NRA the "Big and Powerful Lobby"

[ReadyontheRight]

This is a great idea. I love the following example:

The myth has two parts.

1) the NRA is a rich and powerful lobby
2) they are rich and powerful because they further the interests of the firearms industry (which is rich and powerful).
-------------

Yes to 1) and 2). There is also a 3), namely, the myth that the NRA gets its money from a small elite of gun industry powers and wealthy fanatics.

They just can't wrap their heads around the fact that all that money comes from FOUR MILLION individual members, each chucking in their $25 or so. To do so, they would have to admit that the NRA's agenda has a broad base of support.

It is ironic, because the anti-gun side is financed by a small elite of wealthy fanatics.

Can someone smarter than me please organize this set of urls into four points (feel free to add more) with supporting evidence that we can all cut and paste into our favorite arguments:

1. The NRA is financed by FOUR MILLION individual members, each chucking in their $25 or so. The NRA is a true "populist" organization.

(Links to supporting evidence of NRA funding)

2. The NRA political and lobbying efforts are relatively SMALL compared to the political spend of organizations like trial lawyers and unions:

(Links supporting NRA vs. other political organization spending)

3. The anti-gun side is financed by a small elite of wealthy fanatics.

(Links to political contributions and propaganda funding by George Soros, the Joyce Foundation, etc.)

4. Aside from its populist base of more than 4 million average US citizens, the so-called "US Gun lobby" is comprised of a bunch of Mom & Pop manufacturers. The entire US Firearms Industry makes about $2 Billion per year (keep in mind that McDonald's makes over $12 Billion/yr).

(URLs to the size of other industries)
(URLs to the size of the firearms industry)

 

[bogie]

FWIW, the FDA is not beholden to big pharma... In fact, between the FDA inquisition and the trial lawyers, they're probably the greatest cause of indigestion among the research community.