National Rifle Association

National Rifle Association

The Best or a Bust?

We give the National Riffle Association a:

B

There is a noticeable free rider problem with the NRA. About 12.3 million Americans own a gun but there are only about 4.3 million Americans in the NRA. Therefore, 2/3 of this group reap the rewards without contributing. On the other hand, the NRA deals with a very controversial issue which normally ensures that those who are for their cause believe in it very passionately. Also, they are powerful enough to keep the minority opinion in power even after tragedies like Sandy Hook.

Funding

History

The National Rifle Association is America's longest-standing civil rights organization. We're proud defenders of history's patriots and diligent protectors of the Second Amendment.

• Membership Dues
• Program Fees
• Various forms of contributions, grants, royalty income, and ads
• Selling of goods and services to the coalition of hunters, collectors and firearm enthusiasts
• Donors include: Midway USA, Sprigfield Armory Inc, Pierce Bullet Seal Target Systems, Beretta USA Corps, Cabala's, Strum Rugar & Co. and Smith & Wesson
• Sell ads (earned 20.9% of funding or 10 mil in 2010)

• Founded in 1871
• Founded by Col. William C. Church and Gen. George Wingate
• Original purpose was to improve the marksmanship of soldiers after the Civil War
• First president was Civil War Gen. Ambrose Burnside who headed the first charter in New York
• Their interest changed in 1903 when NRA Secretary Albert S. Jones suggested to promote rifle clubs in all major universities, colleges and military academies.

Political Involvement

About

An article written by the National Riffle Association Institute of Legal Action outlines the Fiscal Year of 2015 Consolidation and Further Continuing Appropriations Act.

Prevents:

• Operation Choke Point
• Federal agencies from restricting the lead content in ammunition and fishing tackle
• Government entities from spending tax dollars on "gun walking"
• Funds from CDC and the National Institute of Health to advocate or promote gun control
• Funds from being used by the Obama administration to implement the UN Arms Trade Treaty

Stops further progress on Obama's anti-gun agenda.

In summary

The NRA is a 501(c)(3) meaning they are a tax-exempt non-profit organization.

The NRA is an interest group with a purpose. They are extremely passionate about gun rights. They work in and out of campaigns to make sure that the right to own a gun has the least restrictions as possible.

Favor the more conservative pro-gun views of the Republican Party.

The NRA has a large and extensive history much of it not named in the previous slides. Much of that time has been spent rallying for pubic recognition through various media outlets or political protection through the forming of committees.

History (cont.)

One example of recent fund raising was right after the horrific event that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School. They use their Political Victory Fund which they were able to raise $10.2 million through September for bankrolling candidates sympathetic to the Second Amendment.

The Money and Means

25% of the current board of the NRA are former federal, state, or local lawmakers of officials. An example would be Larry Craig, a former Idaho senator who sponsored a 2005 law protecting gun makers from liability.

Notable Successes and Failures

Current Concerns

Successes:

• NRA legislation news page has shown the organization having at least 230 legislation victories on state levels for the past 10 years.
• Since 1989, 31 states have implemented Right to Carry laws.
• This year, federal courts in California and Illinois have taken steps in the continued restoration of the Second Amendment.

Failures:

• The NRA had invested more than $11 million dollars in advertising in effort to attack Obama and support Mitt Romney.
• When President Obama was re-elected f a second term, the NRA had failed to get their candidate elected.

The NRA's PAC is called the Political Victory Fund. This PAC spent millions of dollars on direct campaign donations, independent campaign expenditures and on mobilizing the most aggressive grassroots operation in NRA history

in the 2008 election.

Political Action Council

An article from the New York Times sheds light on a major issue the NRA is currently trying to fight against. After the massacre at Sandy Hook it became clear that the only way that change would be made was if it was by the voters themselves. Citizens in Washington were asked to vote on initiative 594 and 591 in the most recent election. 594 would close loopholes in gun regulation and make criminal and mental-health background checks a requirement. 591 would not instate a requirement for background checks unless they was a "uniform national standard" which would have to be created by Congress. It is believed that if they former is to pass a fire will be started that will spread across the nation so that gun regulations would be everywhere. NRA spokesperson commented that they were worried about this spread and tried to convey supporters of gun control like former NY Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, as intrusive on local politics.

