “cachet” of exclusion.
Think of rip-off nightclubs for the stupid Paris Hilton type customer, who need to be shown that they’re special by seeing that others are excluded. Or gated communities of no special distinction that charge premiums due to their exclusionary policies, or some high priced brands that have nowhere near the added value that their prices would indicate, but nonetheless sell to those who want to announce an identity. Even now, Mercedes has a lower priced model, the CLA, to sell to those insecure idiots who want a Mercedes logo but can’t afford the better thing, like Porsche did with the 914 years ago.
That’s all the gun companies who forego sales to New York hope for, to attract other customers who seek reinforcement of their identity as hardcore gun fondlers. But they probably already aren’t selling enough to New York governmental entities to matter anyway.
“You are going to see this flourish exponentially across this great NATION.”
Which means that those of us who don’t want to be around people flashing their, well, whatever, during mealtime will then avoid those places.
Whatever happened to Radford’s cookie man?
gdad | February 19, 2013 at 10:47 pm
“You are going to see this flourish exponentially across this great NATION.”
Which means that those of us who don’t want to be around people flashing their, well, whatever, during mealtime will then avoid those places.
Whatever happened to Radford’s cookie man?
Gdad. I heard he moved to Va. Beach and opened a pizza/deli place!
