American Rifleman is the NRA’s flagship publication and (in my opinion) the best of the various publications put out by the nation’s oldest civil rights organization for its membership. The most recent edition asks a bold question: Do you have Trump’s back? When I saw the cover, my first reaction was visceral . . .
“Do we have Trump’s back?” I rhetorically asked the picture of Nixon and Kissinger in the Oval Office that, inexplicably, hangs over the small table where daily mail is deposited in our entryway. “What about ours??!?”
Arguably, the nation’s 110m+ gun owners made the difference for President Trump in a variety of states with very close margins in November: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Florida, for instance. One might say that the debt goes in the direction of Trump to us, and not the reverse.
That said, President Trump’s first acts in office have been generally reassuring.
Neil Gorsuch appears to be a fine jurist dedicated to upholding the law, not inventing it out of whole cloth, and the moves to repeal some of President Obama’s vindictive regulations intended to harass legal gun owners are a breath of fresh air. But there’s still a lot of work to do to secure the future of the Second Amendment for our generation and beyond. Gorsuch hasn’t even been confirmed yet.
On a basic level, it seems as though the NRA is putting the cart before the horse. We as gun owners and activists do not have permanent allies or enemies, but rather we have permanent interests in ensuring that the individual right to keep and bear arms endures. To the extent Donald Trump aligns with those interests, we should stand with him; to the extent he doesn’t, we shouldn’t.
It’s hard to remember that point when every two-bit Democrat in Congress from Nancy Pelosi on down has aligned against us on every firearms issue, using gun owners — incorrigible deplorables that we are — as objects of hate and contempt to rally their base. It’s easy to forget that Democrats like John Dingell stood — and continue to stand — proudly with the NRA, even if their numbers appear to be dwindling thanks to self-selection, and pressure from the monied plutocrats in Silicon Valley and New York City whose cash is vital to any Democrat running for office.
It’s also true that the author of The Art of the Deal has always been less of a “what have you done for me lately” fellow, and more a “what did you do for me in the last two hours” kind of guy.
NRA chiefs LaPierre, Cors, and Cox make that point in no uncertain terms in their own articles in the April issue. There is a culture war going on, and participation is, unfortunately, not voluntary. The left, already fighting against our civil liberties in so many areas, is waging a scorched-earth campaign to bring down the Trump administration, and gun rights will be collateral damage if they can succeed. These are simple facts, obvious to anyone who’s been paying attention lately.
I still had a visceral reaction to the cover, though. Perhaps it’s because the headline is so…presumptuous. Suggesting the NRA was there to serve the Administration. I don’t think that’s the direction that the nation’s oldest civil rights organization is really heading in…but it sure was easy to mentally make that link. And I sure didn’t like that picture.
What’s your take?
Alt-Right or Die. There is no longer a choice.
The NRA is beginning to understand.
No, not everyone wants to pal around with white supremacists and crypto-fascists.
the white supremacists and crypto-facists are actually part of the left. why don’t you take a long look at history. the ones who freed the slaves? the conservatives. the ones who tried to keep them in slavery? the liberals. and who is the most famous fascists? Hitler. what did he support? socialism and communism.
“. . . the white supremacists and crypto-facists are actually part of the left. . .”
Exactly. And well said. It’s more than a little embarrassing to find that so many liberals, who often have university degrees, are some poorly educated that they don’t realize that fascism, a form of socialism, is the “right” wing of the left wing. People who believe in individual liberty and freedom who are market capitalists (which Trump certainly is) are the antithesis of the kind of authoritarian, anti-individual political philosophies espoused by “liberal” progressives. And yet, even as they go about denying people the right to speak and gleefully burning books, liberal snowflakes call conservatives “fascists”. Yeah, right. The NRA has Trump’s back. And so should we.
Yes and no to you both. If you prescribe to the European model of politics your both sort of right. The founders of our nation changed that paradigm quite a bit. Most people will show you a pretty box with a cross or x in the middle. Dividing everyone up into groups. I submit to you all that it’s rather a straight line. On the very left anarchy and on the very right control/totalitarianism. Freedom is best explained as being just out of reach of the trappings of anarchy yet very far from control. Meaning the more laws you write and the more control the government has determines socialism, national socialism, communism and totalitarianism. As such we in the traditional sense are the liberal leftists that believe or should believe that the best system to afford all the different people and different values is one that doesn’t limit via control the choices of an individual. Meaning guns are legal, travel is legal, unpopular opinions are legal, unpopular beliefs are legal. Matter of fact the only thing that is illegal is if you damage or interfere with someone’s pursuit of happiness in their lives and personal effects. The problem is politicians and their useless idiots have slid the scale to the point that the average American commits 3 felonies a day and doesn’t even know it. We are sliding right towards control. Which is what the antifa want more of as well as the politicians in both parties. They all represent that side of the lines left vs right. Neither are left while both are right. The only question being how hard right. Control is human misery and so is anarchy. Holding our nation way left of control but out of reach of anarchy is the only system proven to work for everyone. There’s only one problem it takes a lot of work to keep. It’s hard and nothing comes easy. The rewards are endless and the prosperity is what you make of it. The lazy want control so they can be pampered and cared for. Me personally I’ll take the path of freedom and the sweat of my own back.
Your political spectrum is not quite sophisticated enough. It is common to think of things in a completely linear fashion, but politics is not really susceptible to chaos on one end, and complete control on the other. Rather, the spectrum is more ragged. Total control and socialism/communism occupy the same space. Stalin was a socialist imposing a communistic economic policy. He was also a vicious totalitarian. Hitler was in the same mold, but less efficient than Stalin. I can think of no instance of a free society imposing total control over the populace. Indeed, Athens (the closest thing to a pure democracy) was almost lost to the Persians because the democracy of Athens did not permit forcing people to be armed, and to defend the city. Enter the Spartans, essentially saving Athens, or at least buying time to allow Athens to get organized.
So called right-wing dictatorships would be difficult to sustain because dictatorship inherently requires removal of individual freedom beyond immediate personal or family needs. All the “right-wing” dictatorships are essentially socialistic (or what we would call “left wing”). These conditions might be better identified as Fascist (authoritarian, totalitarian, dictatorial, despotic, autocratic, undemocratic, illiberal), which is a political system. The underlying economic system is unlikely to be free-market.
So, the differentiation is not actually left-right (which is based on a dangerous misunderstanding that a continuum exists), but free or subservient. Within those conditions one might assign left-right factions in either camp. Even the “alt” camps cannot be placed purely “left”, or “right”.
The opposite of anarchy is not total control, but responsible individual freedom.
Actually, everybody who talks left vs right on a line has it all wrong.
The political spectrum is a circle. Liberty is at the top, in the middle. Totalitarianism is at the bottom, in the middle.
If you move far enough left or far enough right, you meet at the bottom, which is why Stalinism and Nazism were both fundamentally the same kind of evil.
Take the politicalcompass.org quiz and post your score.
Here’s mine
https://www.politicalcompass.org/yourpoliticalcompass?ec=3.38&soc=-2.82
Michael, I tried doing that quiz but it has too many statist (and other) assumptions in it, to the point there were questions I couldn’t answer because any answer I consider wrong.
I know what you mean. The test works though because I was able to manipulate my answers in order to score like Stalin.
I much prefer this one:
https://www.libertarianism.com/Quiz?CH=A
Though I don’t remember there being a question about slashing the federal budget from when I used to hand this out.
I scored about the same on that one. The chart is inverted from the Political compass chart in that the Libertarian is at the top with Authoritarian at the bottom. So when I flip it over, my dots line up.
Basically I am a little less free market than Milton Friedman and as anti-authoritarian as Mahatma Gandhi.
Well of course authoritarian goes on the bottom! Authoritarianism requires vast amounts of administratium, which is the densest element known to man!
And of course Libertarian goes at the top.
Gotta get high man!
LOL
About ten years ago the local LP (with myself as chair) had a booth at the country fair. The second day we got a surge of eighteen-year-olds who came asking, “Is this the party of guns and drugs?”
We registered dozens to vote — as Libertarians.
Actually it makes sense to have pure libertarian at the top: the top represents sovereignty, and all sovereignty flows from the individual. Pure libertarian is the purest individual sovereignty, so it belongs at the top. The opposite, pure authoritarian, is actually the denial of sovereignty, and as such belongs at the bottom.
Pure sovereignty is pure anarchy. Which would be fine if every human being on the planet was Jesus Christ.
Conservatives freed the slaves? Wtf man. Abolitionists were definitely the progressives of their day.
Hitler was a “national socialist” and firmly opposed to the communists as well. Nice try. Hitler’s cronies were the alt-right of their day. “Germany First!” “Germany for Germans.” That doesn’t have to mean that the far right of today are necessarily a bunch of evil neo-Nazis.
I really wish there were more educated people among those regularly posting about history in gun groups around the web. You guys make us all look ridiculous!
He supported socialism and communism?
Then why, pray tell, did he attack the Soviets?
And I highly doubt abolitionists were considered the conservatives of their day.
Don’t get it twisted by applying today labels to the past.
Cupcake, don’t get your insults mixed up. We are White Nationalists, not White Supremacists.
We also cant be fascists, since we don’t agree with their economic positions.
Keep trying though.
Explain the difference.
@ JWM I’ll assume you actually want to know…
White Supremacists believe that the white race is superior to all and all races should be subservient.
White Nationalists(ethno nationalists) understand that a nation, like America, is based on a shared culture, religion, language, traditions and to a lesser extent, skin color. Live in peace, in your own lands and leave us in peace to live in ours. They make no claim that they are better or worse than any other race.
America gained its independence, due to Nationalism. Our culture, traditions language and beliefs had diverged far enough from that of the Empire that we wanted to chart our own destiny. The fact that America was 99% white at the time, one could argue because of White Nationalism. America was a nation long before the constitution, (which established the state) or even the declaration of independence.
By the by, if you believe that the State of Israel has a right to exist, then you believe in ethno-nationalism. Racial supremacy is also not a concept reserved only to white folks.
Still scum, no matter what you call yourselves.
Sugarplum, you’re a thinly disguised Nazi.
SM, how do you get a white nation?
As for Israel. They exist. Try to make them not exist. I saw the attempt made in 1973. It did not go well for the other guys.
A marine buddy of mine, a true hillbilly, southern baptist type of guy told me then. “Israel won’t be defeated cause they’re Gods chosen people.” I’m not a church goer. Got no real belief to speak of.
But I saw Gods chosen people handing out an ass whipping.
@JWM-
Most Western Nations were White Nations. America at its founding was indeed a White Nation as observed by John Jay in Federalist Papers #2
“With equal pleasure I have as often taken notice that Providence has been pleased to give this one connected country to one united people — a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion, attached to the same principles of government, very similar in their manners and customs, and who, by their joint counsels, arms, and efforts, fighting side by side throughout a long and bloody war, have nobly established general liberty and independence.”
So the question has never been how to establish a white nation, but rather how should they be maintained.
Nice non answer, SM.
Care to narrow it down a tad? What are you and your like minded fellows going to do to restore a “White Nation” to the US?
Stoney Man, thank you for finally admitting that all races are equal. It is rare that someone in the “alt-right”, whatever that means now, is willing to post online that whites are not superior to any other race.
At least that seems to be what you are saying. After all, you stated very clearly that you were not a white supremacist and that white supremacists believe that whites are superior, and that’s not you. I’m glad we finally have a starting point, that no race is superior to another.
@JWM
Its hardly a non-answer, its the only correct answer. Immigration is and has always been against the best interests of the American Nation or any nation for that matter.
Read this for some context:
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2017-03-31/case-against-immigration?cid=int-lea&pgtype=hpg
But since you seem to be looking for something more concrete, here is what can be done, all of which is constitutional and has already been done in modern history:
1.Institute a complete pause on Immigration.
2.Repeal the 1965 Immigration act.
3.Repatriate anyone here illegally,
4.Revoke and stop the issuance H1 and H2 and student Visas
5.End birth right citizenship.
Better immigration reform:
1. Allow in anyone with a net worth equal to or above the national median.
2. Allow in anyone with a college degree or skilled trade certification.
3. Allow any illegals currently here to stay if they have started a business or are in a skilled job — just fine them $1k for each year they’ve been here.
4. Forget the wall; build a series of fortified installations with fleets of drones to watch the border.
As for birthright citizenship, there are constitutional issues involved, so that has to be approached carefully.
@JWT
You are putting words in my mouth. I said no race is better or worse. I did not say they are equal.
That would be anti-science.
Well you might not be anti Semitic, but you are now being anti semantic.
I suspect there are two different definitions of “equal” in play here.
One of them is Jefferson’s, as in “all men are created equal”, under which all “races” are certainly equal as they are made up of men.
The other could be referred to as genetic, in which case the “races” are not equal any more than any two human beings are, given that our DNA is not identical.
.
.
.
But personally I stick with “One world: the planet earth — One race: the human race — One Redeemer: Jesus the Christ”. On that basis we are most certainly equal.
Stoney Man,
What you typed was that white supremacists believe that whites are superior, and that you are not a white supremacist. So if you don’t believe whites are superior, and now you say that all races are not equal, who is it that you believe whites are inferior to? I’m assuming most of your “alt-right” friends consider you a race traitor for your beliefs, so I applaud you for your bravery in coming out here, but I can’t support your denigration of a whole race. Some of my best friends are white people. Great folks.
Well that didn’t take long. Next post….
I believe JAlan is the newest trolling snowflake of the left. Soros paying you $1/post pixie?
It does not matter what you want, the left will see you, and all they will see is a Nazi, wither you are or not.
A white person who refuses to be displaced by mass immigration, to have is rights voted away by imported hordes of welfare voters is a “Nazi”.
Not agreeing with marxists makes you a “fascist”.
Not wanting to be displaced or out voted in your nation makes you a “white supremacists”.
Understanding that cultures are not equal in potential or achievement makes you a “Nazi”.
Understanding basic science like IQ is connected with Genetics makes you a “Nazi”.
Wanting to invest money in NASA over foreign aid makes you a “Nazi”.
Wanting school vouchers/choice makes you a “fascist”.
See how it works? When you accept that the worst thing in the world is to be a “racist “ (and not to be robbed of your Liberty, Culture, Nation, and the means of protecting them) and that it is of utmost importance for everyone to know you’re not one, you are literally not allowed stopping the Democrats. You can’t say that you’re against what they are doing, You can deny what is going on, You can propose some half-hearted idea for winning over the majority of the Democrats’ new and never ending supply of constituents to the ideals of capitalism and the rule of law (which so far has failed everywhere). The one thing you are “not allowed “ to do is say “No, it is wrong to try and turn whites (and conservative voters of all races and groups) into a minority, and altar the character, culture, and future of America to favor groups that are antithetical to Liberty because they cannot win with the native born of the nation. That is evil and we have to stop this act of treason.”
We must let go of the fear of being labeled a “racist”, a” bigot” or “hate monger”. The moment you lose your fear of being labeled is the moment they lose their power over you.
Racist. Bigot. Hate Monger. Nazi.
You’re not afraid of those labels. I’m not afraid to apply them to you.
To you, anyone who opposes you are those things.
We do not care about being called names by people who have NO arguments.
No, Henry, you and your pond slime ilk are those things. I have plenty of disagreements with respectable people.
@ Rational
So because someone holds a viewpoint that you do not share, you use disparage them and hurl epithets?
Explain to me who is unreasonable and a bigot?
Congratulations for proving rule #3: SJW’s always project.
Go check out your local college campus.
It’s a hive of antisemitism and bigotry.
Poseur, that way lies insanity.
History proves your statement false.
Conservatives are the only poseurs, since the entire Conservative movement is a posture, not a position. If it were a position, then they would have managed to conserve something.
