NRA and Sen. Harry Reid

[grampster]

This morning I read on RedState that the NRA is contemplating/planning to endorse Sen. Harry Reid. This is beyond unfortunate. Some will say this is not so, but the information is reliable. See RedState today, 7-2-10, two posts in that regard.

I'm not an NRA basher. I am a Life Member and my father was a member before me. Our membership goes back 80 years or so. NRA needs to know that endorsing Reid must not, cannot happen.

Call the NRA-ILA hotline at 1-800-392-8683, press 3, and POLITELY and FIRMLY tell the ILA to NOT support Reid.

[Bartholomew Roberts]

If you saw the big spread they gave Sen. Reid in the American Rifleman, I don't think it is any suprise that NRA is planning to endorse him. He is pro-RKBA and an incumbent - which is usually all you need to get the NRA endorsement. The fact that he is the Senate Majority Leader and is virtually the only person in Democratic leadership who is both willing and able to block gun control legislation doesn't hurt him either.

[BikerRN]

Calling harry Reid Pro-Gun is like saying the Catholic Church condones abortion.

Below are just a few of the votes that demonstrate Reid’s longstanding hostility to guns and the Second Amendment. Not included in this list is the long list of consistent and active support for anti-gun nominees to the Federal Judiciary and to high level cabinet posts. The reason I did not include anti-gun nominees is because he supported every last one of them.

June 28, 1991. Vote No. 115. Voted for a 5 day waiting period for handgun purchases.

October 21, 1993. Vote 325. Voted to eliminate the Army Civilian Marksmanship Program. Only the most fringe anti-gun Senators voted for the amendment.

November 19, 1993. Vote 385. Allow states to impose waiting periods over and above the 5 days waiting period required under the Brady Bill.

November 19, 1993. Vote 386. Voted to eliminate the 5-year sunset in the Brady Bill.

November 19, 1993. Vote 387. Voted to close off debate on the Brady Bill.

November 19, 1993. Vote 390. Voted to close off debate on the Brady Bill.

November 20, 1993. Vote 394. Voted for the Brady Bill, which imposed a 5-business-day waiting period before purchasing a handgun.

August 25, 1994. Vote 294. Voted to close off debate on the Clinton Crime Bill, which contained the ban on so-called “assault weapons.”

August 25, 1994. Vote 295. Voted for the Clinton Crime Bill, which contained the ban on so-called “assault weapons.”

April 17, 1996. Vote 64. Voted to expand the statute of limitations for paperwork violations in National Firearms Act from 3 years to 5 years.

June 27, 1996. Vote 178. Voting to destroy 176,000 M-1 Garand rifles from World War II, and 150 million rounds of 30 caliber ammunition, rather than giving them to the Federal Civilian Marksmanship program.

September 12, 1996. Vote 287. Voted to spend $21.5 million for a study on putting “taggants” in black and smokeless gunpowder.

September 12, 1996. Vote 290. Voted to make it a Federal crime to possess a gun within 1,000 yards of a school.

May 12, 1999. Vote 111. Voted to give the Treasury Department expansive new authority to regulate and keep records on gun shows and their participants, and criminalize many intrastate firearms transactions.

May 13, 1999. Vote 116. Voted to ban the importation of ammunition clips that can hold more than 10 rounds.

May 14, 1999. Vote 119. Voted to criminalize internet advertisements to sell legal firearms in a legal manner.

May 18, 1999. Vote 122. Voted to for Mandatory triggerlocks.

May 20, 1999. Vote 133. Voted to create new Federal regulation of pawn shops handling of guns.

May 20, 1999. Vote 134. Voted to give the Treasury Department expansive new authority to regulate and keep records on gun shows and their participants, and criminalize many intrastate firearms transactions. The vote was 50-50, with Vice President Gore casting the tie-breaking vote.

May 20, 1999. Vote 140. Voted for the Clinton Juvenile Justice bill, which contained a package of gun control measures.

July 29, 1999. Vote 224. Voted to close debate on the Clinton Juvenile Justice bill, which contained a package of gun control measures.

February 2, 2000. Vote 4. Voted to make firearms manufacturers and distributors’ debts nondischargeable in bankruptcy if they were sued because they unknowingly sold guns to individuals who used the gun in a crime. 68 Senators voted against Reid’s position, including 17 Democrats including Bryan of Nevada.

March 2, 2000. Vote 27. Voted to say that school violence was due to the fact that Congress “failed to pass reasonable, common-sense gun control measures” and call for new gun ownership restrictions on the anniversary of the Columbine shootings.

