General Discussion
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(25,249 posts)They threaten our elected leaders by blackballing them and holding back campaign money so that they lose their job.
Just a thought about a way to take on the NRA and beat them at their own game. Fight fire with fire.
Reverse the tactics on the politicians. Give them grades in the opposite direction. Reward them with campaign funds (money) and high ratings if they are anti-NRA. Penalize them if they are pro NRA hold back their money.
If the money coming from an anti-NRA group is as much or more than the NRA is providing - many of these greedy politicians would switch alliances in a minute. They can't be threatened by the NRA anymore - so they might as well do the right thing.
I'm sure a lot of these pols that are now on the take from the NRA - only support the NRA because they are intimidated by the NRA and want to save their jobs. We need to give them another way to do that.
Money in my opinion seems to be the way.
DonP
(6,185 posts)Bloomberg has been spending more money on gun control than the NRA could ever dream of.
But he doesn't have the infrastructure to turn out 5 million plus motivated voters, even in primaries.
No grass roots in gun control yet, just astro turf.
global1
(25,249 posts)I don't know how Bloomberg is spending their money - but if they don't have an organization of American People that are pro-gun control that can be mustered to vote out the pro-NRA pols - then they are wasting their money.
Bloomberg needs to develop and organize a pro-gun control group to rival and overcome the NRA's voting block. That's how we'll get changed legislation.
DonP
(6,185 posts)Bloomberg thinks he already has organizations, Everytown for Gun Safety and Mom's Demand Action.
He had Mayors Against Illegal Guns too, but a lot of the mayors were voted out after joining or convicted and went up the river for things ranging from simple fraud to child molestation, so that one is kinda gone now.
Problem is, it's a totally top down organization funded by his checkbook. A handful of paid employees, a few volunteers and that's it. No infrastructure with grass roots support, very few dues paying members to get more voters involved.
They have websites for both groups where you can sign up for newsletters and join up and send them a check.
Reality is, people would rather just talk about doing something online than actually get out the checkbook and commit to regular meetings etc.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)The trickle of gun-control activists would give their left _____ to have a million active, donating activists, let alone 5,000,000. They got billionaire $$$$, but they don't have the grassroots, nor a believeable message.
You have named your poison: "Bloomberg needs to develop and organize a pro-gun control group...." Oh, my.
It's YOU and whoever that needs to do this.
It's a sad commentary on the modern progressive outlook that it looks to some sugar daddy on ANY topic to do the "developing and organizing." And gun control ain't progressive to boot.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)manufacturers, militias, and worse.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)sarisataka
(18,655 posts)attacking Democrats on their gun control positions to worry about legislation yet.
He was successful at getting Dan Sullivan and Tom Cotton (both R) elected to the Senate. I don't know of any Congressional seat he helped flip to (D).
Too bad DU admin doesn't reap the gun trolls from this board
Amishman
(5,557 posts)The people who are its active members would rally behind another group and have the same effect. Blaming the NRA is not productive.
branford
(4,462 posts)Most people don't realize it was the SAF, not the NRA, who were behind the Heller and McDonald Supreme Court decisions, and numerous lower court victories.
But it was cathartic