Gray Poseur. Cause you wish with all your heart to make it true, doesn’t mean that it is.
Racism carried out as national policy has never worked well. Except for the tyrants at the top.
You might learn something is you read F.A. Hayek’s “Road To Serfdom”. But then again, perhaps not.
@ Garrison Hall. Read it. Like most economic and social theories, when thrown up against the wall of human nature and observable reality, the shit does not stick.
The same can be said of Keynesian economics, the theory has been applied, tested and failed.
@JWM
Nationalism and Racism are not synonyms.
You can thank Nationalism for the founding of America.
Appreciate the White Nationalist sentiments. Reminded me that firearms aren’t just there to protect you from critters and traditional criminals.
“The same can be said of Keynesian economics, the theory has been applied, tested and failed.”
Since it seems that you are well versed in advanced economic theory, I am sure that you recognize that DJT has the greatest Keynesian instinct of any to occupy the white house since FDR.
I like not being on the inside of the oven. Guns are useful for both stopping communists and fascists both. And I have an AR and M1 for both eventualities.
Spoken like a true fascist.
Spoken like a true sheep.
I don’t know what the fuck the true alt right is, but I’ll take any form of it over the alt left.
Left and right describes monetary freedom. Are you working to enrich yourself or are you working to enrich your comrades?
Fascism isn’t left or right. It’s up or down.
Authoritarianism is fascism whether from the left or right.
Seems the alt right just wants to exert authority against those trying to interlope on our founding beliefs.
Neo Nazis are pretty open in their goals. I don’t see that ideology from those labeled alt right.
Just so I am clear, fascism isn’t left or right. It’s up or down. Except when it is authoritarianism, which is fascism from the left or the right, but also up or down.
Perhaps alt right is diagonal. And alt left is kitty corner. Except when they are parallel to each other. But never on Thursday.
Just so I am clear, fascism isn’t left or right. It’s up or down. Except when it is authoritarianism, which is fascism from the left or the right, but also up or down.
Perhaps alt right is diagonal. And alt left is kitty corner. Except when they are parallel to each other. But never on Thursday.
Was Ghandi a fascist? He was far left. Is Rand Paul a fascist? He’s far right.
You have to understand the authoritarian scale to label someone a fascist.
Dictionary.com says:
fascism
[fash-iz-uh m]
noun
(sometimes initial capital letter)a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.
Don’t see anything about left or right there.
Sounds more like Communism to me. Which would be leftist.
Hitler was right wing…barely. Margaret Thatcher was further right but a little less authoritarian.
Instead of your mockery, let’s hear your definition of a fascist.
“Hitler was right wing…”
Your definition of fascist describes Hitler and Stalin (Stalin was the more effective tyrant and killer). Both identified themselves as socialist. It is fallacy to look at the political spectrum as a linear construct.
The common assumption about left and right does not accommodate someone who is promoting personal liberty, personal responsibility, personal and group charity (devoid of government regulation) and limited government. The entire fraud depends on accepting a “center” that is tolerant of everything, and living in harmony with an altruistic and intrusive government. Thus, on the Right, you have selfish, crude, unenlightened clods. On the Left, you have people more tolerant and insistent on government promoting programs that force people to “do the right thing”. In this day and age, we have Liberals who support liberal doses of government intervention, while Conservatives are those who promote conservation of the rights of sovereign citizens. The classic definitions of both are actually the reverse.
A fascist requires unlimited government intervention in the lives of everyone. All totalitarian states are fascist. All totalitarian governments abhor personal liberty and independence from government. What do you make of a KKK member who promotes white supremacy, white nation, but insists on limits to government interference with the superior race? It is not a logical fallacy to want a society free of all “others” (total egocentricity requiring government intervention to ensure the removal of all but the whites), but with government that does not coerce the segregated society. People of that mind are neither left or right. Actually nobody is. We all want to carve out our own world of situational ethics and benefits, choosing when and where to apply our “principles” based on the convenience of the moment. Are we all Left, or Right? Or a little of each, which cannot fit on a linear scale.
Too much there to address, some I agree with some not, but I’ll tackle this passage in the middle.
“What do you make of a KKK member who promotes white supremacy, white nation, but insists on limits to government interference with the superior race? ”
As long as the KKK doesn’t lynch the opposition, I have to let them be.
If they come to string up my black neighbors, I’ll kill every one of those mother fuckers.
“As long as the KKK doesn’t lynch the opposition, I have to let them be.
If they come to string up my black neighbors, I’ll kill every one of those mother fuckers.”
My point was that a KKK occupying a break-away, stand alone nation (theoretical) of whites-only (no non-whites allowed anywhere) would need government intervention (of their own) to make the break-away nation all white. That would be considered left-wing because of dependence on government to establish the separatist nation. After all non-whites are removed (not killed), that KKK nation then becomes a populace demanding limited government, balanced budget, all that. Such would make them right-wing. Same people, different stances at different times. Thus, such a people would not fit conveniently on a linear spectrum. Hence, the idea of a flat curve of political progress (in either direction) is useless. In short, a complicated, messy collection of political ideas does not fit into an idea of neat, progressive movement left or right of an imaginary reasonable “center” is not informative. That idea was fine for teaching some very rudimentary concepts to grade-schoolers, but unsuitable for serious adult analysis of politics.
Left vs, right describes collectivism vs capitalism, not how much or how little the government controls the populous.
Speed limits, DUI checkpoints, and seat belt laws are neither right or left but they are authoritarian. How about prohibition? Civil rights legislation was pushed from the right.
I think the confusion comes from the fact that capitalism works best the freer the market and colectivism can’t even get off the ground without government force. So the assumption is that big government is leftist and limited government is right wing.
It’s not the size of government that makes it left or right. It’s what the government does with its power that determines right or left.
So, using the KKK example, I don’t think rise to national power changes the ideology from right to left or vise versa.
Where does a totally socialist nation that allows completely free markets fit on the commonly apprehended spectrum? Government can let markets run free, but heavily, and equally, tax the profits. Even market conditions of a country do not lie conveniently on a linear plane.
Heavily taxed profits doesn’t sound like a free market to me.
That is the Socialist way though.
The leftist will either tax profits grotesquely high to fund government, socialist, or the government will outright own the corporations, communist.
I’m over simplifying it of course. That’s the point. It’s a basic understanding of the left-right, authoritarian-libertarian (up-down) relationships.
I’m just tired of the word “fascist” being thrown around when people complain about right wing values. What’s the word for left wing fascists? :The left wing projects fascism.
Nazis were horrible. But when they came to power, they were defeated by war.
Comunists head many States to this day and they have amassed many more horrors than one political wing of one country.
A socialist is a philanthropist. A socialist in power is a death warrant.
A heads up that you have zero credibility when you follow the phrase “Nazis were horrible.” with “But.”
“A heads up that you have zero credibility when you follow the phrase “Nazis were horrible.” with “But.” ”
Would same apply if someone writes, “Nazis were horrible, BUT, Stalin was the worst of all.” ?
You lose all credibility when you have to take statements out of context to make a point.
I think the conjunction that you are looking for is “and.”
There’s a good reason to use “but”.
The point is that leftists don’t take responsibility for atrocities that the ideology leads to, BUT…they call all right wingers Nazis.
Since there’s some nitpicking over conjunctions here…
The proper one for a statement moving from a bad thing to a worse thing is “yet”, e.g. my dad’s BBQ turns out edible, yet my uncle’s isn’t fit for the dog. “Yet”, in contrast to “and” or “but”, indicates a progression; the other two merely set statements side by side.
Noted
TTAG…The Truth About Grammar
Two words, Supreme Court. Until it is safely in the hands of originalist judges we cannot rest. We must keep Trump front and center.
SCOTUS isn’t enough, we need to weed the progressive commies out of all the federal courts. That’s going to take a few decades though.