March 2, 2000. Vote 28. Voted to say that school violence was due to the fact that Congress “failed to pass reasonable, common-sense gun control measures” and call for new gun ownership restrictions on the anniversary of the Columbine shootings (reconsideration of vote 27).

March 2, 2000. Vote 32. Voted to use Federal taxpayer funds to hand out anti-gun literature in schools and to run anti-gun public service announcements.

April 6, 2000. Vote 64. Voted for a gun control package including new onerous restrictions on gun shows.

April 7, 2000. Vote 74. Voted against an amendment to provide for the enforcement of existing gun laws in lieu of new burdensome gun control mandates.

May 16, 2000. Vote 100. Voted to commend the participants of the so-called “Million Mom March” for their demand for more Federal restrictions on firearms ownership, and to urge the passage of strict gun control measures.

May 17, 2000. Vote 102. Vote to overturn the ruling of the chair that the Daschle amendment (commending the participants of the so-called “Million Mom March” for their demand for more Federal restrictions on firearms ownership, and to urge the passage of strict gun control measures) was out of order.

May 17, 2000. Vote 103. Voted against an amendment stating “the right of each law-abiding United States citizen to own a firearm for any legitimate purpose, including self-defense or recreation, should not be infringed.”

May 17, 2000. Vote 104. Voted for an amendment commending the participants of the so-called “Million Mom March” for their demand for more Federal restrictions on firearms ownership, and to urge the passage of strict gun control measures.

February 26, 2004. Vote 17. Voted for mandatory triggerlocks.

March 2, 2004. Vote 25. Voted for Federal regulation of gun shows.

July 28, 2005. Vote 207. Voted for mandatory triggerlocks.

March 5, 2009. Vote 83. Voted against a ban on the United Nations imposing taxes on American citizens after France and other world leaders proposed a global tax on firearms.

He doesn't seem too "pro-gun" to me, but what do I know?

Biker

[Bartholomew Roberts]

OK, I don't have time to go through every vote on the list; but let's just look at the four votes in the last 9 years:

February 26, 2004. Vote 17. Voted for mandatory triggerlocks.

March 2, 2004. Vote 25. Voted for Federal regulation of gun shows.

It so happens I remember these two votes very well since they were offered as amendments to S.1805. For those who don't remember, S.1805 was the bill protecting manufacturers against spurious lawsuits. It was strongly backed by the NRA until Feinstein managed to attach an AWB renewal to it, at which point, the NRA swiftly and decisively killed the bill.

Reid voted in support of the Boxer triggerlock amendment (Vote 17) and the McCain gunshow background check amendment (Vote 25). I agree both of those votes are not pro-RKBA; however, what your list doesn't show is the several dozen pro-RKBA votes that Reid did make that day.

You can see the list of nasty amendments here with links to the votes. Most notably, Reid voted against the AWB renewal that day.

July 28, 2005. Vote 207. Voted for mandatory triggerlocks.

Same bill Reid voted for earlier, with almost the same result - passed the Senate with 70 votes in favor of requiring manufacturers to provide a free child-safety lock with each handgun. Not a pro-RKBA vote, I'd agree; but hardly a big issue.

March 5, 2009. Vote 83. Voted against a ban on the United Nations imposing taxes on American citizens after France and other world leaders proposed a global tax on firearms.

This has nothing to do with firearms. The entire text of the amendment is "None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any title of this Act may be made available to make any assessed contribution or voluntary payment of the United States to the United Nations if the United Nations implements or imposes any taxation on any United States persons." Apparently GOA scored this as a "key vote" though.

So in the last nine years, Reid helped the NRA build a $61 million public range in Nevada, voted against the AWB renewal, for the Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, and basically voted even the GOA platform except for the four votes noted above, Previous to that he had a record of anti-gun votes.

So now the choice for the NRA is:

1. Endorse the Senate Majority Leader and incumbent with 9 years of voting your platform (except the triggerlock and McCain gun show votes). Get points with the Senate Majority Leader regardless of which pro-gun candidate wins.

2. Endorse the challenger with no record and hope you trade a friendly Senate Majority Leader for a junior Senator in the minority party who has said really positive things about gun rights; because if they don't win, you've just stomped on the one guy in the current Congressional leadership who can block gun control legislation.

[stevelyn]

Being so-called pro-gun is a moot point if you vote for SCOTUS nominees that can unravel your pro-gun vote.

Sorry, I think the NRA is all wet on this one.

