The Washington Outsider

NRA Needs This Public Policy Agenda, Not Its Political Agenda

5/23/2016

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The political war between the gun-lobby and the gun-control lobby has longed relied upon emotion to enflame America’s struggle to balance civil liberties with national security interests.  These tactics were certainly on display at the May, 2016 National Rifle Association’s Leadership Forum.  As expected, NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre and Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump issued dire warnings against electing Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton and the looming threat to gun rights she represents. 
 
In turn, Trump- and NRA detractors unleashed a barrage of criticism that was quickly dismissed by NRA proponents.  They should, however, carefully consider criticism that focuses on the NRA’s declining membership and political influence.  By endorsing Donald Trump so early in the 2016 Election cycle, the NRA is doubling down on its traditional lobbying strategy, which involves supporting candidates who serve the agenda of the powerful lobbying firm.  In doing so, the NRA also demonstrates how it prioritizes its political influence over its policy agenda.
For Second Amendment advocates, images of helpless Americans unable to defend themselves against armed intruders and government oppression helps feed groups like the NRA.  For proponents of gun-control, victims of gun violence and their stories stir emotions that could support the very repeal of the Second Amendment.  Despite toying with the conflicting emotions of the American People, however, neither side has done much to empower the American People by balancing the right to own and bear arms with the need for public safety.   Simply put, the NRA is losing money, members, and influence, because it no longer offers its customers what they need.
 
The NRA has long been a cornerstone in the political industry.  The NRA is a business, which happens to sell representation to the gun industry and gun enthusiasts, that needs to make money in order to sustain its business.  Like all lobbying firms, the NRA only earns money when it convinces supporters that there is a compelling need in Washington for the NRA.   By endorsing Donald Trump, the NRA expects to capitalize on his popularity among gun enthusiasts.  Like Bernie Sanders, the NRA is also hoping to force Hillary to protect herself by adopting NRA endorsed stances.
 
The truth is that Hillary Clinton is in the pockets of the NRA herself while Donald Trump has not always been a staunch gun advocate, until more recently.  With LaPierre’s speech in mind, the message from the NRA is that gun rights are under constant threat, the Republican Party is pro-gun Party, and more guns would make America safer, so the NRA needs supported.  LaPierre even managed to paint a picture of patriotic gun-wielding Americans defending themselves against Islamist terrorists.  Given the Middle East is lush with automatic weapons, more guns will not work.  This also shows the NRA offers nothing new in terms of a public policy agenda.
 
Looking back on the emotional display of the usually stoic President Obama during the unveiling of his Gun Violence Reduction Executive Actions in early 2016 added nothing new to the debate.  The President’s policy prescriptions did, however, attempt to balance the interests of the American People instead of simply undermining the Second Amendment.  Even though the President’s overuse of Executive Actions is problematic and a sad commentary on the dysfunctional state of the Legislative Branch, his practical approach managed to reframe the debate in favor of gun-control advocates. 
 
Obama has tried to regulate the shadows were criminals obtain their weapons, instead of placing added burdens on law-abiding citizens.  Expanding background requirements to include virtually all sales and requiring shippers to notify the ATF of lost guns has moved the debate away from gun control tactics that seek to limit gun access and raise the cost of guns.  Frankly, local, State, and federal law enforcement agencies should be sharing information on known criminals.  In short, Obama has embraced policies that avoid legitimate Second Amendment concerns in order to earn the support of the American majority who want to be safe from gun violence.    
 
Where spiteful political figures might want to discourage this kind of sharing to retaliate against the Obama Administration, such sharing is a long overdue necessity, so all sides need to support increased information sharing.  The gun-lobby would be wise to follow the President’s example.  If the gun-lobby’s agenda is to truly preserve the Second Amendment, the US Constitution, and the civil liberties afforded to all American citizens under the US Constitution, their agenda must do more than simply undermine existing regulation of the gun industry and say “no” to any new regulations. 
 