Yes, and No. While it is true that President Trump should begin appointing strict originalists to the lower courts he must first get SCOTUS back on the rails. The lower courts may still send stupid decisions up the chain, SCOTUS can and should overturn them, most without comment. (See 4th and 9th Circuit) Once the lower courts see this they will stop punting on the issues. Maybe. I suspect that the traitorous plaintiffs will try to overwhelm the system hoping that a favorable, for them, ruling will slip into the books. We shall see.
SCOTUS doesn’t have time to overturn every stupid, unconstitutional decision the lower courts make (what, like you expect them to work 40 hours a week?!?). What’s more, not every victim of their decisions have the means to pursue the case all the way to the SCOTUS.
“The lower courts may still send stupid decisions up the chain, SCOTUS can and should overturn them, most without comment.”
To borrow from the late, lamented Uncle Joe: “How many divisions does the Supreme Court have?
Lower courts are ignoring Heller and McDonald routinely. SC has no enforcement tool against rogue federal courts.
Not if we all start truly start using the second amendment the way it was intended. Could be done it a week or two.
Plant your flag. Rally your troops. Lead us to victory.
Or bitch and complain on the interwebz. Your choice.
AND the executive branch. The Bushes never “purged” the Clintonistias and now their RINOs and 8yrs of Obumers pinkos. The swamp is VAST.
In a word, “Yes.” In more words, Trump is the POTUS, he is a better choice for gun rights than Hilary, or any other candidate for that matter…but he has also been making questionable decisions and actions.
The Democratic Party has openly declared gun owners – ALL of us – their enemies. It is now part of their platform.
Until we get a better choice, we have no other choice than to support President Trump.
And if we support hm, there is no sense doing it half-way – we either do or we don’t.
Gorsuch only brings the Court back essentially as it was.
We need Ginsberg and/or Kennedy to get hit by a meteor or retire. Which I’m sure they would have done had Cankles won the election. Now we test the “lifetime appointment” timeline.
The NRA is about politics and raising money.
They still have that fiscal conservative yet social liberal Norquist on the board. I allowed my membership to expire a few years ago because whatever Imam Obama Executive ordered, or if Cankles had won, wouldn’t change my mind or position on my firearms:
You can’t have them
I’m not registering a damn thing
And f yourself
Perhaps behind the scenes the NRA is pushing for the Hearing Protection Act, and National Reciprocity, seeing how I was duped by TTAG yesterday on the former.
Thanks for that :-p
‘We need Ginsberg and/or Kennedy to get hit by a meteor or retire.’
Hopefully Justice Roberts is in the room when that meteorite hits.
While I would love to kick John “The ACA is a tax and therefore Constitutional” Roberts so hard his momma would feel it, he is less than half the problem Kagan and Sotomayor are.
Ginsburg has been saying things over the last several months that make me believe she is going senile. How do we go about removing a judge who has started going senile? The Democrats are going to want her to remain on the court even though she is well past her expiration date. Since we put Trump in and avoided the Hildabeast she won’t voluntarily retire, whether she sits the bench in Depends or not. No, Ginsburg won’t go until she actually has to be carried out feet first.
Trump is good for gun owners if and only if he’s able to follow through on his statements of support. The Gorsuch nomination is a good start. If one of Kennedy, Ginsburg, or Breyer leaves the Court and is replaced by someone of Gorsuch’s caliber, that would be fantastic.
Otherwise, he’s got almost his whole term ahead of him, whether that’s four or eight years. Let’s see some real wins for gun rights.
Kennedy has been making noises that if he’s convinced the Court is in safe hands after Scalia is replaced, he will retire.
That sounds like this fall an announcement may be made.
And *then*, we will see the Left go apeshit like they have never gone bat-crap crazy before when we ‘Nuke Option’ someone like Diane Sykes to fill his seat.
Well, at least until one of the elderly Prog. Justices kicks off. Then I predict whack-job Progressives will start assassinating our tribe…
*snicker*
Yes and here is the deal – Trump better pay off or we’re bleeped.
Here is how:
1. Gorsuch and subsequent appointments to ALL Federal Courts
2. BATF appointment to stop the B.S. they constantly pull
3. Interstate Reciprocity
4. Hearing Protection Act
5. End gun free zones where ever possible through reversing executive orders, and don’t wait to re-election time.
Feel free to add more points
He cannot reverse gun free zones defined under state laws. Nor can he do so with those under federal law, such as post offices or federal courts. The best he can do is eliminate a sliver of places which are gun free by executive branch policy, but not by federal law. That leaves what? Possibly military bases, though not the buildings on the bases. Big deal, doesn’t affect more than a tiny fraction of a fraction of the population.
There several Federal gun free zones that can be dealt with administratively.
EVERY little bit helps. The overall attitude toward self defense moves liberty and safety forward.
Illinois now has shall issue.
14 states now have permitless carry. Who imagined it?
College campus carry is beginning to spread.
P.S. A division of the US Attorneys Office that sues government that deny civil rights would be nice!
“He cannot reverse gun free zones defined under state laws.”
States most certainly can be dealt with via the Executive Branch. I don’t like the policy of doing it but it can be done.
The answer is simple. Trump directs the Department of Education to attach funding strings to state GFZ’s. That is to say “If you get federal funding we cut it by X% if you continue to have these GFZ’s that we don’t like”. The states, which are heavily dependent on federal dollars in most cases due to the way their budget has been structured for years, will generally fall into line because they quite literally can’t afford not to. Some won’t right away but most will and over a long enough time frame they all will.
That’s exactly how the federal DOT managed to get all states to have speed limits, that’s how the Trump administration is going after “sanctuary cities”, it’s how fedgov has control over state education and it’s how the ACA managed to get all the various state insurance boards to get in line in just a few years. The list goes on for much further than I’d like to think about but it’s there nonetheless.
Granted, it’s not a “direct action” by the Executive Branch, but it’s a hard shove from them that the states would have trouble ignoring.
Who makes the decision, I don’t know the system all that well, but I would freaking LOVE to see the 9th circuit split into 2 courts, giving Trump the ability to appoint about 20 or more conservative justices between them, and shut down that liberal craziness. Their rulings are simply outrageous, most all the time, and they seem to take pride in being reversed, since they have had their way for 5-10 years before it happens. Given the increasing workload due to population increase, such a move should be justifiable.
It’s in federal statute, specifically right now 28 U.S. Code § 41. It would be up to Congress to draft and pass a revision of the structure of the Court of Appeals. If they wanted to, they could have 15 or 20 circuits, or create another layer between the current courts and the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the only court mentioned in the Constitution; all other courts are established by legislation and can be easily modified, added, or deleted that way.
I’m not too worried about what Thedonald will do pertaining to 2nd Amendment rights, and Gorsuch seems like a really solid choice for SCOTUS. On everything else I don’t trust him one bit. He flubbed the Obamacare repeal (although the Republican leadership is equally to blame) and tried to shift the blame on the conservatives (for not accepting Obamacare Lite). I doubt his efforts at tax ‘reform’ will be any more productive. But the NRA is not a ‘conservative’ organization and I think he’s solid on the agenda they’re pushing, so no, they’re not going too far as long as they hold his feet to the fire if he wanders astray.
“He flubbed the Obamacare repeal”
The entire party and their insistence on savaging Planned Parenthood are likely to cost him (and them) reelection. Do we not realize, if the effort is successful, they could change their name in 2 weeks and make the entire effort into instant nonsense? The way Trump presented his desires, that was the entire purpose of his idea of health care reform, or damn close to it, and that is just stupid. Essentially all the rest of a really f-ed up program (Osamacare) was left f-ed up, no wonder it got no support. And continuing claims that “we were really close, we almost made it” are so clearly BS that it’s insulting, they never got close, despite Ryan “guaranteeing” passage a few weeks earlier. Drop the jihad on Planned Parenthood, then invite input from Dems, reach a compromise and move on. No Dem will play until the jihad is gone, nor should they. And no health care plan which is not bipartisan will survive, if we chase back and forth for 100 years.
Oh, and if Dems still won’t play (they are pretty much jerks), then repeal as of 1 Sep, giving months to work on a bipartisan bill if Dems still wish to have a program at all.
