Why Is the NRA So Powerful?

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Slate asks the question, “Why Is the NRA So Powerful?”

These pictures give us a clue.  The first is from our lobby day back in March when a few thousand people from all across the state paid their own way to come to Albany to lobby their legislators.  The second is from New Yorker’s Against Gun Violence’s lobby day back in April when Jackie Hilly had to bus in a couple dozen or so kids from Crown Heights to the Legislative Office Building so she wouldn’t be lonely standing in the Well all by herself.

NYSRPA Rally 3-20-2012

NYAGV Rally April 25, 2012

The answer to Slate’s question is real simple: We have actual members and represent a real constituency.  The antis are just astroturf.

H/T: SNBQ.

Possible political fallout?

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A thought occurred to me:

In the wake of SCOTUS upholding Obamacare, do “moderate” Democrats advance pro-gun legislation, including H.R. 822 in the Senate, in an attempt to defuse voter anger directed towards them and lessen the political fallout in the November elections?

Something to think about.

Holder votes

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Two local Democrats who have been friendly towards gun rights voted in favor of the Eric Holder contempt resolution, Bill Owens and Kathy Hochul.

NRA announced that they would count the vote towards each reps. ratings, but according to the Democrat & Chronicle that did not affect Hochul’s decision:

“… Hochul said the fact that the National Rifle Association had made the contempt vote part of its scorecard for lawmakers did not play a role in her decision. She said she had “no idea’’ what her NRA rating is. “I haven’t checked to see if I have been rated,’’ she said …”

Holder in contempt

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The House voted to hold Eric Holder in contempt of Congress by a mostly partisan vote of 255-67.  Congresswoman Kathy Hochul was one of a handful of Democrats to vote in favor of the charge.  Congressman Richard Hanna posted the reason for his vote on his Facebook page.

Primary aftermath

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Results from Tuesdays Congressional primaries:

GOP Senate primary Tuesday

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Republicans pick their candidate for Senate in Tuesday’s primary.  Turnout is expected to be low and every vote counts.  The choices are:

  • Wendy Long – pro-gun.  Came to our annual meeting a few weeks back.
  • George Maragos – no record.  I saw one report where he claimed to be pro-gun, but he did not return the questionnaire I sent him when he ran for Nassau Comptroller.  His website lists a vague “I support the Second Amendment” statement.
  • Bob Turner – antigun.  Voted against H.R. 822.

Long’s campaign will be doing robocalls featuring Tom to 100K+ “sportsmen” today and tomorrow in a GOTV effort.

Legislative Report #23

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Legislative Report #23 is online.  This is probably the last update for the year as the legislature is in recess.  There is always the possibility of a day or two special session in the fall, but for all practical purposes we’re done for the year.

Microstamping losing support

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The official vote for the A-1157B was 85-60.  The vote on A-1157A last year was 84-55.  All several weeks worth of (mostly) antigun commentary in support of microstamping got the antis was a few more votes against it including Democrat Kevin Cahill who switched his vote to No.

79-52

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Micorstamping bill A-1157B pased the Assembly by an unofficial vote of 79-52 after roughly 2.5 hours of debate.  The Assembly’s web server overloaded early on as people tried watching the live feed. Michelle Schimel had to be reprimanded twice by acting speaker Peter Rivera for her near hysterical behavior when questioned by Marc Butler and Dan Burling.  Archived copies of the floor discussion should be available online in the next few days along with the final vote sheet.

More back and forth on microstamping

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I’m told the microstamping bill A-1157B is going to the Assembly floor for a vote sometime today.

Watch the live session feed here.