As it has ramped up its influence activity in Washington, the GOA also touts its member chapters and allies including the California Gun Rights Foundation and other ones in Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas.
Nationally the GOA and its chapters have flexed their lobbying and legal muscles in some significant fights in several states. For instance, in New Mexico the GOA has claimed success in obtaining a temporary restraining order against new gun curbs in Albuquerque.
On the legal front, the GOA has also filed amicus briefs – with help from the conservative lawyer William Olson, who put forward some aggressive schemes to Donald Trump in late 2020 as he sought to overturn his election defeat – in at least two major cases pending at the supreme court where the GOA is seeking to thwart existing and new gun regulations. This month the court heard arguments in US vs Rahimi that could overturn a 30-year-old ban on guns for individuals under domestic violence restraining orders.
Gun experts say the GOA has long tried to outflank the NRA on the right as the most implacable opponent of gun control measures, and now sees an opening to expand its influence in federal and state battles over gun control. …
Some ex-NRA officials downplay the influence of the GOA and other pro-gun groups in the wake of the NRA’s problems.
“The void created by the self-inflicted and fatal chaos that is the current NRA is being filled by numerous other pro-gun organizations,” a former NRA executive said, adding that this situation “is more of a reflection on the demise of the NRA, than the effectiveness of other organizations”.
Another ex-NRA honcho quipped: “GOA’s rise corresponds to when the NRA started going down the crapper.”
Assessing the GOA’s impact and expanded lobbying efforts, the Violence Policy Center’s Rand stressed: “As the NRA has lost its footing, its more extreme members have embraced GOA. The group’s expanding influence can only drive pro-gun positions on legislation even further to the right.”
— Peter Stone in As the NRA fades, a more zealous US pro-gun group rises as a lobbying power
“pushing things to the right” is the way tyrants lap dogs cry about things being more inclined with the Constitution and personal freedom.
Been my experience every time I have heard it in person or otherwise.
Nature abhors a vacuum. Those NRA execs with vacuums in their heads are being pushed aside by Mother Nature, to make room for GOA.
The problem is not and never was the NRA. They don’t make law. Too many people seem to think they do. THEY DON’T! The problem is that too many people that have the power to make law do things that are illegal. You can’t make a law that is in direct conflict with another law without creating big problems in the process. The NRA in their legal wing (the ILA) is reactionary. If politicians would stop acting against the American Constitution then that part of the NRA could get out of the politics and be all about training again like they were meant to to start with. But at this point it’s gone so far that they would have to keep their lobby just to maintain balance in DC. The problem is the that the Democrats want to keep people from being armed and the Republicans all too often let them.
The NRA has some pretty big problems within the organization that are less about DC or the Democrats. They have a leadership that seem to put self above all else. As an organization, they shoot themselves in the foot. That makes the left happy but ultimately translates to the American population gravitating to other orgs like the GOA. A strong NRA makes the GOA less relevant. I would be perfectly happy with the NRA going back to training entirely with the GOA taking care of the legal stuff in DC. Basically meaning dissolving the ILA. Maybe moving the ILA to a position that falls under the GOA.
As for the general population, people need education and training. This has become such an issue primarily due to teachers unions with children being taught the propaganda that the left uses to destroy. THAT is an issue that needs to be dealt with on several fronts. Parents and individual communities ARE part of that. The presidential elections might be a great deal sexier but who gets elected to school boards DOES make a difference in this fight. We have the problems we do because (in part) our children ARE being taught hate. Real science, math, and reading/writing have all takin a back seat to the hate the left is pushing. It’s destroying generations of American prosperity and the American dream. This is about so much more than guns or gun rights orgs. All of that is only part of it.
What they’ve missed is that there’s now a bunch of smaller *and more aggressive* orgs replacing the NRA, especially when it comes to litigation. GOA, SAF, NAGR, NSF, FPC and more are collectively able to launch a bunch more lawsuits than the NRA ever pushed. State level orgs are also joining in the feeding frenzy.
The money that used to pour into the NRA for this stuff is now being spread among smaller groups that can use it a lot more efficiently.
GOA is an important part of the story but they’re not the whole story by any stretch.
Zactly.
As a litigator, I’ve been most impressed with the FPC, which clearly knows how to “fight smart” and use test cases to not only bring short term results (e.g., knocking down laws and regs) but more importantly litigate them in the way to advance a long term overall plan.
But there are lots of other nimble, effective actors out there (e.g., the various orgs that Chuck Michels represents). And most of them operate very economically and efficiently, rather than just gorging themselves at the NRA’s trough (see, e.g., the excretable Mark Brewer).
BTW, watch this space — SCOTUS considered Range and some other relisted 2A cases at the Friday conference, and orders from that conference come out this morning.
SCOTUS Order List is out . . . . No action today on Range.
Will have to wait and see if it has been relisted (i.e., pushed to a future conference — not uncommon) or is just going to be held pending decision in Rahimi.
The other gun groups are not effective, it’s just because the N R A us failing? What kind of lame excuse is that?
Define “failing” please?
Bud Light failed. They are paying a price for that failure. As are others. The concept of ‘too big to fail’ is a lie. This is not an excuse. It’s the way things work. The ONLY real reason the left hates the NRA with such a passion is for the fact that they give so little money to them and instead give quite a bit of money to the Republican party. The fact that the NRA endorsed Trump in 2016 is the straw that broke the camels back. Now the idea is to completely take down and destroy the NRA just like they are trying to do with Trump. All other considerations be damned. It’s the way the money flows. Democrats blame so-called “gun violence” on the NRA because it’s an organization that fights them in favor of the 2A. But that is mainly just on the surface (like so many other things) to convince the masses of lies.
The NRA is failing. That much is obvious. Otherwise we would not see such a prominent rise in the other orgs. That is something they primarily did to themselves but with Democrat support. The problem though is that too many on the left actually think they can actually accomplish something if they rid this nation of the NRA while too many people in the general population think they are accomplishing something by bending over backwards to fund them with every dollar possible. This will reach a head and it very easily could be explosive. People need to wake up to that (on both sides).
One way or the other it will come to a head. I dare say dull and boring will not be visiting anytime soon.
If anything using the NRA as the whipping boy by Gun Grabbers. Has led to the strengthening of all pro 2A organizations. Along with the judicial appointments put in place by President Trump. with the exception of a the states under the control of liberal/progressive democrats. The 2nd Amendment has never been stronger. Not saying there isn’t more work to do, to ensure 2nd A for all law abiding citizens, but that requires for them to pick up the fight and do what needs to be done. Instead of wasting time whining on the Interweb and expecting others to fight their fight.
Darkman for some of us the “whining” is just filling the time between lawsuits searching for more efficient methods. Shit gets expensive and finding ways to not double up between GOA, 2AF, CCKBA, NYSRPA (realistically NRA) and a few wild ass private citizens is helpful longer term. Most of the actual whining I hear is from my local paper on how more and more permits are issued despite only being able to carry in ones car and on some streets to paraphrase. For others dunno what to tell you.
The NRA’s response speed is that of snail-mail and telegram ticker. In the internet age.
I live in a state where one can conceal carry without a permit, and no waiting periods. We proudly rate a solid “F” by Bloomberg’s gun control group. I wish every state could be that way.
Sounds like a good state to live in.
“Democrats blame so-called “gun violence” on the NRA because it’s an organization that fights them in favor of the 2A.”
NRA earned the title “Negotiating Rights Away” all by its self.
“Nationally the GOA and its chapters have flexed their lobbying and legal muscles in some significant fights in several states. For instance, in New Mexico the GOA has claimed success in obtaining a temporary restraining order against new gun curbs in Albuquerque.”
Whoo hoo and yippie yay!!! Temp-po-rary Re-Straining Order!!!! Move over, Heller and company, the big dog is moving in! Something, something, Wayne’s suit…
“Real science, math, and reading/writing have all takin a back seat to the hate the left is pushing.”
Yep. And math is one of the things they learn to hate. That, and the NRA. Raht cheer, sister.
Y’all have a nice day.
A “temporary” restraining order is how the process works. It’s a win, and until the judge writes up and releases his FINAL ruling the case isn’t fully over. Sure it is a LONG process to prosecute a successful lawsuit and win in court but the GOA is chugging forward on MANY different cases and making steady progress that has only been accelerated massively in the post-Bruen legal reality. It’s slow but a hell of a lot faster than sitting on your hands and even dragging butt like that Negotiating Rights Away group has done throughout its long and worthless history. The NRA has sandbagged and stopped way more lawsuits than they have ever successfully campaigned and of those it has almost always been other groups that have done all the legwork like in Bruen only to have the NRA claim the victory afterwards.
The NRA is a dinosaur fossil that should have its bones wired together and stood up in the lobby of a museum. it has no other meaningful or positive use in the fight to return our 2A RKBA Liberty. The NRA must be allowed to die and we will all be much better off.
Bruen part 2 via NYSRPA due to standing but admittedly they are not as active as others for NY.
@NT
So to recap, you ain’t done shit but a couple of temporary restraining orders. But you are encouraged by how well your campaign to destroy the NRA is going…
As is the enemy.
The NRA owns the largest range in the country in Raton, NM.
This is like something out of a movie script.
Sun Tzu applied to Bioweapons….destroying the enemy without having to actually fight.
“The ONLY real reason the left hates the NRA with such a passion”
The reason the Left hates the NRA is that they are EFFECTIVE. The Left and their Tory allies would have banned handguns, semiautos and even repeaters decades ago if not for the NRA. Full-on Mexican-style gun control…
They ‘were’ effective. Not so much anymore.
The only real effectiveness the NRA had was in Negotiating Rights Away and helping to write anti-gun laws and order like the NFA, the GCA, the AWB, the Bumpstock Ban, and most recently the Bi-partisan Safer Communities Act.
They are the bad guys dude. If you can’t see that then you are one of them and not really one of us.