Frankly, the NRA must do more than just perpetuate the status quo.   It must have a policy agenda.  Where the 2010 Supreme Court Case McDonald V. Chicago reaffirmed the Second Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment protects the right of all US citizens to own and bear arms, one must still be 21 or older to purchase a handgun.  The freedoms of minors are truncated due to the need for parental oversight; however, there is no compelling reason to limit the Constitutional rights of a legal adult based on age.  This is an area where groups like the NRA continually demonstrate their failure to actually support the Second Amendment. 
 
Whether someone purchases a handgun at 18 or 21 has no impact on their intended use for that gun.  Under the Due Process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, however, there is a compelling interest to restrict the gun rights of criminals who have been convicted of violent crimes.   Consequently, the gun-lobby can protect the Second Amendment and support policies that restrict the ability of violent criminals to access guns.
 
A balanced an agenda for the gun lobby should include:

  1.  Restoring the full Second Amendment Rights of law-abiding citizens who are over 18.
  2. Crafting a streamlined process that allows individuals, who have had their Second Amendment Rights restricted due to criminal records and mental illness, to restore their Constitutionally guaranteed rights. 
  3. Identifying when the government has a compelling state interest to restrict an individual’s Second Amendment Rights.
  4. Embracing wait periods on sales of shot guns, pistols, and automatic guns that can used in a heated moment to harm numerous causalities.
  5. Embracing more extensive background checks for automatic weapons
  6. Obtaining subsidies for gun safety training as part of a requirement for carrying permits to encourage safe handling of guns.
  7. Obtaining subsidies for permitting to alleviate the financial constraints that impede the Second Amendment Rights of the poor.
 
