The myth of antigun relevance

On: By: admin

The antigunners allies at ThinkProgress and Media Matters are claiming that the NRA’s endorsements don’t mean that much:

“… The organization’s stamp of approval, it is believed, not only sends a clear message to Americans who own guns, but brings with it indispensable grassroots organizing muscle that can make all the difference in House and Senate races … Many interest groups endorse candidates, but it is fair to say that few find their endorsements as eagerly sought as the National Rifle Association.  And there may be a few races here or there in which an NRA endorsement has a meaningful impact on an election’s outcome.  But it seems clear that those cases are few and far between …”

The antis are really getting desperate if they’re peddling this.  If gun owner endorsements didn’t matter candidates would not seek them out.  In just the past couple of weeks I’ve gotten:

  • 3 fundraising invitations from incumbent state legislators
  • 1 invitation to a re-election campaign kickoff for an incumbent state legislator
  • 1 fundraising invitation from a Congressional candidate
  • 1 request for a candidate questionnaire from a state legislative candidate
  • 1 request for an endorsement from an incumbent county office holder

This is probably more love than the sum total all of the antigun groups nationwide have gotten from ’12 candidates thus far.  The antis aren’t even talking about elections anymore.  They’re in hysterics over the abject failure of their Starbucks boycott.  This is why their legislative agenda is failing.  Politicians don’t see the antis as being willing or able to back up their positions at election time.

Bloomberg: Gun control = suicide control

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The latest from Mayor Mike:

“… “The rate of suicide in New York City is almost half of what it is in the country on average,” he said.  “And most of that comes from the difficulty in getting a gun … we have reduced the number of guns in the city, and I’ll tell you where it shows up.  Health Department put out the suicide statistics yesterday.  It turns out that an awful lot of people, when they want to kill themselves, reach for a gun,” continued the mayor.  “And if they can’t get that gun, the thought goes away and they don’t kill themselves.” …”

As usual Bloomberg blames guns and ignores everything else:

“… It took only a moment for Andre Carrasco to get out of his car and jump to his death from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge last month.   He was the second suicide on the bridge in a month’s time, and his niece wants the city to put up fences along the iconic span, to slow down anyone who might be next …”

Cuomo’s initiative

On: By: admin

Here is the press release announcing Governor Cuomo’s new “Comprehensive Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence.”  It is significant for what is does and what it does not.

What it does is waste a bunch of money on vague, touchy-feely “community-based programs” along with starting a “state-wide advertising campaign focused on reducing gun violence.”

What it does not do is call for more gun control laws.  Michelle Schimel has been asking Cuomo to put microstamping legislation in the state budget.  Carolyn McCarthy asked him to come out in opposition to H.R. 822.  He blew both of them off.  That is not an insignificant thing.  NYAGV cannot be happy with him.

Schimel’s FAIL

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Michelle Schimel tried to get Gov. Cuomo to include microstamping in his proposed budget.

Cuomo’s response was some hugs for thugs and a toll-free tip line instead.

Bloomberg’s bad advice

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Some advice for the antis, “Bloomberg: Gun Control Advocates Should Adopt NRA’s Political Tactics“:

“… “What you’ve got to do is take a look at your Congressman, your Senator, and say ‘Where are you? I’m not going to worry about everybody else.  I’m going to work for your opponent unless you do what’s right to protect my kids and the cops on the corner who are putting their lives on the line to protect me,” Mr. Bloomberg responded when Mr. Gambling asked how voters are supposed to make a difference in such a complicated legislative body … Mr. Bloomberg then made the case that Washington legislators should face scrutiny no matter how bad their opponents are on gun control issues.  “I’ll deal with your opponent when I get that man or woman when he gets into office,” he advocated voters tell their representatives …”

Good advice except for one, tiny problem: antigunners do not have a voting constituency.  The organizations which represent them are largely just front groups for professional politicians and activists which are funded by large foundations including Joyce and Tides.  They can’t turn out people to vote because they aren’t membership-based; they’re mostly astroturf.

The gun control groups don’t even talk much about impacting elections anymore.  CSGV especially seems to be trying to morph into some sort of weird, peace, love, higher consciousness something-or-other.  Whatever they’re going for it isn’t political.  All of them seem in disarray as their money has been drying up in the aftermath of Heller and McDonald.  The only one who is really getting involved with elections is Bloomberg himself and he’s making private donations out of pocket.

Romney’s position

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Mitt Romney has posted a position statement on guns.

He’s not putting anything on the table for gun rights activists.  It’s just words with no substance.  It won’t make him any new friends, but probably won’t make him any new enemies either.

3 Stars

On: By: admin

The Brady’s have release their annual state scorecard and New York comes in at #4 with 62 points which gets us 3 Stars.  The national average is 15 points and 0 Stars.

Some crap media outlets will no doubt carry their press release, but the political impact will be zero.

McCarthy/Ackerman primary

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According to the Queens Gazette, Carolyn McCarthy will primary Gary Ackerman for the Democrat nomination if CD-4 and CD-5 are merged together.

That would not go well for McCarthy.  Ackerman has seniority and, unlike McCarthy, isn’t a one issue shill.  I see him rolling all over her in a primary.

Microstamping point/counter-point

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Timeline: