The NRA tried to torpedo two Pro-Gun Bills in Georgia

[Tom Servo]

TomServo, I am not the original poster, nor did I write the title of this thread.
I assume since you are quoting me, the questions you ask are directed to me.

My apologies--it wasn't directed at you, but I can see how it may have seemed so.

I had hoped to address the idea as a whole. I've had my differences with the ILA, going back to the 1980's. But I don't see the utility that some do in just quitting, and I'd hope that others would think such a decision through.

There is currently no group that can match the breadth and influence of the NRA, and we let it wither at our peril.

 

[smithman 10]

Hang on to your NRA membership!

The NRA may make some mistakes, but quitting the NRA can only damage the movement to safeguard the Second Amendment and give aid and comfort to the folks who would like to disarm citizens.

 

[sheriffoconee]

thank you Tom, and I tend to agree for most of what you said, it is never a good position to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
HOWEVER, in Georgia, the NRA Lobbyist let law abiding gun owners down when it came to SB 308.
Instead of blindly defending this guy, the ILA needs to make it right....
Sending out emails won't do it....

 

[sheriffoconee]

The NRA may make some mistakes, but quitting the NRA can only damage the movement to safeguard the Second Amendment and give aid and comfort to the folks who would like to disarm citizens.

Speaking just for Georgia, the only legislative changes in the past three years we have had have been authored by GCO....
IF the NRA wishes to preserve their position at OUR local level, then they need to step up to the plate.

 

[sheriffoconee]

The NRA may make some mistakes, but quitting the NRA can only damage the movement to safeguard the Second Amendment and give aid and comfort to the folks who would like to disarm citizens.

Of course, the NRA can make mistakes. That isn't the worry a lot of folks here have. How do they plan to make it right???
THAT is what the NRA isn't talking about, instead, they are defending an indefensible position, or worse yet, pretending that it didn't happen.
Reinforcing failure is NEVER a good position for anyone to take. Especially if the NRA is willing to take that position here in Georgia.

 

[sheriffoconee]

Also, I disagree with my friend who was the original poster, there is no evidence to suggest the NRA ever did anything to torpedo SB 291....
I will say, from MY OWN PERSONAL experience down at the Capitol this session, the NRA lobbyist didn't work it as hard as he could have......
I spent twenty, out of forty legislative days at the Capitol. My stepson was a Senate aide this year. He knows the GCO lobbyist, he doesn't know who the NRA lobbyist is......

 

[Tom Servo]

The current ILA lobbyist for Georgia is Raymon White. He's a hired gun from a company called Georgia Public Strategies.

Part of the problem is that the NRA does subcontract out for this stuff. At times, it works. I didn't like the choice at first, but Clement argued well for us in front of SCOTUS this term.

Other times, it doesn't work so well. This may be one of those times, and the issue can be fixed. Call and complain. He can be fired.

 

[sheriffoconee]

The current ILA lobbyist for Georgia is Raymon White. He's a hired gun from a company called Georgia Public Strategies.

Part of the problem is that the NRA does subcontract out for this stuff. At times, it works. I didn't like the choice at first, but Clement argued well for us in front of SCOTUS this term.

Other times, it doesn't work so well. This may be one of those times, and the issue can be fixed. Call and complain. He can be fired.

Tom, that's exactly what needs to happen. However, so far, all communication I have heard defends him....
Therein lies the problem.....
It isn't defensible...and like it or not, a lot of folks in Georgia are voting with their feet and checkbooks.....
They can fix it, but I wish they would do it quick

 

[oldman45]

Also, I disagree with my friend who was the original poster, there is no evidence to suggest the NRA ever did anything to torpedo SB 291....
I will say, from MY OWN PERSONAL experience down at the Capitol this session, the NRA lobbyist didn't work it as hard as he could have......
I spent twenty, out of forty legislative days at the Capitol. My stepson was a Senate aide this year. He knows the GCO lobbyist, he doesn't know who the NRA lobbyist is......