So not forcing taxpayers to hand over their hard earned cash against their will to a private organization that specializes in killing human babies is a ‘jihad’ now?
Abortions represent 3 percent of total services provided by Planned Parenthood. The group does receive federal funding, but the money cannot be used for abortions by law.
Ad, are you really that gullible?!? If that stat were true, all they’d have to do is split the enterprise in two, an abortion only organization and a health clinic, but they can’t because PP breaks down each and every abortion into something like a dozen ‘procedures’ like sonogram, prenatal consultation, etc. so they can make that claim. No, the taxpayer money doesn’t technically pay for the ‘abortion’, just 96% of the overall cost of the procedure. Outside of performing abortions they do almost nothing, well abortion and the selling of baby parts for profit which is illegal, but somehow it’s the people who exposed that who are getting prosecuted for journalism. They don’t do cancer screenings either, if you’re really lucky they’ll actually be able to refer you to a clinic that does. That one was exposed as well.
They do a lot more than “sell baby parts.” LOL. Contraception and sex ed combined are the majority of their budget. STD screening is the single biggest thing they do.
Sure, that and they murdered 324,000 people in 2014. You know, Hitler did some great things too, like the Autobahn and Volkswagen.
Sure, that and they murdered 324,000 people in 2014. You know, Hitler did some great things too, like the Autobahn and Volkswagen.
Another deleted message back from the dead.
Trump believes in nothing. Our gun rights are just a temporary expedient for him to make money. When the time is right you will come for our guns. Yes I am very disappointed that the NRA goes so far to support a man who has not and maybe can not read the constitution of the United States. That’s the document and the idea that we have our gun rights to protect. And Trump is the enemy of that Constitution.
‘…a man who has not and maybe can not read the constitution of the United States.’
Interesting concept here, but perhaps instead of just swearing in the POTUS with the oath to protect and preserve the Constitution of the United States of America, we should first make him/her read said constitution out loud in public in it’s entirety including all 27 of it’s amendments. And then if he violates that oath he should be tried and hung by the neck until death for treason.
He wouldn’t get past the preamble before most “Conservatives” would start pissing and moaning.
That whole Ourselves and Our Posterity thing tends to separate the men from the moderates real quick.
A lot of people take that oath, Guv, I could consider that hanging for circuit court judges whose rulings are reversed by SCOTUS on constitutional grounds. Or legislators whose laws were rejected, likewise.
Care to back that up with some kind of evidence to his violation of the Constitution?
Or even give a clue as to WTF you’re referring to?
YES. The dude is a means to an end, and has been super wishy-washy on gun rights in the past. He is not our champion, and probably never will be. The NRA needs to stop bowing down to him and start demanding he sign the EOs we need to fix the import ban idiocy that has happened over the past 15 years.
15?
More like 28 years.
You forgot the 90’s under the Clintonistas where most of the damage was done.
In my opinion, yes. The NRA shouldn’t be working for the president. It should be making him work for us. Until Trump keeps all his promises, the NRA should keep pressuring him and calling him out. If not, then what good are they?
Agreed. We are his constituents not the other way around.
POTUS and Congress need to deliver or they will lose support. Every vote is still needed in 2017 governor’s races, in the 2018 mid-term elections for Congress, and, of course, in 2020.
They need to get the message: we’re not afraid of the Democrats’ empty threat of a filibuster. Call them on it. Let the Democrats try to filibuster the Supreme Court nominee, repeal of Obamacare, firearms rights and the looming budget / funding crisis (current measure expires 4/28/17, so 26 days) all at the same time. Then the government shutdown will be on them. Let’s see how happy the Democrat voters are without government “services” to them.
No not completely. I voted for Donnie but he was the only choice. Making enemies with conservatives does engender confidence in me. It certainly wasn’t just 2A folks who put Trump over the top-Evangelical Christians did the heavy lifting. And the NRA also touted Rino Romney back in 2012. Gorsuch is a great start…
Evangelicals did not do the heavy lifting.
Formerly White middle class Americans and predominantly white females from blue states broke ranks to vote Republican for the fist time.
They were tired of seeing their jobs, their taxes and their daughters virginity being stolen by 3rd worlders and welfare recipients.
Evangelicals sure as hell did do the heavy lifting. Had they not supported him in droves in the South, he never would have won the nomination. Now, people can debate the wisdom and intellectual honesty of evangelicals having supported a womanizing, morally bankrupt flimflam man for the nomination; but the fact that they did and their support was pivotal is simply a matter of historical record at this point.
Still bitter your Canadian/Cuban fake American lost I see.
I do get wistful some days about what a Cruz administration would be working on now… Ah, well.
During the primaries, the wife and I came up with a drinking game. Every time Gretta Van Suusteren said “evangelicose” we had to take a shot.
We woke up one day and found Trump in the Whitehouse and Tucker Carlson kicking Liberal ass.
Not quite.
Women supported Clinton over Trump by 54% to 42%. This is inline with female support of Obama over Romney and Obama over McCain. And in fact, DJT actually GAINED middle class voters over McCain and Romney. The big story was in education level. HRC improved on Obama among college graduates and 2/3 non college educated whites voted DJT. The gap in education level b/w dems and repubs is unprecedented in modern election history.
As it relates to welfare, the redder the county, the more likely it is to have high concentration of its residents on disability and/or drug rehab. The reddest counties in the south have >1/4 residents on permanent disability. This is the new welfare. Mental health, chronic fatigue, drug addiction are the greatest share of new disability. And it has exploded since the recession as a result of layoffs and cancellation of health insurance. Rather than go back to work, people go on permanent disability. And the numbers are staggering: There are 15 million Americans on permanent disability at a cost greater than the cost of food stamps, public housing, and welfare combined. >85% are white and they live in counties that voted overwhelmingly DJT.
So, to put it charitably: are you a dumb, lazy, pain killer addicted cracker? Chances are, you voted for trump.
Not quite.
Non college “educated” does not equal dumb.
Educated equals indoctrinated.
Fair enough. Also, I do not mean to be dismissive of those with addiction issues. I was being facetious, since I think the label quite accurately describes Stoney.
“Education equals indoctrination..” With all due respect, I am going to guess that you are not college educated…..
I’m more than good with the NRA to continue to back President Trump. I think what needs to happen is us to pressure the Repulicans to start acting like a winning team instead of acting like a bunch of toddlers. If the Republicans could fight fire with fire, and pass the major legislation then they can work on the gun stuff.
Them not doing anything about the gun sit in even though they were in power seems to indicate they have lost their balls, doesn’t it?
Time to go from campaign promises to concrete actions. I know that it is easy to promise as a candidate and another to deliver as an office holder. That’s why as individuals and organizations, we need to stay engaged on local and national level and keep pushing for our rights.
Hillary is ancient history. Backing Trump, today, because he’s not Hillary, makes about as much sense as backing McCain because he’s not Obama. Completely and utterly irrelevant.
Trump is Trump. He’s on the side he’s always been on: his own. Where that happens to overlap with our interests, hey that’s great, but don’t expect that to be the case. We must keep the pressure upon on Trump and never assume that he’ll do the right thing. Think of the scorpion and the frog parable.
Taking Trump’s support for granted is exactly the mistake Trump himself is making in his taking our support for granted. The proof? That megalomaniac has just identified his top enemy as who? Why, the Freedom Caucus! By his own admission, he “must fight them.” Well.
You aren’t going to find a more sober minded set of honest conservatives and natural allies of our interests than the fellows who comprise that collection of patriots. Yet, Trump is waging a battle against them for no other reason than he refuses to abide by his own campaign promise to repeal and replace of Obamacare.
So Trump makes campaign promises, then he not only fails to follow through, but actually works to undermine efforts to bring his own promises to fruition. Then he declares as his enemies those who took him seriously and attempted to implement the agenda that he campaigned on. Huh, curious that.
