All of us who wrote got the same letter (thanks to everyone who forwarded theirs), and Armed and Safe presents it and pretty well sums everything up, so I won't duplicate that here.
It's what I expected when I said they didn't want to give an unequivocal "yes" or "no" answer. Their world is too labyrinthine for directness, and they're counting on being a force of influence on pending legislation. As such, they'll do nothing to alienate or jeopardize access, which, for lobbyists, is everything.
And this way, if and when "Maximum Mike" is confirmed, they will not have been among his assailants, providing additional capital.
If nothing else, it's masterful political judo, turning this to their advantage. And here's the other thing: While the rest of us are making noise, they're in there quietly behind the scenes working on legislation that should provide relief for some of the more egregious determinations of dealer noncompliance, such as abbreviations on forms...
And while the rest of us want nothing less than elimination of BATFU, well, really, if that's going to happen, how? Who's leading the effort, how much support and resources do they have, how many sponsors in the legislature...? Truth is, no one has assembled that army, let alone taken the first step to make it happen.
So, what, have I given up? Can I now expect comments about selling out, or asking who got to me?
No, not at all to the first, probably to the second. I'm just laying out the way things are--if we refuse to see them because they piss us off, well, nobody ever won anything through self-imposed blindness. And those of you who decry the NRA's position without anticipating and understanding the rationale for defending it will not be well served.
It's what I expected when I said they didn't want to give an unequivocal "yes" or "no" answer. Their world is too labyrinthine for directness, and they're counting on being a force of influence on pending legislation. As such, they'll do nothing to alienate or jeopardize access, which, for lobbyists, is everything.
And this way, if and when "Maximum Mike" is confirmed, they will not have been among his assailants, providing additional capital.
If nothing else, it's masterful political judo, turning this to their advantage. And here's the other thing: While the rest of us are making noise, they're in there quietly behind the scenes working on legislation that should provide relief for some of the more egregious determinations of dealer noncompliance, such as abbreviations on forms...
And while the rest of us want nothing less than elimination of BATFU, well, really, if that's going to happen, how? Who's leading the effort, how much support and resources do they have, how many sponsors in the legislature...? Truth is, no one has assembled that army, let alone taken the first step to make it happen.
So, what, have I given up? Can I now expect comments about selling out, or asking who got to me?
No, not at all to the first, probably to the second. I'm just laying out the way things are--if we refuse to see them because they piss us off, well, nobody ever won anything through self-imposed blindness. And those of you who decry the NRA's position without anticipating and understanding the rationale for defending it will not be well served.