Sheriff, you are a great man, well educated, articulate and probably wealthy. But I bet there are things going on in your department that you do not know of by those on your payroll.

The NRA is no different. They pay people to lobby for them in various locations. The NRA only knows what their spokespersons from each area are telling them.

My bet is there is a man being paid by the NRA and possibly a couple more places to lobby for them and only taking the money while doing very little. It has happened before and will happen again.

I suggest calling the NRA and speak with a person in a high position. Ask them why the GA State NRA lobbyist is not known on the floor of the GA legislature and why there was no objection to the bill at hand.

 

[bk43]

Whatever else you may think, the "ball" on this legislation was carried by GCO, and NOT the NRA. I honestly think had it been left to the NRA it never would have passed....

The NRA supports grass roots efforts in many ways but it is up to locals to do the job. That is the NRA mission. We get whining from nanny staters all the time saying the NRA didn't do this or didn't do that. Here's a news flash, the NRA will support you but it's up to you to do it. Trying to blame the NRA for what did or didn't happen at the local or state level is flat wrong.

Regarding the Georgia situation, I still have seen nothing other than what Georgia Public Broadcasting says that two anti-gun legislators say that somebody did. That dog don't hunt.

Bob

 

[sheriffoconee]

Sheriff, you are a great man, well educated, articulate and probably wealthy. But I bet there are things going on in your department that you do not know of by those on your payroll.

The NRA is no different. They pay people to lobby for them in various locations. The NRA only knows what their spokespersons from each area are telling them.

My bet is there is a man being paid by the NRA and possibly a couple more places to lobby for them and only taking the money while doing very little. It has happened before and will happen again.

I suggest calling the NRA and speak with a person in a high position. Ask them why the GA State NRA lobbyist is not known on the floor of the GA legislature and why there was no objection to the bill at hand.

Well, I am an elected Sheriff, which hardly qualifies me as being great, I have three years of college under my belt, and I am sure my wife will be GREATLY amused at the thought of me being wealthy, which I am not.
However, yes, I have employees who do things against policy and procedure. Of course I do. My REACTION to that is not to defend the indefensible, not to hide it, or sent out platitude emails to people who have legitimate concern over how one of my employees behaved. I DEAL with it. I don't pretend it didn't happen, or try to divert attention from the issue at hand.
My employees know that I hold them personally accountable for their conduct.
NRA-ILA needs to address THEIR lobbyist in GA, just as I address my employees.

 

[sheriffoconee]

The NRA supports grass roots efforts in many ways but it is up to locals to do the job. That is the NRA mission. We get whining from nanny staters all the time saying the NRA didn't do this or didn't do that. Here's a news flash, the NRA will support you but it's up to you to do it. Trying to blame the NRA for what did or didn't happen at the local or state level is flat wrong.

Regarding the Georgia situation, I still have seen nothing other than what Georgia Public Broadcasting says that two anti-gun legislators say that somebody did. That dog don't hunt.

Bob

I understand that not everyone is going to trust GPBS, or any other media network, I don't either.
Grassroot support got SB 308 thru the Senate, the House, and back to the Senate. At the 11th hour, the NRA-ILA lobbyist took the position to abandon it. I understand grassroot movements, I devoted a lot of my own time to this...and quite frankly, since I can carry a gun anywhere I pretty much please, I didn't do it for me. I did it cause it was the RIGHT thing to do.
I WISH the NRA-ILA would address it, and hold their lobbyist accountable. Failure to do so is causing a HUGE problem here in Georgia.

 

[bk43]

Sheriff, we agree on not trusting the media. Were we disagree is that I will not take a report of what two anti-gun legislators are supposed to have said from GPB(and picked-up by other sources from their story) and accept it as gospel. In fact, because a public broadcasting outfit said it, I tend to not believe from the gitgo.

The NRA says it didn't happen and they support both bills in Georgia. If that's not true you'd think somebody would come up with something proving that. I'm still thinking circular firing squad here. It's certainly not fair to ask the NRA to prove they didn't do something they say they didn't do.