Now, substitute the issue of Obamacare with anything Second Amendment-related, and it becomes abundantly clear that this guy is not our guy. He’s at best an expedient. This isn’t a great man leading a national movement. This is a marriage of convenience (just like his last three wives, by the way). Trump will turn on any constituency without warning, without hesitation, and certainly without compunction, the instant we cross him or our interests diverge. Believe it. Watch it happen.
I can’t stand John Warmonger McCain. I’m glad to say I didn’t vote for the guy.
Hillary’s over, huh? Haven’t noticed she has been reinvented and has opened the campaign for 2020 already? I give her a really good shot at a replay of Clinton/Trump contest, but this time without the entire government backing her in both legal and illegal ways.
“Hillary’s over, huh? Haven’t noticed she has been reinvented and has opened the campaign for 2020 already?”
Have you seen this?:
“Bill Maher: “Hillary, Stay In The Woods. You Had Your Shot. You F**ked It Up”
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-04-01/bill-maher-hillary-stay-woods-you-had-your-shot-you-fked-it
Anyway, that’s small potatoes compared to this little gem Trump is going to drop on China next week:
” Trump To Tell Xi: “If China Is Not Going To Solve North Korea, We Will”
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-04-02/trump-tell-xi-%E2%80%9Cif-china-not-going-solve-north-korea-we-will
We may be closer to living in the proverbial “interesting times” than we realize, since fat-boy Kim will likely nuke or chem attack Japanese military bases hosting US forces if he thinks he’s soon to exit the “middle kingdom”…
Although I am not happy with the health care bill or the lack of progress on gun rights, I am extremely pleased with President Trump’s foreign policy and trade plans to date. Multilateralism was always a bad idea when you are in the power seat.
Well said!
The Freedom Caucus is nothing more then Neo Cons, corporatists, open border, mass immigration loving, take a big game during the election but throw my base under the bus the first chance I get cucks.
They are the enemy, time to machine gun them.
Jonathon-Houston, you stated my thoughts as well as I could have!
They made the smart choice with endorsing the candidate most likely to beat Hillary. But Trump isn’t a true 2A supporter so they can tone it down a bit.
I consider Trump a bipartisan, but that gives no party to run for. Given the rest of the field, I suspect he could have won running as a Dem, as well.
Here’s the deal.
Relationships take maintenance. Dwell on that for more than a fraction of a second. The NRA wants to keep Trump aligned on their side. They do not want to view Trump objectively but rather as a committed partner. Being a committed partner has benefits.
If people on the right act as though they are fickle, bar hopping bachelors, they will not receive the advantages that the committed receive.
“To the extent Donald Trump aligns with those interests, we should stand with him; to the extent he doesn’t, we shouldn’t.” Exactly. Gun owners and the NRA’s $20 million in campaign contributions put Trump in Office. He works for us. Politicians no longer work for all the people, they only care about their base. Trump should be trying to make gun owners happy if he wants to get reelected.
I carry both a Libertarian party and NRA membership card. That said I wasn’t especially thrilled with the cover of American Rifleman’s last issue. The Republicans (as a whole) while certainly more supportive of the 2A than Democrats (as a whole) would never entertain the idea of completely repealing the 1934 NFA or even just the Hughes amendment. I believe Libertarians would. Not to mention a slew of other issues I lean Libertarian on like drug policy and the budget. In the end I will end up being pleased but probably not satisfied with anything Trump accomplishes for the 2A in the next 4 years.
What Libertarian party are you supporting? It cannot be the one who put up a staunch anti gun rights candidate for VP, just last year!
Libertarians=Democrats living in Red states who lack the courage to actually own their politics.
You’ve spouted off with thinly veiled racist shit, Alex Jones level bizarre shit, and some otherwise retarded fucking nonsense so far in this thread… However this comment takes the cake for most ignorant thing said in the entirety of this comment section.
Did pwrserge change his name or is this a new stupid?
That ain’t Serge.
Our resident Cossack has no problems fully owning his own sh!t…
@ Matt Richardson
The fact that you take offense at being called a Libertarian, and have a Nyberg avatar just shows what a clueless rube you are.
LOL
Stoney, if you change that to “Republicans” and “blue states” you have the definition most common on a couple of boards I frequent.
Which merely demonstrates that neither you nor they understand what a libertarian is.
Well seeing how they will NEVER get elected to an office the point is moot.
Also a world view that sees humans as interchangable cogs and supports open borders/mass immigration will be replaced in short order.
No and we need to quit bending over and letting the antis f—– us and and we just say thank you. The time for being nice and polite is over. We tried it and it didn’t work. We need to be heard loud and strong.
What a wonderful dynamic we’re apparently in now. Its not that the politicians have our back so we have theirs, it’s apparently some cult of personality where they come first and only after receiving the proper admiration and support do their loyal subjects reap the benefits.
inb4 it was always that way
The zealots are going to crucify you… Put your uniform on and get in line or one of your neighbors will have to close the oven door on you
That’s a great way to reinforce my decision to not join the NRA. Advocating for gun rights and supporting the Orange menace shouldn’t go hand in hand.
Cover headline looks kinda like something Trump would tweet.
Ill let you all know how I feel about Trump and the NRAs love affair with him in 18-24 months. So far I have no feelings nor love for either one. Nor do I expect any real change to come any time soon on the Federal level. Yeah Trump can sign and order or 2 to undo some of Obslamas damages. Trump could have on day one without using any political coinage. Brought back our M1As and 1911s from Korea. Along with ammo imports. WTF is he waiting for??
If reciprocity isnt passed and soon. I have to say that it wont change my life one bit if passed or not, But for the general good. Id like to see the ATF and big fires put in their place. Back behind a desk. In a locked office. I dont see any of much changing any time soon. Too say I have faith in Trumps ability to do anything besides in the Courts which is obviously very important. Is to say I dont have much faith he can keep his promises. saying so and so while campaigning is one thing. The reallity of Washingtons bull shit is another to deal with. I have a feeling the swamp is going to win in the long run. You cant change the nature of a beast overnight.
Hard to comment fully when I haven’t read the article myself, but I will say the attacks on this president are without parallel in modern history. The left is trying to stop Trump by any means necessary, see Schumer’s call for a filibuster on a candidate who, if fair was fair, would sail through his confirmation.
If you support much (or even all) of the Trump agenda, then yes, the thing you can do as a citizen is “have his back,” and let the White House and members of congress know it with a polite phone call or email.
However #1 – the AR headline smacks of cult of personality. “Do You Have Freedom’s Back” would have been a better headline.
However #2 – we must also let the President know when we disagree with him, his recent push for a very flawed healthcare bill, another useless stimulus, as well as his inexplicable and damaging attacks on the Freedom Caucus as examples.
The way our country is supposed to work is that we run it and those in “power” do our bidding. Our emails and phone calls are the lever we can use to shift policy outside of election season.
Use it.
Trump is going to play you all like a violin and it is sad most cannot even see it coming. Only great thing you’ll have to say in 4 years “well at least it was not Hillary”. Trump, the Dems, the “libertarian”, we are F-ed no matter what, and the NRA is all about the NRA, they’ll take a leak on you all if they need to.
Drain the swamp!!!!! But before we do it, let me put my daughter in the WH. Oh yeah build the wall too, 1 billion Dollars for….62 miles, what a bunch of geniuses! Pedro and Joselito will dig under it with less than $1,000 worth of tools lol.
He pledged to drain the swamp, but his cabinet is dredgings right out of the bottom — all picks who will help Trump make his fortune larger.
Just sent in my FREE NRA me g
Membership(thanks TAURUS)…so I guess I have a say?
Maybe it’s just me, but it sure seems that somebody is very sad that the Crusty Old B!tch lost.
Even in general, I don’t like to see ‘our side’ tied any more than we can help to a single party or elected individual. It’s not that I like the modern positions of the Dems, Pelosi, Schumer, Bloomberg, and the rest revolt me. But pendulums swing, and if you’ve tied yourself too blindly and exclusively to one and only one spot, the swinging pendulum can be extra likely to cut.
