The NRA: When Spin is All You've Got
4/2/2004
Commentary
by Joshua Horwitz
Putting the best spin on its humiliating loss in the U.S. Senate last month,
the NRA is trumpeting a letter faxed to Senators moments before a final vote on legislation that would have granted the gun industry unprecedented legal immunity. The letter, which some Senators hurriedly read on their PDAs, urged members to vote against the NRA's top legislative priority because it included an amendment that would renew
the federal assault weapons ban, which is set to expire September 13.
The NRA argues that its issuance of the letter, and the bill's subsequent
defeat, proves its olitical might. In reality, the letter was a desperate attempt to kill legislation over which he gun lobby had lost control. It's a familiar tactic for the NRA. Even when the facts are stacked against you, spin like heck and never let them see you sweat.
The gun lobby famously pulled the wool over the public's eyes when it
declared victory in the 2000 elections. The gun lobby lost eight of its 10 target senate races that year, and voters in the pro-gun Western states of Colorado and Oregon overwhelmingly approved ballot initiatives to close the gun show loophole. On top of that, Al Gore scored 500,000 more votes than George W. Bush, and swept the 2000 swing states of Wisconsin,
Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Despite this evidence, the media and policy
makers bought the NRA's victory spin.
But no one should buy it now. In 2000, Forbes Magazine dubbed the NRA the most powerful lobbying firm in America and the organization promised to work out of George W. Bush's Oval Office. In 2002, some Democrats clumsily tried -- and failed -- to establish pro-gun credentials in a foolish bid to curry favor with the NRA.
Despite all of this, and after three years of favorable political terrain, the NRA has failed to live up to its billing.
For months NRA leaders brayed about their overwhelming support for the gun industry immunity bill. Yet the bill never came to a vote in the Senate until March 2 - nearly a year after it had passed the House of Representatives. And when it finally did come to the floor, senators approved three amendments that would renew the federal assault weapons ban, close the gun show loophole, and require trigger locks on all new handguns. The gun show bill got more bipartisan votes last month than it did when it was first considered in 1999, the year of the Columbine tragedy.
Moreover, the assault weapons ban garnered support from 10 Republicans, including traditional conservatives such as Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH) and John Warner (R-VA).
Talk about salt in the NRA's wound.
In December 2003, Congress renewed a ban on the manufacture and sale of undetectable handguns -- despite opposition from the gun lobby. The only victory the gun lobby has had -- a series of small provisions that will, among other things, require the destruction of background check records after just 24 hours -- was only achieved by slipping these provisions into a massive omnibus spending bill. The NRA proudly shines the spotlight of power on itself, but had to resort to legislative sneak attacks in the dark of night to get a win.
So where does all of this leave President Bush? Sadly, it appears the
President is also employing the NRA's "emperor has no clothes" communications strategy.
The President has repeatedly announced his support for sensible gun laws, such as the assault weapons ban, requiring checks on all gun show sales, and providing trigger locks. Poll after poll demonstrates overwhelming support for these measures among the American people. Yet last month he didn't lift a finger to save any of these proposals.
President Bush leads the party that controls both chambers of Congress. If
he truly wants to enact an effective assault weapons ban, he can. If the assault weapons ban dies this September under the President's watch, does he really expect the American people to believe it when he blames Tom DeLay?
NRA spin doctors and the President's advisors think so. But we're betting
that mainstream voters have caught on by now.
###############################################
As they have so often proved, Republicans are better friends when they are out of power than they are when they are in the majority. They want your vote but they don't "dance with those who brung 'em" to power. They want to run things but they just can't pull it off.
4/2/2004
Commentary
by Joshua Horwitz
Putting the best spin on its humiliating loss in the U.S. Senate last month,
the NRA is trumpeting a letter faxed to Senators moments before a final vote on legislation that would have granted the gun industry unprecedented legal immunity. The letter, which some Senators hurriedly read on their PDAs, urged members to vote against the NRA's top legislative priority because it included an amendment that would renew
the federal assault weapons ban, which is set to expire September 13.
The NRA argues that its issuance of the letter, and the bill's subsequent
defeat, proves its olitical might. In reality, the letter was a desperate attempt to kill legislation over which he gun lobby had lost control. It's a familiar tactic for the NRA. Even when the facts are stacked against you, spin like heck and never let them see you sweat.
The gun lobby famously pulled the wool over the public's eyes when it
declared victory in the 2000 elections. The gun lobby lost eight of its 10 target senate races that year, and voters in the pro-gun Western states of Colorado and Oregon overwhelmingly approved ballot initiatives to close the gun show loophole. On top of that, Al Gore scored 500,000 more votes than George W. Bush, and swept the 2000 swing states of Wisconsin,
Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Despite this evidence, the media and policy
makers bought the NRA's victory spin.
But no one should buy it now. In 2000, Forbes Magazine dubbed the NRA the most powerful lobbying firm in America and the organization promised to work out of George W. Bush's Oval Office. In 2002, some Democrats clumsily tried -- and failed -- to establish pro-gun credentials in a foolish bid to curry favor with the NRA.
Despite all of this, and after three years of favorable political terrain, the NRA has failed to live up to its billing.
For months NRA leaders brayed about their overwhelming support for the gun industry immunity bill. Yet the bill never came to a vote in the Senate until March 2 - nearly a year after it had passed the House of Representatives. And when it finally did come to the floor, senators approved three amendments that would renew the federal assault weapons ban, close the gun show loophole, and require trigger locks on all new handguns. The gun show bill got more bipartisan votes last month than it did when it was first considered in 1999, the year of the Columbine tragedy.
Moreover, the assault weapons ban garnered support from 10 Republicans, including traditional conservatives such as Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH) and John Warner (R-VA).
Talk about salt in the NRA's wound.
In December 2003, Congress renewed a ban on the manufacture and sale of undetectable handguns -- despite opposition from the gun lobby. The only victory the gun lobby has had -- a series of small provisions that will, among other things, require the destruction of background check records after just 24 hours -- was only achieved by slipping these provisions into a massive omnibus spending bill. The NRA proudly shines the spotlight of power on itself, but had to resort to legislative sneak attacks in the dark of night to get a win.
So where does all of this leave President Bush? Sadly, it appears the
President is also employing the NRA's "emperor has no clothes" communications strategy.
The President has repeatedly announced his support for sensible gun laws, such as the assault weapons ban, requiring checks on all gun show sales, and providing trigger locks. Poll after poll demonstrates overwhelming support for these measures among the American people. Yet last month he didn't lift a finger to save any of these proposals.
President Bush leads the party that controls both chambers of Congress. If
he truly wants to enact an effective assault weapons ban, he can. If the assault weapons ban dies this September under the President's watch, does he really expect the American people to believe it when he blames Tom DeLay?
NRA spin doctors and the President's advisors think so. But we're betting
that mainstream voters have caught on by now.
###############################################
As they have so often proved, Republicans are better friends when they are out of power than they are when they are in the majority. They want your vote but they don't "dance with those who brung 'em" to power. They want to run things but they just can't pull it off.
Mine will say,"analyze this", HA, HA!
