GOA

[PhotonGuy]

The GOA the Gun Owners of America in some ways I prefer better than the NRA. The NRA does have some good programs and I will definitely keep my membership but I when it comes to fighting for 2A rights the GOA has it made, more so than the NRA. The GOA is less compromising, fights harder, and if the GOA had the money, resources, and membership level of the NRA we would've won the war on gun rights by now.

[JohnKSa]

...if the GOA had the money, resources, and membership level of the NRA we would've won the war on gun rights by now.

NRA membership levels amount to about 2% of the adults in the U.S. 2% of the country is not enough to force Congress to comply if the other 98% don't agree.

[sigarms228]

I dropped my membership to GOA and instead send that amount to NRA-ILA and SAF. After some research I had found very little that the GOA had actually done for Second Amendment Rights such as winning court cases at federal and state level. As JohnkSa pointed out the big problem is a very small minority of firearm owners financially support ANY Second Amendment Rights organization and take their Second Amendment rights for granted or otherwise justify not doing so.

[TXAZ]

I'd submit negotiations / politics-wise it's a better approach to have a more non-compromising group (GOA) calling out NRA and the gun-haters. It makes NRA look more reasonable to many.

[dogtown tom]

PhotonGuy ...The GOA is less compromising, fights harder,

The only thing the GOA mantra of "no compromise" gets them is donations. They really accomplish very little. Few congressmen have ever heard of GOA, much less fear it.

and if the GOA had the money, resources, and membership level of the NRA we would've won the war on gun rights by now.

Based on what success? The only success GOA talks about is when they piggybacked on lawsuits filed and funded by others.

[44 AMP]

NRA membership levels amount to about 2% of the adults in the U.S. 2% of the country is not enough to force Congress to comply if the other 98% don't agree.

No, its not enough if the other 98% disagree, but first off, the other 98% would have trouble agreeing that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

The other thing, and the one the numbers alone don't show, is the real reason the NRA is so respected/feared. Those who AGREE with NRA members and VOTE, but aren't NRA members.

A Silent majority kind of thing. Politicians know that its not JUST the NRA members, but their families, friends and others who aren't on the NRA's member lists but hold similar opinions about the issues, and do vote, that give the NRA its political clout.

PLUS its the tendency of firearms enthusiasts to make the gun issue THEIR issue, and vote against gun control politicians, even when they agree with them on other issues.

So, belong to as many pro gun groups as you want, just remember that while you may disagree on tactics, we are all on the same side.

[Aguila Blanca]

I agree with both of dogtown tom's statements:

The only thing the GOA mantra of "no compromise" gets them is donations. They really accomplish very little. Few congressmen have ever heard of GOA, much less fear it.

And:

Based on what success? The only success GOA talks about is when they piggybacked on lawsuits filed and funded by others.

Especially number two. GOA is quick to claim credit for wins in court but, when you check into it, it's usually either the NRA or the SAF who funded and organized the lawsuit, paid the principal lawyers, and did the heavy lifting.

[5whiskey]

I'd submit negotiations / politics-wise it's a better approach to have a more non-compromising group (GOA) calling out NRA and the gun-haters. It makes NRA look more reasonable to many.

I'd submit that you may be on to something here, although I don't know how much affect it really has. The GOA is little known outside of us hard core gun guys.

Based on what success? The only success GOA talks about is when they piggybacked on lawsuits filed and funded by others.

Ha! Like claiming that they significantly influenced Heller! The Libertarians over at CATO institute deserve ALL the credit for heavy lifting on that one. All GOA did there was file an Amicus brief. Well, so did dozens of other organizations. Heck the ILEETA (International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association) filed a brief supporting Heller, at the behest and with the support of elected District Attorneys from Orange, San Bernadino, and Fresno Counties in CALIFORNIA (YES! California elected officials supported the Heller case on our side!). So did the Retired Military Officers, several congressmen, Dick Cheney, Congress of Racial Equality (with support from NAACP)... all in favor of Heller and his individual RKBA. Tons of authorities filed an Amicus brief, GOA isn't "special" there. NRA is often vilified over their early hesitation to endorse Heller, but Justice Stevens himself came out and documented the fact that the Heller decision was basically a battle between himself and Justice Scalia lobbying Justice Kennedy (the infamous swing vote). Stevens takes credit for influencing some of the alleged "poison pill" language in Scalia's opinion. So the NRA, at that time, recognized that it would all come down to Kennedy and was being prudent in their approach.


I'm not against GOA, but I'm not a member. My individual analysis is that they do attempt to take more than their share of credit.

[Tom Servo]

Like claiming that they significantly influenced Heller!

They also claimed to have done the heavy lifting when Ohio got concealed carry, while the folks working on the state level have no recollection of anyone from GOA being present, much less doing anything.