I don’t trust DT for anything, ’cause I’ve been seeing his antics since the early 80s; I used to live near his epicenter of aggrandeur. The man has nothing resembling core values. I do not have confidence that he really believes or is invested in ‘our’ concerns. And I think he may bungle a lot of things, and then the blowback will follow from the public in general, and we’ll have tied our lot, more exclusively than we needed to, to a laughingstock, and be painted with the same brush of discredit. But I hope I am proven wrong.
The king is dead, long live the king.
*dusts off poli sci hat*
While I understand the author’s position I can’t get mad at the NRA for this.
Look the Democrats lost a battle they thought they had in the bag but that’s not what really chaps their ass.
What really chafes for them is the fact that they were on the 1 yard line of getting everything they want; which is to say changing things in ways that mean national level elections would be almost impossible to them to lose for decades a la Mexico where the National Revolutionary Party/Party of the Mexican Revolution/Institutional Revolutionary Party held unbroken power from 1934 until 2000. That’s what they wanted, that’s what they were working for and that’s what they made a 99 yard march down the field for only to be stopped at the goal line by a guy they thought was a joke.
That has resulted in bitter infighting in D.C. where the Democrats have basically lost their collective minds. Did Russia play some part in our elections? Maybe, I’d hardly be surprised if they did since they’ve meddled in one way or another with our elections for 40 years and to some extent we’ve done the same to them. However, the notion that they “installed” DJT in the White House and he’s their puppet is so far out in left field that’s it’s plainly laughable. At absolute worst the Russians hacked the DNC and aired the dirty laundry that they found. The DNC isn’t ticked that this happened, they’re mad because they got caught and it hurt them. Just look at all the shenanigans that they were involved in. Are we talking about that? About Donna Brazille helping HRC flat out cheat in a debate? Are we talking about some of the things Podesta did? What about the information that would indicate that David Brock somehow gained access to government intelligence agency level spy tools and attempted to use them to try to change the way things were going on the internet by doxxing and threatening Trump supporters online?
No, we’re talking about Russia and wiretapping and if Trump hates Blacks and the LGBTQ community because that’s the deflection away from the fact that the DNC, as an organization, is corrupt and gives no shits about it’s own constituents and possibly/probably the law.
So to some extent, I would say the POTUS needs a certain level of support because the current goings-on in DC are designed by the Left to throw BS at the wall. They know the likelihood that any of it sticks is near 0% but that’s not the point; the point is to force Trump to burn political capital dealing with this nonsense and thereby slow or stop his agenda as much as possible. It’s plain to see that they hate him and will say quite literally anything about the guy. It’s also plain to see that most of the media is decidedly anti-Trump. These people are more than willing to run front page stories all day long about “scandals” that they invent, then print a page 27 retraction later and then rinse and repeat so that they can claim “Most scandal ridden President EVAH!!! (Vote Democrat!)” next time around.
Now, what does that mean for those of us in the 2A crowd? Well, as I’ve said here before, we’re not priority number one and never have been. There are bigger fish to fry and they’ll get the pan first. If Trump blows everything trying to get those things done, guess what we’ll get? Basically nothing. The same is true if Congress continues to dick around with things like RyanCare and fail at them. All that political capital will be spent on getting nothing done and we’ll get effectively nothing.
*Stands and applauds* You said it better than I could have.
The only difference is the GOP is being taken back by Nationalists while the DNC is losing control over itself by Marxists trying to out do each other..
Strych,
GET OUT OF MY HEAD.
Well done. This should be a featured post or something. TRULY heightening the discourse here!
Your last part is what forced me to write though. We AREN’T the big fish to fry, and we’re NOT coming first. But as you said, if Republicans burn all their political capital passing- or even worse, NOT passing divisive things, then we’re SCREWED. What the hell are we supposed to do? Sit here like good little soldiers and watch as Republicans squander the opportunity we’ve given them, and watch our ONE chance for gun rights to evaporate? I’m specifically worried that trying to pass things republicans DON’T agree on, like Healthcare (repeal? replace? with what?) or tax reform by definition create powerful institutional/business enemies AND have fractured party support, so they cause us to run out of oxygen and DIE.
How divisive ARE gun rights in the grand scheme of things? They make proggies MAD, make Feinstein MAD, make Bloomberg MAD- but they don’t make millions fear their healthcare gets cutoff, and while bloomberg is rich, he isn’t Aetna, or UnitedHealth, or AMA, or Exxon, or Apple, or any of these HUGE companies where BILLIONS or even their ENTIRE MARKET is on the table, so they will spend every last red cent if necessary.
All I can see is Republicans walking into a woodchipper, and us sitting back and waiting for our time while we watch Murkowski, Collins, etc. get split from us while democrats continue a narrative of a do-nothing, failed, lame-duck presidency that can’t get anything done, sells out all its promises, etc. Trump KNOWS the American public- they like sizzle, sizzle STEAK- and we’ve had sizzle, sizzle, but no steak- and if we continue to get no steak, we lose the media war with a deck already stacked against us. Seriously, we need wins. Gorsuch is a good win- but not one that congress/MOST of the public cares that much about.
“What the hell are we supposed to do? Sit here like good little soldiers and watch as Republicans squander the opportunity we’ve given them…”
Indeed, that is the case. We should expect to hear by August that the Repubs can’t do anything without a super majority in the Senate (unless they upend all the rules, and remove the “cloture” requirement. The 60 vote rule is not Gospel, not delivered from on high on stone tablets. The original “rule” for ending debate was to “move the question”, calling for immediate vote (requiring a simple majority to end debate). The rule for ending debate changed several times over our history.
Interestingly, there is another rule available, which receives little attention. It is the rule that can be invoked to limit senators to only two speeches on a subject “within a single “legislative day”. The length of the legislative day is determined by the Senate Majority Leader. The Majority Leader could declare every senator may debate for ten minutes, twice. Such would extend over numerous calendar days until every senator speaks twice. Using this rule would preserve the 60 vote cloture rule for SC appointments, but would result in likely holding Gorsuch off the bench until the Fall session.
Of course, the Majority Leader can hold a vote to remove the filibuster (Dutch word meaning “Pirate”) entirely, for every piece of legislation. Reverting to simple majority for everything would require invoking the “Reid rule”, which allows a simple majority to change Senate rules of choice. The “Reid rule” is the real “nuclear” option. Notwithstanding, Senate rules can be changed by the next majority. Thus, when the Demoncrats take power again, they can re-install the 60 vote rule for whatever they choose.
It seems to me that far to many people think that the government needs to give us our freedoms. Freedom is up to the people to retain. Never rely on the government or the politicians who control it. Remember the that men started this nation didn’t ask for their freedom they fought for it. Stop whining and fighting among each other and start thinking about what is really important for yourself and your families. The government will never fix the problems they create because it will mean they are no longer needed. Grow up get your head right before it’s to late for all of us.The only plan the people in power have is to keep us fighting among ourselves while they slowly screw us all we have. The Tree of Liberty Must be Fertilized with The Blood of Tyrants and Patriots from Time to Time.
I have President Trumps back… so far.
Whatever else he may or may not be, Trump is a transactional SOB and proud of it. The NRA should make it very clear that support is conditional on results – or expect to have our interests traded away when he cuts a better deal with someone else.
OR WHAT? You’ll throw your support behind Senator Upchuck Schemer or Witch Nancy???
Trump’s the one who’s talked about work with Democrats if he can’t get what he wants from conservatives. What would he be willing to trade away to get the tax cuts he wants, or to get funding for the wall? I’m not at all confident that we couldn’t become a bargaining chip if the prize is worth it to him.
Blind worship of a party or a person is never a good thing… The question should be, “does Trump have our back?” We support him when he supports our principles and challenge him when he doesn’t… This cover (I hope it’s an April fool’s joke) just proves that the NRA is simply a PAC for the Republican Party with a main focus on lining their own pockets. They have become the “union” of the firearms industry. Corrupt and more focused on their own power than actually furthering firearms rights.