[kodiakbeer]

Being so-called pro-gun is a moot point if you vote for SCOTUS nominees that can unravel your pro-gun vote.

Ditto!

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Being so-called pro-gun is a moot point if you vote for SCOTUS nominees that can unravel your pro-gun vote.

Which so far Reid hasn't done; but that will happen prior to the November election in any case and since NRA has stated that the nomination of Kagan will be considered a key vote, it will affect Reid's grade (and presumably any endorsement).

Sorry, I think the NRA is all wet on this one.

I can see disagreeing with the NRA on the course of action based on what level of trust you put in Senator Reid's support of the RKBA post-election; but I really don't see how the NRA could have made any other choice here. You've got a senior politician and incumbent with a track record on your issue. No savvy lobbying organization is going to throw that away for a junior Senator who says all the right things.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

If Reid falls, Schumer is a candidate to replace him. Sounds like a great plan.

Schumer and newbie. BTW, this is getting a little political, so let's watch it.

Perfect is the enemy of good enough - think about it. Or don't cut off your nose to spite your face.

[Musketeer]

The GOA is looking to gain more members. I do not like Reid but in the last decade his record on the 2A is not bad (if you understand the votes and do not drink GOA) Kool Aid. In addition having the guy who helps control what comes to the floor is not a bad thing!

The GOA wants Don Quixote. Personally I would my membership and donations go elsewhere.

[thallub]

In September, 2004 the US senate voted to extend the AWB, thanks to the help of ten folks with (R) after their names. Harry Reid voted against the extension of the AWB.

The NRA is about the Second Amendment. If you think the First Amendment is more important then join the ACLU.

[ADB]

The NRA is about the Second Amendment. If you think the First Amendment is more important then join the ACLU.

Where did the first amendment come into this? And why not join both?

[ADB]

This has nothing to do with firearms. The entire text of the amendment is "None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any title of this Act may be made available to make any assessed contribution or voluntary payment of the United States to the United Nations if the United Nations implements or imposes any taxation on any United States persons." Apparently GOA scored this as a "key vote" though.

More to the point, it's absolutely idiotic. The UN is a deliberative body with no real legal authority to do more than point and yell. They certainly have no power to collect taxes from anybody.

These "bans" that some politicians introduce in response to these nonsense scares are like if I got into Congress and introduced a bill to ban sausage factories from using human organs as meat. Okay, that's fine, except that it's a problem which doesn't exist, and to say otherwise is a lie.

[The_Vigilante]

Does anyone know how Reid voted on the confirmation of Sotomayor?

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Breakfast cereal is now popular because of sausages having workers and other critters in the mix. I think there were popular novels and reports at the turn of the century that demonstrated it. Now do you really think Harry voted against Sotomayer? Come on.

Life is a set of compromises but absolutist strategies can led to noble rants but little progress. Organizations have railed against CCW permits and CHL because you don't need them because of the Constitution. Such organizations have tried to sabotage concealed carry bills - sometimes successfully.

However, the concealed carry movement is the greatest success story in recent times. So have a rant and have no progress.

[44 AMP]

When a pro gun politician is so far off on so many other things. Right now, Reid is being held as one of the major spending supporters/instigators in Congress. The conservative talk shows and etc, are all saying how bad govt spending is, and how Reid is one of the key players and must be replaced.

Yet, at the same time, it appears that he has been more of a help than a hindrance on gun issues. And the NRA (by charter and practice) is a single issue group. ALL they look at is gun issues, and things that directly and immediately affect gun issues and their ability to communicate about those issues to their membership (see the Disclosure Act discussions).

He may be working hard to bring about the wrack and ruin of the nation, but if he has a record of supporting gun rights, the NRA will support him, they don't have a real choice. They are a single issue group. Period.

Here is an extreme example: Would you support a candidate who wanted to abolish the ATF, the NFA 34, and all gun laws, but wanted to make child rape legal?

Tough call? or not?

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Stop asking philosophically hard questions - it makes my head explode - 44!

Obviously you vote for the candidate who supports open access to guns and then you have to march to Washington to get rid of said person using your 2 amendment solutions on the day after the election.

Now is that a logical and philosophical kettle of fish. Throws a monkey wrench into absolutism.

I once posted that folks tend to be absolutist about candidates because of the implicit assumption that the progun candidate will believe in other things they like. The test is yours - what if they are nuts or believe in other things you strongly dislike or is incompetent on the other major issues.

So as long as I have my gun, the rest of the country's problem can lead to disaster? Now could that happen?

[Mike Irwin]

Pure politics, which we don't do here anymore.

Closed.