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Why do you say that? The NRA is one of the single most powerful special interest groups in the USA. The tech industry doesn't even come close to the NRA's lobby

by madgar 10y ago

Why do you say that? The NRA is one of the single most powerful special interest groups in the USA. The tech industry doesn't even come close to the NRA's lobbying results.

wtbob 10y ago
In 2016 the NRA spent $3,188,000 (source: https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=d000000082); https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=d00000008... that doesn't even make the top 20 (it's #156). Perhaps you meant campaign donations? It donated $1,092,750, making it #427. It is #8 in outside spending, but its $53 million is nowhere near Priorities USA's $133 million.
- sgift 10y ago
  He wrote "results", so I think he targeted the fact that weapons are still essentially freely available in the USA (at least it looks that way from over here in Europe). This can be seen as really effective lobbying given how many times it has been argued that weapons shouldn't be so easily available anymore without any changes to existing laws.
  - madgar 10y ago
    That was indeed my point. The NRA gets their goals accomplished. They successfully killed bills - even after Sandy Hook - that they had supported 20 years before. Name one restriction on guns that the NRA hasn't killed since the Assault Weapons ban in the 90s (and they killed that by killing its renewal).
  - wtbob 10y ago
    > weapons are still essentially freely available in the USA (at least it looks that way from over here in Europe) They're really not. Automatic weapons made after 1986 are banned; automatic weapons made before that date are extremely expensive and require permission of local law enforcement and revocation of one's Fourth Amendment rights. Firearms may no longer be sold by mail, as they were for most of our nation's history. Firearms may not be sold by private parties across state lines. All commercial sales require a background check. In many states it's illegal to sell a firearm privately; in some states you can't even legally give a weapon to a family member as a gift. Many states and some localities impose unreasonable restrictions on magazine size and cosmetic features. Some states impose registration requirements, which means that law enforcement has the ability to confiscate all legal weapons at will. > This can be seen as really effective lobbying given how many times it has been argued that weapons shouldn't be so easily available anymore without any changes to existing laws. I think the conditions above indicate how ineffective the pro-gun lobby has been, given that almost none of it is constitutional. (although it's worth noting that for most of its history the NRA was a pro-gun-control organisation)

by madgar 10y ago

Why do you say that? The NRA is one of the single most powerful special interest groups in the USA. The tech industry doesn't even come close to the NRA's lobbying results.

wtbob 10y ago

In 2016 the NRA spent $3,188,000 (source: https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=d000000082); https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=d00000008... that doesn't even make the top 20 (it's #156). Perhaps you meant campaign donations? It donated $1,092,750, making it #427. It is #8 in outside spending, but its $53 million is nowhere near Priorities USA's $133 million.

sgift 10y ago
He wrote "results", so I think he targeted the fact that weapons are still essentially freely available in the USA (at least it looks that way from over here in Europe). This can be seen as really effective lobbying given how many times it has been argued that weapons shouldn't be so easily available anymore without any changes to existing laws.
- madgar 10y ago
  That was indeed my point. The NRA gets their goals accomplished. They successfully killed bills - even after Sandy Hook - that they had supported 20 years before. Name one restriction on guns that the NRA hasn't killed since the Assault Weapons ban in the 90s (and they killed that by killing its renewal).
- wtbob 10y ago
  > weapons are still essentially freely available in the USA (at least it looks that way from over here in Europe) They're really not. Automatic weapons made after 1986 are banned; automatic weapons made before that date are extremely expensive and require permission of local law enforcement and revocation of one's Fourth Amendment rights. Firearms may no longer be sold by mail, as they were for most of our nation's history. Firearms may not be sold by private parties across state lines. All commercial sales require a background check. In many states it's illegal to sell a firearm privately; in some states you can't even legally give a weapon to a family member as a gift. Many states and some localities impose unreasonable restrictions on magazine size and cosmetic features. Some states impose registration requirements, which means that law enforcement has the ability to confiscate all legal weapons at will. > This can be seen as really effective lobbying given how many times it has been argued that weapons shouldn't be so easily available anymore without any changes to existing laws. I think the conditions above indicate how ineffective the pro-gun lobby has been, given that almost none of it is constitutional. (although it's worth noting that for most of its history the NRA was a pro-gun-control organisation)