The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Why doesn't NRA actively rate congress"men" like GOA does?

applesanity · June 4, 2007, 09:46 PM

Successful lobbies make lots of powerful friends, while keeping their enemies fearful.

Just about everyone fails the GOA's no-compromise test. Lots of alienation right there. Since the GOA isn't some giant behomoth like the NRA, they don't have the sway to put the fear of 3.x million gun-toting, voting citizens into the hearts of their enemies.

(okay okay, somebody's gonna say, "but Ron Paul...." I get it.)

If you're gonna make a "gun-rights scoresheet," obviously an A+ means a guy who wants the good ol' days where you can buy a rifle in your montgomery wards catalogue, or a snubbie at the gas station. 99% of politicians aren't like that. The inevitability is that you're gonna give all your enemies - and pretty much all your friends - really, really bad grades. That's not very wise. If you have no friends, then the size of your massive lobby won't count for much.

June 4, 2007, 09:46 PM	#17
applesanity Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2007 Location: Commonwealth of Virginia Posts: 1,134	Successful lobbies make lots of powerful friends, while keeping their enemies fearful. Just about everyone fails the GOA's no-compromise test. Lots of alienation right there. Since the GOA isn't some giant behomoth like the NRA, they don't have the sway to put the fear of 3.x million gun-toting, voting citizens into the hearts of their enemies. (okay okay, somebody's gonna say, "but Ron Paul...." I get it.) If you're gonna make a "gun-rights scoresheet," obviously an A+ means a guy who wants the good ol' days where you can buy a rifle in your montgomery wards catalogue, or a snubbie at the gas station. 99% of politicians aren't like that. The inevitability is that you're gonna give all your enemies - and pretty much all your friends - really, really bad grades. That's not very wise. If you have no friends, then the size of your massive lobby won't count for much. __________________ "SED QUIS CUSTODIET IPSOS CUSTODES?" alizarian web design "Up men and to your posts! Don't forget today that you are from Old Virginia!"