Thanks Mr Bloomberg
The problem with the Libertarians is that failed Republicans go over to sit with them. We should nominate Real Libertarians, not failed politicans of another bent.
Maybe politicans that have gone into the private sector and came over to the Libertarian side. While as a Libertarian, I do not support all they say. I like our borders and would like to make them stronger. But Capitalism by decree(friends of politicans being able to freeze competiten out with thier help) is not capitalism.
Selling business licenses to homeowners so they can make a product in thier garage( the hell with the neighbors) delivery trucks at all hours and screaming tools into bedtime hours is not a business.
Limiting of peddler’s licenses’ to a few on the boardwalk is not right either. Most anti peddlers’ license laws are there to protect the stores and shops in a well visited area. If someone can’t get a start in business without having $150k to startup means poverty for would be entrepeneurs.
No White Nationalist can be a Christian — the two are contradictory. Under the Redemption, there is only one race, the one Jesus died for. So setting one part of that single race above another on any basis is inherently a denial of the Redemption.
Really? Because some Christians might take issue with your heresy..
https://www.menofthewest.net/ignorance-and-dishonesty-regarding-refugees-and-old-testament-law/
Stoney, that’s a fine article — and not even relevant; it discusses Old Testament law, not the Redemption. Jesus didn’t die for some more than others, so all are equal in His sight. And since His sight is the ultimate reality, all are equal.
President Donald Trump is the only person who will put a gun in your hand. The libertarians and democrats will take your gun out off your hand. I trust the president will do what he can at a federal level. The Never Trumper republicans are suspect at best. I think some of them are suicidal and would crash the nation just to hurt the president.
But that is not the issue. The individual states will either be slave or free. When the hearing protection act passes or national reciprocity, and the tens of thousand of WW2 guns come back from South Korea and other countries, all those rights will not come to millions of Americans in the slave states.
The best weapon he can use is to cut off the slave states from federal funds. I look forward to the three Ls, Libertarians, Liberals, and the Left, complain about his unconstitutional actions. The libertarian fascists at Reason magazine have already started.
Best comment yet Roymond. Stormfront lowlifes get eternity in the lake of fire. And a heil from Hitler. BTW GOD is a JEW…
God is a Jew?
By definition, I suppose so — after all, His mother was.
Yes GOD the SON is a JEW. Born of a Jewish girl,raised as a JEW,of the house and liniage of David. If you don’t believe that perhaps I’ve given you too much credit. If you do congratulations.
Jesus was a Jew, and a very observant and good Jew at that.
But he’s dead now. Time to move on.
So irrational one how can someone who claimed to be GOD be a good observant JEW? Wouldn’t that be blasphemy if it wasn’t TRUE? How does one reconcile “I and my father are one”or “before Abraham was I AM”. THAT is a clear indication of being equal with GOD. HE is either a liar,lunatic or the incarnate GOD. BTW HE is alive and returning very soon…
HE is returning very soon. HE has been returning soon for about 2000 years. In fact HE promised some of HIS contemporaries will be still alive when HE returns, so I expect HIM any minute now.
Wow, it’s going to get really awkward down here on Earth when the 12’th Iman / Mahdi, the Jewish Mashiac, and Jesus all show up to stake their claim on humanity. Turf war anyone ?
I’ll stake my life on JESUS CHRIST of the bible. BTW HE IS the Jewish messiah…mahdi will just crawl back in his hole(ala Saddam Hussein).
Jesus isn’t coming back today.
Jesus isn’t coming back tomorrow.
Jesus isn’t coming back ever.
BTW, the messiah of Judaism will be a mortal man and God is not a trinity.
There’s actually a sect that believes that Jesus is/will be the final Imam, and the Jewish Messiah, which would mean no “turf war”.
Faith + human imagination equals a never ending supply of new gods to worship. The process never ends…..
Btw, what is the name of this sect ?
Actually, PDW, historically the trend has been toward fewer gods to worship.
As for the sect, I don’t think it has a name. That’s not unique; many sects in Islam don’t. They usually have to be rather notable or powerful (e.g. Wahabis) to get a name.
Regardless of the number, the “old” gods will eventually be supplanted by newer ones if history is an indicator.
You are with us or against us.
since the Dems are 100% united on gun control, I’d say the NRA is smart to support POTUS.
Certainly cant count on the GOPe.
Who is us? Because it’s not supporters of the 2nd Amendment.
President Trump said last week that if members of the Freedom Caucus didn’t vote his way, he would actively campaign against them during their re-election. Look up their NRA scorecards. These are the people with tons of A and A+ ratings. They are the staunchest 2nd Amendment supporters in the legislature. And President Trump said he would campaign against them.
JWT, I ask this in all honesty, candor, and lack of agenda:
What is the worth of NRA ratings at this point? I LIKE the move on the Gorsuch nomination. It’s STARTING to restore my confidence in the NRA score card. But as we’ve seen from that Florida lady who stabbed Open carry in the back, and among MANY others- those ratings don’t tell us how much they actually support gun rights when the votes matter. There’s been a LOT of lying and strategic voting to make people *look* pro gun and then screw us. Like Manchin. The whole process to me is at this point suspect, and doesn’t measure actual support in cracking skulls. Freedom caucus may very well BE the people who are willing to crack heads, I haven’t analyzed them in depth to be honest.
On another point though: clearly Trump wants a win. Why not try to get a smaller vote on somethign like gun rights which would unite support behind freedom caucus and such forces behind Trump? Why do we need to reach for divisive policies first that might very well destroy us? After all, they found time to gut privacy rules with ISPs and the FCC, why can they pass that (on party line votes mostly) but not gun rights??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i9Rw_8VD_4
Trump is a buffoon. That cover actually made me reconsider my membership. The NRA should support whoever supports gun rights, no matter what. This includes supporting incumbent dems, who are with us. Becoming a partisan organization will not help gun rights when the dems inevitably regain control of the reins of power. Plus, again, Trump is a buffoon.
Not all Democrats are anti-gun. Certainly not Democrats from more rural areas. Rural Dems such as our local rep at the time, co-sponsored concealed carry acts here in Illinois.
TTAG is now home to racists and bigots. Nice.
Based on your screen name, its also home to at least one drunk misogynist.
Stoney, there’s not enough info in his screen name to warrant that conclusion.
Go punch a “nazi” if it makes you feel better, because you know…..they’re EVERYWHERE.
Basically Trump is not Hillary and he was worth supporting in the election based entirely on that. We (the gun owners of the US and the NRA) supported him and now he owes us. He needs to pay up and he has not done it yet. Democrats would have screwed us over 3 times by now if they had both houses and the presidency. We haven’t gotten anything from Trump and it’s time we did.
I had the same gut reaction and tossed it in the trash. We got Trump elected, we don’t own him anything else. It’s time he demonstrated that that he was worthy of being backed by the NRA as opposed to the rest of the field and our votes. Yeah, thanks for the Gorsuch nomination, but until that proves to make a difference on some key cases, that’s another bird in the bush just like Trump. As it is, he’s more interested in his twitter feed and unless you make a golf date, good luck getting him to listen on legislation That sounds a lot like that last guy.
The NRA is making a mistake with Trump. They’ve hitched their wagon to a pervert, a misogynist, a racist, a crook and a traitor. This will end badly for all who support the Second Amendment.
You just described 90% of the Democrats.
Maybe Trump has Democrat tendencies. But the NRA isn’t hitched to Trump as the cart as much as they are the horse.
I for one am absolutely SICK of the NRA CONSTANTLY dick-riding Trump. The man has done next to NOTHING for gun owners so far. The only reasonable explanation I can come up is that this isn’t just a shameless man-crush, but rather a calculated effort to stroke the ego of a self-centered maniac in hopes that when the time comes he will actually live up to his shaky promises and sign a major pro-gun bill. But to me the whole thing STINKS. I think it’s just as likely to backfire against the NRA (in the long run) as it is likely to succeed.
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