Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	People misunderstand why the NRA has influence
Date:	2/22/2018 2:29:01 PM (updated 2/22/2018 2:32:44 PM)

I keep hearing all this talk about the GOP politicians being in the hip pocket of the NRA as a result of campaign donations.  They are sadly mistaken.  The NRA donated a grand total of $3.8M to all current members of Congress.  Over a six year period unions donated $1.1 billion to politicians.  That amounts to $183 million per year!! 

Where the NRA derives their influence is through its membership, all of which are worried about the erosion of their right to legally possess firearms.  It's their millions of members (and millions of others that don't belong but share that concern) that give them their influence, not the piddly amount of cash they donate to Republicans and Democrats.  Unlike unions, which have lots of members that don't appreciate where they focus their campaign donations (almost exclusively to Democrats), all the NRA members and like-minded Americans are supportive of their mission.  Don't be surprised to see their membership roles expand with this latest push for gun control.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	People misunderstand why the NRA has influence
Date:	2/22/2018 10:09:51 PM

I certainly think you'll see their membership increase after the speech La Pierre gave today, about creeping socialism and eroding of rights.  I think the NRA has both the numbers of members and that they donate to campaigns.  ON the townhall last night, someone confronted Rubio about taking money from the NRA and demanding he say he wouldn't take any money from NRA (he didn't).  They also represent jobs in Congressional districts and there isn't a soul in Congress that is going to agree to anything that loses jobs of their constituents.