I wont take the NRA’s side here. But I think it’s perfectly acceptable to lament. I blame them (not Trump) for what happened with Bumpstocks. For the NRA to bump pallets of Magpul 30 rounders at the Virginia capital, that’s more akin to Walmart taking ammo off the shelves for people to buy. They are stupid moves that just ‘look’ like they are doing something. That isn’t a reason to patronize either one.
At the same time though, if the left ever managed to completely take down the NRA, it would never be the sweetness they think it would be. They do not understand what it is…and what it isn’t.
So I have a genuine question as I am not an NRA member. They are supposed to be defending the 2nd Amendment and our right to self defense. So why have they not been successful at getting the ’68 gun control across repealed? Wouldn’t that be something they would want to gave repealed??
Hey Superman, right after you “repeal the NFA”, do cold fusion, too.
As to who is “them”, and who is “us”, I am sure Leticia is thankful for your support.
A defeatist AND an NRA shill, who could’ve guessed… People said the same thing about Roe and here we are, you and everyone who thinks like you is a relic of the past and must be left behind while others who don’t make excuses take up the fight.
Somewhere in my meme folders I had a cartoon that showed the NRA as a big dam with cracks forming in it and drops of water seeping through standing over villages in the valley below called “gun control laws” and in the water above the dam were all the no-compromise pro-2A groups waiting to descend down onto and crush the villages down stream once that dam finally broke.
The anti-gun warriors think destroying the NRA will win them the war on guns. How wrong they are will be quite self-evident once they succeed.
Let the NRA -the Negotiating Rights Away group die and release the Kraken that is waiting to descend on the unsuspecting anti-2A bozos who will be celebrating in the streets when that massive Bruen flood hits.them and washes them away like so much filth.
“Let the NRA -the Negotiating Rights Away group die and release the Kraken that is waiting to descend on the unsuspecting anti-2A bozos…”
A much *smarter* move would be for GOA-minded candidates to run for NRA board seats, with the goal of overthrowing WLP’s little boys, and sending WLP packing.
(But keep WLP’s nubile intern around for eye candy… 😉 )
Imagine what the GOA could do with the NRA’s extensive existing infrastructure… 🙂
Once there is poop inside your baloney sandwich you can’t just add more good baloney to make it not a poop sandwich anymore. The only cure for poop in your baloney sandwich is to throw it away and start again with fresh bread and fresh baloney. You can’t salvage the bread from the poop sandwich.
I take it you were the guy that engineered the Charge of the Light Brigade?
Yeah some people tried this reform tactic a couple years ago, some more gun rights focused people getting on the board, “bullet voting” to push certain board candidates. The NRA board is pretty well aligned with Wayne or content to do nothing and let those in control do as they please. Some who tried to resist were marginalized. Organizing a successful reform would be very difficult.
On the other hand that somewhat makes sense, if anyone can jump into an organization and take it over and change it’s culture, then a bunch of progressives or anti-gun nuns could just take over FPC, GOA, etc, and disband them or turn them into gun control orgs.
The Court That Refuses to Revive ATF’s Trigger Rule.
Leftist do not understand individual liberty. They blindly follow whatever their gods tell them (Obama, CNN, The NY Times, the view, etc), so they cannot comprehend that we, the pro liberty side, are the power behind the NRA or Trump. The NRA has faltered, so We, The People simply found another outlet, such as the GOA and others.
It’s why they thought that charging Trump with made-crimes would cause us to abandon him. Or why Hitler thought that the America’s reluctance to enter WW2 was proof of weakness. Same with Imperial Japan, Sadam Hussein, and many others. The left simply doesn’t believe in or understand freedom or faith in God.
The NRA which I am a Life Member yada, yada has its problems like democRats have a bigger problem called joe biden and the biden crime syndicate. I won’t jump ship for promises of greener grass elsewhere. All the NRA needs to rebound is new leadership with fiscal integrity and the integrity to go after Gun Control like the IDF is going after hamas. Here’s an example…
I left the NRA once I really understood what Charlton Heston and the NRA as a whole meant with the “…..pry it from my cold dead hands” stance.
What they meant was “…pry it from my cold dead hands unless it’s a gun I don’t like then I’ll gladly support legislation that would require you to surrender it to the government or go to prison.”
Screw them.
They would fight tooth and nail for their bespoke shotguns.
GOA and 2A Foundation are where to send your money today. You don’t hear much about WLP lately, but the NRA doesn’t get another penny from me until he’s gone.
They get a bit through NYSRPA from me but that is enlightened self interest.
@Shadow
“NRA ….are supposed to be defending the 2nd Amendment and our right to self defense. So why have they not been successful at getting the ’68 gun control across repealed? Wouldn’t that be something they would want to gave repealed??”
The first priority of any organism is to survive. Repeal NFA, GCA, etc., and the organisms die off. Follow the money. There is a reason so much lawfare against anti-gunners focuses on “the industry” and their products, rather than eliminating the major anti-gun regulation.
Aaah, now that makes sense. It reminds me of the RINO Republicans who constantly raise money to get reelected. Always promising stupid voters they will actually do something once they get in power but once there, never actually do anything. “Follow the money”, after all.