Bob

 

[n4zov]

NRA at odds with gun law reform in Georgia

Sad but true, and this isn't the first time. GCO will get my loyalty. My NRA membership will not be renewed and the link to their website has been removed from our IDPA club website.

Why not contact your NRA Field Representative and ask him attend a club meeting to explain the NRA's position? Here is a link to the list of Representatives:

Field Representatives

 

[jlw]

Link to an article I wrote on this matter.

I think the major point is being missed here. It was the hired lobbyist of the NRA-ILA that dropped the ball, and it is with that same lobbyist that the NRA-ILA continues to drop the ball.

They are piling sandbags around a bad decision, and it is costing them.

If the NRA-ILA were to simply admit there was a bad decision(s) made that night and work to rectify it this whole thing would be over. They perpetuate it by failing to deal with it.

The Sheriff was questioned about individuals within his organization and accountability. Negligent retention of a bad employee is one of the major zero adding claims when it comes to running an agency. Those up the food chain also face vicarious liability for the actions of their subordinates. The NRA-ILA is negligently retaining this guy, and the vicarious liability is going to bite them.

 

[bk43]

I looked into this a little more, including watching tape from the Georgia legislature. It is very clear that two anti-gun senators threw up the charges against the NRA and they are false. One lady was desperately throwing up one objection after another, including the NRA thing, to the point that the senate leader politely told her they didn't have all night and to shut up so they could vote.

It is also clear that GCO is more interested in promoting themselves, and filling their coffers, that the gun owners of Georgia. Throwing the NRA under the bus thinking that it makes them look good is pathetic IMHO. A senator refered to this action by GCO as a "personality conflict". I would not be as kind to an organization more interested in themselves than the cause.

Bob

 

[jlw]

There are several negative things that can be said about GCO of which I would readily agree. In fact, I've said them and put them in cyberprint many times over.

I will agree that GCO is very much interested in promoting itself and fund raising, and even though I will argue vehemently that some of their tactics get in the way of their mission, it is absolutely incorrect to assert, allege, outright accuse, or any other terminology anyone wants to use to communicate that GCO is not actively trying to improve the carry laws in GA.

I don't believe the assertions that have been made by GCO concerning the NRA-ILA lobbyist on the night of 4/29 to be true because GCO is making them. I believe them because independent parties with no reason to carry the GCO flag have told me this is true.

 

[Samuel Adams]

Also, I disagree with my friend who was the original poster, there is no evidence to suggest the NRA ever did anything to torpedo SB 291....
I will say, from MY OWN PERSONAL experience down at the Capitol this session, the NRA lobbyist didn't work it as hard as he could have......
I spent twenty, out of forty legislative days at the Capitol. My stepson was a Senate aide this year. He knows the GCO lobbyist, he doesn't know who the NRA lobbyist is......

Thanks for the clarification. I stand corrected.

 

[smitholdtimer]

Samuel Adams

Please reconsider you decision to resign from the NRA if for no other reason, we need you and the other folks who promote & protect all the rights contained in our Declaration Of Independence. The fight alone will not be as effective as it can be if we are united. I do not presume to know anything other than what I have read about the situation in your fair state of Georgia but we are all faced with the same foe, Government too big for its britches and we are stronger together than we are alone. We do not always have to agree but we should always stick together. End of rant, Sam

 

[Samuel Adams]

Please reconsider you decision to resign from the NRA if for no other reason, we need you and the other folks who promote & protect all the rights contained in our Declaration Of Independence. The fight alone will not be as effective as it can be if we are united. I do not presume to know anything other than what I have read about the situation in your fair state of Georgia but we are all faced with the same foe, Government too big for its britches and we are stronger together than we are alone. We do not always have to agree but we should always stick together. End of rant, Sam

Point taken but the NRA will have to step up to the plate first. The reasons I feel about the NRA are not unlike why I no longer vote for the GOP (nor do I vote for the DNC), although the arguments to do otherwise are exactly why you are urging me to reconsider. Both the GOP and the NRA will have to walk the walk.