"My impression of GOA is that about the only thing they can do is bash NRA. That seems to be their sole focus."
What is that "impression" based on? Their candidate ratings are real unlike NRA ratings which bear little relation to reality. To your "point" -
The founder of GOA, H.L. Richardson states the following:
A Message from H.L. Richardson for NRA Members
Posted on 01-24-2006 by Senator H.L. Richardson [Ret.]
Me? Join Gun Owners of California?" Oh, but you see, I'm already a member of the NRA." What's the difference???
That's OK . . . so am I. In fact I'm an NRA life member and for over a decade I served on their national board of directors. But . . . take it from me, being a member of the NRA is not enough to save your gun rights, especially here in California.
That is why, thirty three years ago, I founded Gun Owners of California, to combat the anti-gunners within our state. As a member of the State Senate and a director of the NRA, I saw the need for a strong state political action committee, dedicated to getting the anti-gunners out of office and electing solid pro-gun leaders here in California...
The problem in California is not that we have too many pro-gun groups! We welcome any group that wants to help in the fight to preserve the 2nd Amendment. Common sense tells us there is strength in numbers. There is plenty of room - and frankly plenty of as yet untapped pro-gun resources - to sustain the NRA, GOC, and the other solid pro-gun organizations in California.
Membership in both the NRA and GOC is a small price to pay for freedom . . . don't you agree?
Here are links to Senate ratings for NRA and GOA
http://www.margieroswell.com/map_of_...s_for_senators
http://gunowners.org/113srat.htm
One example, Harry Reid, former NRA grade "A" NRA endorsee now a grade "B" and rightly given "F-" by GOA. Aside from the POTUS, no one has done more to destroy the Second Amendment than Reid by pushing through Kagan and Sotomayor.
I don't support Ron Paul but I do agree with much of what he believes and as he put it, GOA, "The Only No-Compromise Gun Lobby In Washington."
This Op-Ed dated 6-17-2010 by NRA Board of Director Member Cleta Mitchell tells me all I need to know about the duplicitous NRA, sell-outs.
"...For its part, the NRA -- on whose board of directors I serve -- rather than holding steadfastly to its historic principles of defending the Constitution and continuing its noble fight against government regulation of political speech instead opted for a political deal borne of self-interest in exchange for "neutrality" from the legislation's requirements. In doing so, the NRA has, sadly, affirmed the notion held by congressional Democrats (and some Republicans), liberal activists, the media establishment and, at least for now, a minority on the Supreme Court that First Amendment protections are subject to negotiation. The Second Amendment surely cannot be far behind."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...061604221.html