Solid as Jello

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Via FoxNews, “Gun rights groups now aligning solidly behind Romney“:

“Gun-rights groups perceive President Barack Obama as a threat to unfettered access to firearms.  They once had qualms about Mitt Romney, too.  But times and circumstances have changed for Romney, the GOP presidential nominee now in tune with the National Rifle Association and similar organizations, whose members are motivated voters …”

What do they mean “once had”?  Gunnies still do have reservations about Romney, lots of them.  He’s not “in tune” with NRA either.  NRA appears to have gotten some assurances from Romney on SCOTUS nominees and H.R. 822 which, along with not making Romney into the second coming of Charlton Heston, have quieted people down somewhat.

While the membership can be motivated to vote, I have not heard a single person say they’re excited about voting for Romney because of his latest positions on gun rights.  Fortunately, with the economy such an overriding issue this election, the gun issue isn’t high up on peoples list of concerns right now.

Voting guide

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The general election voting guide is now online with ratings for Assembly and Senate, plus some judicial endorsements..

Ryan cuts interview short

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Paul Ryan interview on ABC affiliate WJRT. According to the Daily News, the reporter knew he was over time when he started asking questions about gun control and taxes.

NRA ad

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Here’s an NRA ad they’re running in Florida, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.  I’m not impressed with it.

NRA endorsed Romney

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NRA endorsed Mitt Romney:

“… “As the Supreme Court has recently reaffirmed, the Second Amendment protects a basic and fundamental individual right—the right to bear arms,” said Mitt Romney.  “And it is the NRA that protects the Second Amendment.  I am proud to have their support for my candidacy, and when I am president, I will do all in my power to defend and protect the right of all law-abiding Americans to keep and bear arms.” …”

This was hardly unexpected and not everyone is happy about it.   At least they appear to have learned something from their endorsement of John McCain in that they make it clear that they are concerned about the future makeup of the Supreme Court:

“… Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will protect our Right to Keep and Bear Arms by appointing Supreme Court justices who will uphold the rulings in District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. City of Chicago – two landmark cases which held that the Second Amendment guarantees a fundamental, individual Right to Keep and Bear Arms for all law-abiding Americans …”

While clearly all members won’t like this, at least they will understand it.  NRA isn’t trying to make Romney himself into a great hero of the 2A, which is what they tried to do with McCain, and that is what pissed so many people off because it was such blatant bullshit.

Gun control FAIL

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Despite all the crying from the Brady Campaign and Mayor Bloomberg’s attempt to intimidate the candidates with his money, gun control did not come up in yesterday’s debates.

Even better, most viewers believe that Romney wiped the floor with Obama, much to the chagrin of talking head Chris Matthews who was losing his shit over it.

Bloomberg’s ego

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Mayor Mike is trying again to get Obama and Romney to take up his gun control agenda.  This time he’s using one of the Aurora victims as his puppet:

As George points out, Mayors Against Illegal Guns receives 99.97% of their funding from one source: Bloomberg.

He’s funded a number of print and broadcast advertising campaigns over the years and nothing has come from any of them. You’d think that, as a businessman, Bloomberg would realize he’s not getting any return on his investment. The only explanation I can think for his continuing to run them is that he’s just so full of himself that he doesn’t care.

Juan Williams doesn’t get it

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Juan Williams writes, “Terrifyingly large questions for Obama and Romney“:

“Here are really big questions for the big presidential debate on domestic policy on October 3rd in Denver … President Obama, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence has given you an “F.”  They say the failure is based on your “lack of leadership” the gun control issue.  In your first term, we have had three of the worst mass shootings in US History … Could you have done more to stop the spread of assault weapons and gun violence over the last four years?  Will you make gun control a priority in your second term?  Are you paralyzed by the National Rifle Association’s political clout? …”

Just like the antis, Williams’ either doesn’t get it or simply refuses to admit that gun control is not a winning campaign issue.

There’s a reason for all the gun control rollbacks the past few years and it is not because of the NRA.  It is because the public knows gun control is a fraud and are not demanding their elected officials enact more restrictive laws.  Is the NRA somehow responsible for the inability of New Yorker’s Against Gun Violence to bring people to Albany to lobby their issues?  Is NRA preventing people from showing up at Ladd’s weekly protests outside the White House?  The reality is that gun control is a unpopular issue pushed only by a handful of (unfortunately) well-financed and politically connected astroturf groups with negligible genuine public support.

Bloomberg’s bucks

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Mayor Mike is spreading his money around:

“New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg donated $1 million to the Senate Republicans’ housekeeping committee, a contribution that continues his support for the last lever of power controlled by the GOP in the state …”

Bloomberg is not doing out of the goodness of his heart.  He’s going to want them to push his agenda including microstamping.  He’s got the money, but not the voters behind him.  Legislators need to be reminded about this.

UPDATE: Political functionary Blake Zeff writes at Capitol New York, “On gun control, Bloomberg’s money does battle with his words“:

“… What Bloomberg either doesn’t understand or won’t acknowledge is that his words have little influence over these pols, because they can’t damage the officials’ political prospects.  But his money—that’s another thing altogether.  This is not complicated.  If Michael Bloomberg wants to gain traction in pushing gun control laws, financially supporting candidates who actually share this agenda, and trying to oust those who do not, is the better use of his money …”

What Zeff either doesn’t understand or won’t acknowledge is that neither Bloomberg nor any of the gun control organizations represent a voting constituency.  Politicians love money, but it won’t make them commit political suicide which is what his gun control proposals would do to the Senate GOP.