Unless the gun lobby tackles the need to balance Second Amendment Rights with safety and security concerns, they will lose their ability to shape gun laws and failure to a meaningful purpose.  For the NRA, this could put the massive lobbying firm out of business.    
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      • Justice for All: The Case for Legal, Social, Economic, and Personal Justice
      • Why Hardliner Thinking in the NSA and CIA is Doing Damage
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      • Why the Middle Class and Rich Need to Support Their Long-term Interests
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      • The Reason We Need to Understand What it is to Be Poor in America
      • Why the World Needs to Reinvest in America
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      • Why Does Terrorism Exist?
      • US Influence: The Value of American Citizenship Around the World
      • Responding to "the Soldier as Sacrficial Victim"
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        • Is Suicide a Cowardly Way Out?
      • Defense Against the Dark Arts of Manipulators
      • Defining Abuse >
        • On the Willing Victim of Abuse
        • How to Understand Abuse Victims
        • Recognizing Abuse
      • The Role of Substitution in Decision Making
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        • Mental Illness is Not the Cause of Anger and Violence >
          • Trying to Understand the Boston Marathon Bombing and Other Violent Crimes
          • Getting into the Twisted Mind of the Tucson Murder
      • Describing the Mind as Modes of Thought >
        • It’s Just Sex?
      • Relationships, or Arrangement
      • Understanding the Effects of Groupthink in the Workplace
      • Relating Circular, Inductive, and Deductive Reasoning to the Scientific Method and Religion
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      • The Need for Greater Economic Leverage >
        • Evaluating NAFTA and TPP
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        • Eminent Domain Used Against Banks
        • Haitians Sue the UN for Failure to Help With Cholera
        • Looking at How Corn-based Ethanol and Other Alternative Energy Subsidies Stack Up
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        • Irish Sovereignty Lost Before Bailout
        • Why Sudan's Greatest Long-Term Hurdle is Our Lowest-bidder Economy
        • Reduce US Imports by Buying American Made Products
      • Ending the need for government support and tackling poverty
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      • Looking at the Future of American Jobs >
        • On Questioning the Need to Address Economic Disparity
        • Minimum Wage is Not the Problem
        • Responding to the "Blip"
        • Why Education Is Not The Civil Rights Issue Of The Twenty-First Century
      • Considering the Impact of the Capital Gains Tax Deduction
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        • Capitalism Versus Socialism
        • The Negatives of Socialism
      • Stealing Intellectual Property
      • Changing Business Models: From Enduring Entities to Cash Cows
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      • Is Technology Threatening Jobs?
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      • Primary Education in America and the Changing Needs of Society
      • The Greatness of the American Education System
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      • Are Teachers Treated as Professionals?
      • Is Engaging Parents in Their Children's Education a Major Factor in Turning Around Low-performing Schools?
      • Should Grants Be Awarded to School Districts that Try Innovative Methods to Improve Student Achievement?
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      • On Reading the US Constitution
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      • On the DOJ Justifying the “targeted Killings” of US Citizens
      • Corporations Do Not Have the Same Rights as US Citizens >
        • Corporate America Pleads the First
      • Discussing the Constitutionality of Per Capita Taxes
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      • Should Religious Student Clubs Be Allowed in Public Schools?
      • Should the Government Control Talk Radio to Make it More "balanced"?
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        • Are We Losing Our Second Amendment Rights
      • Eminent Domain Used Against Banks
      • Should a Woman Have the Right to Choose Abortion? >
        • Should Fathers Be Able to Opt Out of Parenthood?
      • Should Smoking Be Allowed in Public Places?
      • Is Teen Driving a Right or a Privilege?
      • Should US Companies Be Required to Provide Equal Pay to Women and Men?
      • Is eighteen too young to vote?
      • First Amendment Rights: The Priviledge of The Press
      • Do Mandatory Seat Belt Laws Violate Individual Rights?
      • Should cell phone use be banned while driving?
      • Dealing with the link between video game violence and children's behavior
      • Should police have to submit to routine drug and alcohol testing?
      • Public schools should not impose mandatory drug testing on students
      • Are High Taxes on Cigarettes Proper?
      • Should pharmacists be required to violate their religious beliefs and dispense the "Morning After Pill?"
      • Should school counselors uphold patient privacy or report students who become unstable?
  • For the record
    • Ongoing Issues >
      • Red Dawn in Ukraine: Understanding the Actions of Russia >
        • On Russia’s Coercion of Ukraine
        • The Russian Annexation of Crimea in the Eyes of the World
        • Putin Has Overplayed His Hand With Crimea
        • Ukraine in Terms of Resovereignization
        • Avoiding a Conflict Between America and Russia Over Ukraine
        • What Drives the World’s Interest in Russia’s Actions in Ukraine
      • China’s Aggressive Pursuit of Interests Demands a Global Response
      • Iran Makes a Deal: A Start to a Long-term Diplomatic Effort to Denuclearize Iran >
        • On the Future of a Nuclear Negotiations with Iran
      • America's Sphere of Influence: Retaking South-East Asia >
        • Power in Asia: Looking at the Power Shift in Japan