• 1934- formed the Legislative Affairs Division in response to repeated attacks against the Second Amendment
• 1940- offered its associations to the government during WWII to further promote its commitment to training, education and marksmanship of troops
• 1973- launched a new magazine in response to new held interest in hunting
• 1975- formed the Institute of Legislative Action (ILA)
• 1997- Published The American Guardian

Members

2012

Barack Obama (President) -D

$7,201,185 against WINNER

Mitt Romney (President) -R

$1,8500,149 for LOST

Sherrod Brown (OH) -D Senate

$483,618 total/ $10,713 for/ $472,905 against WINNER

2014

Bruce Braley (IA) -D Senate

$2,835,093 against LOST

Michelle Nunn (GA) -D Senate

$2,376,687 total/ $11,739 for/$2,364,948 against LOST

Tom Cotton (AR) -R Senate

$2,285,101 for WINNER

The NRA has 4.3 million members

Notable members include:

Chuck Norris, Tom Sellek, Sarah Palin, Karl Malrone, and Miranda Lambert

These people believe in the right to own a gun for hunting and self defense.

Chuck Norris had said, "[gun restriction] represents the potential encroachment of the greatest kind."

To get attention from the Members on Congress, the NRA does lots of fund raising to raise money so they can support candidates in elections that are sympathetic to the same views about the Second Amendment.

In 2014, about $2,530,000 was spent on lobbying efforts for the NRA. Also, 15 out of 34 lobbyists in 2013-2014 had previously held government jobs.

Attention Please

Works Cited

Bailey Roy and Amber Marin

The Daily Beast. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Dec. 2014. <http://www.thedailybeast.com/

galleries/2012/12/17/

10-celebrity-nra-members-from-chuck-norris-to-tom-selleck-photos.html#introSlide>.

The Editorial Board, ed. "The People's Choice on Gun Safety." NY Times. NY

Times, 31 Oct. 2014. Web. 27 Dec. 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/

01/opinion/the-peoples-choice-on-gun-safety.html?_r=0>.

Hickey, Walter. "How The Gun Industry Funnels Tens Of Millions Of Dollars To The

NRA." Business Insider. N.p., 16 Jan. 2013. Web. 27 Dec. 2014.

<http://www.businessinsider.com/gun-industry-funds-nra-2013-1>.

National Riffle Association. NRA, n.d. Web. 27 Dec. 2014.

<http://home.nra.org/home/document/about>.

"National Riffle Association." Open Secrets. Open Secrets, n.d. Web. 27 Dec.

2014. <https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/

recips.php?cycle=2012&cmte=C00053553>.

"NRA Statistcs." Statistic Brain. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Dec. 2014.

<http://www.statisticbrain.com/

national-rifle-association-nra-statistics/>.

"Pro-Gun Protections Enacted into Law." NRA-ILA. National Riffle Association, 19

Dec. 2014. Web. 27 Dec. 2014. <https://www.nraila.org/articles/20141219/

pro-gun-protections-enacted-into-law>. jk

Work Cited (Cont.)

Hickey, Walter. "The NRA Has Been Outstandingly Successful Where It Really Counts." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 03 Apr. 2013. Web. 03 Jan. 2015.

"The NRA's Next Challenge: Its Success, by Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review." National Review Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2015.

"What The NRA's "All In" Failure Means For The Media." Media Matters for America. N.p., 12 Nov. 2012. Web. 03 Jan. 2015.

"NRA Fundraising since Newtown Massacre Breaks Records." Connecticut Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2015. <http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/NRA-fundraising-since-Newtown-massacre-breaks-4981889.php>.

"Meet the NRA's Board of Directors." Mother Jones. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Jan. 2015. <http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/01/nra-board-members-selleck-nugent>.

"National Rifle Assn." Opensecrets RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Jan. 2015. <https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000082>.