        • The China Paradox: Why America is Worried About China
      • Assessing US Support of Israel >
        • Tread Softly Israel for a Heavy Step May Be Your Undoing
      • Understanding the Dysfunctional Nature of the US-Pakistani Relationship
      • Recognizing the True Threat Behind the Current Unrest in the Middle East >
        • Reacting to the Escalating Crackdown in Syria
      • Assessing the Threat of North Korea >
        • Answering North Korea's Call for Food Aid: Breaking the Vicious Cycle Forced Upon Us by a Warring Nation
        • Dealing with the Restarting of the Korean War
        • North Korea Attacks South Korea
      • Dealing with the Ill-effects of Climate Change
      • Racial Inequality and Oppression Do Truly Exist in Today's Society
      • Should energy independence be a high priority in the US?
      • An overview of world wide Human Rights violations
      • Nuclear Threat from Pakistan
      • Return of The Cold War?
    • World >
      • Coverage of FIFA World Cup is a Chance to Focus on Poverty >
        • The FIFA World Cup Offers Benefits for More Than Brazilian Soccer Fans
        • FIFA Can Bring Brazilians Together as a Nation
      • Being Prepared for Any Potential Dangers at the FIFA World Cup Games
      • Treading Softly on the Politicizing of the 2014 Sochi Olympics Over Gay Rights
      • Why NATO Operations in Libya Lack a Well-defined Mission
      • China Hijacks the Web
      • Lessons from the Great Japanese Earthquake of 2011
      • A Modernizing Cuba Offers an Opportunity for Capitalists
      • The Seeds of Democracy Take Root in the Middle East
      • The Rebirth of Democracy in Tunisia
      • What May Come from the Hurt Revolution in Libya
      • Responding to the Violence of Qaddafi and Other Besieged Leaders
      • Embracing the Rise of a Democratic Egypt
      • Protests in Afghanistan Turn Deadly for Coalition Forces and UN Personnel
      • Haiti: Another Failing Humanitarian Investment
      • What Karzai Can Learn from Calderon
      • START II: A Necessary, Easy Success that Nearly Failed
      • Why Does the U.S. Government Support Independence for the Breakaway Serb Territory of Kosovo but Oppose Independence for the Breakaway Georgian Territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia?
      • Iraq's Electric Issues: When Human Wants Trump Economic Sense
      • The International Community Reacts to Wikileaks: We May Be Moving Toward a Third World War in Cyberspace
      • On Climate Gate
      • Assessing Obama's Afghanistan War strategy
      • 2009 Iranian Presidential Election: The Fallout
      • Resolving Sri Lankan Conflict through Free Media
      • What are the Global Consequences of Russia's Invasion of Georgia
      • The War in Iraq: an assessment of President Bush's surge strategy
      • Drug War: Actions of Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador in terms of Resovereignization
      • Is the Iraq Refugee Crisis America's Responsibility?
      • US support for a united Kosovo, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia: why?
      • Should the US withdraw from Iraq?
      • Setting a Timetable for Troop Withdrawal from Iraq is a Terrible Mistake
      • War on Terrorism is needed
    • Law and Order >
      • Rape in the US Military
      • Ethics of Force-feeding Guantanamo Bay Detainees
      • Reacting to the Aftermath of the Tucson Massacre
    • Economy >
      • Affordability Drives Fear of Obamacare and the Individual Mandate
      • Is the Economy Built for a Job's Recovery?
      • Gutting Healthcare Reform of the Individual Mandate
      • Arizona Budget Cuts Lead to Lethal Healthcare Rationing:
      • Shameful Collection Practices of American Banks
      • The Fed Reveals it Actually Undertook an International Bailout
      • Thoughts on French Budgetary Reforms
      • Seniors Start Businesses
      • The Case for Slimming Down the US Military to Make it Better
      • Looking at the Obama Administration's New Approach to Economic Policy
      • Should the Government Regulate the Credit Card Industry?
      • The Big Three's Big Chance
      • The Unhealthy Tone of the Healthcare Reform Debate
      • Should the federal government offer a bailout for home owners?
      • Environmentalists: Do They Do More Good Than More Harm?
      • Responding to Scott Walker's Contribution to the War on Unions
    • US Government >
      • America Needs to Focus on the Impending Fiscal Crisis
      • Reacting to the Bush Era-tax Cut Extension Deal
      • Quitting the Obama Revolution: The Fickle Nature of American Politics
      • John Boehner's Circus
      • Is the Fed Putting Itself in Jeopardy?
      • Wikileaks Goes After the US State Department
      • Discussing the Political Environment Surrounding the 2011 Budget Debate
      • What the Democrats Can Do to Ensure a GOP Year in 2012
      • What the 2010 Midterm Actually Said
      • Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper
      • Democrats Minus Nancy Pelosi Equals Opportunity
      • Terrorists Go Postal: The Terrorism Threat Reexamined
      • Victory in the 2008 Election: Reaction to Barack Obama'a Win >
        • Expectations for Barack Obama
      • President Obama's first one hundred days
      • John McCain's Negative Campaign
      • Reasons People did not Elect John Mccain
      • History judges the George W. Bush Administration
      • Should the next US President focus on domestic issues?
      • President Bush, should he resign or be impeached
      • Should the Ban on Government Sponsored Assassinations be Repealed
    • Off Topic >
      • A Face of America’s Greatest Generation
      • A Story About a Man Who Made the World a Better Place
      • Making the World a Better Place
      • The Bipolar Ethical Nature of Google
      • Learning Computer Plays Jeopardy
      • Verifying Medicine is the Real Thing
      • Taking a Practical Step Forward in Optical Computing Using Slow Light
      • Scientists Take a Closer Look at How Lithium Batteries Work
      • Remarking on the First Blizzard of the 2010-2011 Winter Season
      • Driving in the Snow: Acceleration is the Key
      • How People in Northwest PA Are Coping with the Increasing Cost of Oil
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