GOA BULLETIN - GUN CONTROL BILL GETS PULLED - HERE'S WHO TO THANK, WHO TO KICK IN THE ASS

Gun Owners of America

Gun Control Bill Gets Pulled! You can breathe a sigh of relief ... for now “The Gun Owners of America chimed in, attacking Republican senators who showed any interest in compromise, arguing that a national gun registry would arise from the bill.” -The New York Times, April 17, 2013 You guys were amazing! Your efforts have accomplished what, four months ago, many in Washington thought was impossible: a total and complete victory (for now) against President Obama’s anti-gun agenda. But let's face it. We're never going to be able to let our guard down entirely, until the 113th Congress adjourns in December, 2014. Senator Harry Reid has now pulled the gun bill from the floor. And it appears he would have to move to proceed in order to bring it up again - something that would require 60 votes to do so. Moreover, if Obama tries to make another run at gun control, pro-gun senators are prepared to go on the offensive and offer amendments to back Harry Reid down. These provisions would include pro-gun amendments that: Cut Justice Department funds for states with gun confiscation and registration (i.e., New York, Connecticut, Maryland); Take another run at passing the Thune-Cornyn-Vitter national concealed carry reciprocity amendment; Provide that no veteran can lose any constitutional right without a court order. So it's time to celebrate your enormous victory and recognize those heroes who played a part. 1) First of all, there’s you! The Nutty Lefties now fear you guys more than any group in America. Give yourself a pat on the back for all your hard work. It has been noticed by many on Capitol Hill and even by the anti-gun media. Just consider some of the recent headlines: “Democrats blame ‘Gun Owners of America’ for gun control setback,” - TPM, April 8, 2013. “Gun Owners of America out-hardlines the NRA” - Salon, April 4, 2013. “Upstart group [GOA] pushes harder than the NRA,” - New York Times, April 3, 2013. And then there’s what anti-gun Senators are saying: “Schumer’s spokesman Brian Fallon took note of Gun Owners of America’s role in the debate, tweeting a link to the Times profile and saying the group ‘is making a deal on even background checks extremely hard.’” - TPM, April 8, 2013 “Democratic staffers likewise tell the paper [Slate] that other Republicans they’ve approached to co-sponsor a background check bill were quick to point to the GOA as the most obvious reason not to.” - Slate, April 4, 2013 2) Senators Rand Paul (KY), Ted Cruz (TX) and Mike Lee (UT)--and their entire staffs - deserve your thanks. These three Senators led the filibuster and forced Obama & Co. to expend much capital in simply getting Reid’s gun control bill to the floor. Honorable mention also goes to Senators John Cornyn (TX) and John Thune (SD) and their offices. While Cornyn is a key player on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Thune is the leader of the Second Amendment Task Force in the Senate. Both offices provided invaluable support in strategizing and marshaling the opposition to Reid’s gun control efforts. Finally, we should not forget Minority Leader Mitch McConnell who adopted a very sound strategy in combating Reid’s gun control bill. Nor should we forget the words of the Declaration of Independence and our “firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence” for His defense of our rights. 3) The gun lobby that represents you. GOA and NRA stood together in opposition to gun control. Our presence was even able to pull another gun organization onto the right side - the one that announced it was originally supporting the Toomey-Manchin-Schumer provision. As we alluded to in a previous alert, that group later renounced its initial support. 4) The Senators who both supported the Paul-Cruz-Lee filibuster and opposed the Toomey-Manchin-Schumer provision. Realize that many of these Senators who voted right were under INTENSE PRESSURE to vote wrong. GOA has heard of intense debates that occurred in some of the offices that voted right. And yesterday, the Brady Campaign began using its platform on MSNBC to urge gun banners to call their Senators and hammer those who voted for the Second Amendment. So it is imperative for us to not forget those who voted right! With that in mind, we are listing below the Senators who voted correctly on the TWO MOST IMPORTANT VOTES: the vote AGAINST the motion to proceed on S. 649 on April 11 and AGAINST the Toomey-Manchin-Schumer amendmend on April 17. There are 31 Senators who voted right on BOTH of these key votes, and this is who they are: John Barrasso (R-WY) Mark Begich (D-AK) Roy Blunt (R-MO) John Boozman (R-AR) Dan Coats (R-IN) Thad Cochran (R-MS) John Cornyn (R-TX) Mike Crapo (R-ID) Ted Cruz (R-TX) Mike Enzi (R-WY) Deb Fischer (R-NE) Chuck Grassley (R-IA) Orrin Hatch (R-UT) Jim Inhofe (R-OK) Mike Johanns (R-NE) Tim Johnson (R-WI) Mike Lee (R-UT) Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Jerry Moran (R-KS) Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) Rand Paul (R-KY) Rob Portman (R-OH) Mark Pryor (D-AR) James Risch (R-ID) Pat Roberts (R-KS) Marco Rubio (R-FL) Tim Scott (R-SC) Jeff Sessions (R-AL) Richard Shelby (R-AL) John Thune (R-SD) David Vitter (R-LA) ACTION: Contact the Senators above and thank them for their pro-gun votes. If your Senator is not listed above, then he or she needs to be hammered. And you might point out the following irony to those Senators who voted wrong: During a week when the Senate voted to infringe upon the rights of gun owners, the residents in Boston were cowering in fear and locked in their homes hoping that one of the two bombers didn’t go into their homes and take them hostage while they’re hiding from the cops. Gun control does not make us safer and does not stop bad guys from acquiring dangerous weapons. How they voted. You can go to the links below, to see how your Senators voted on the most important issues: (1) Votes where GOA scored NO as the correct position - the motion to proceed to S. 649 (the filibuster vote), the Toomey-Manchin-Schumer gun owner registry, the Feinstein gun ban, and the Lautenberg magazine limitation; and, (2) Votes where GOA scored YES as the correct position: the Cornyn-Vitter-Thune concealed carry reciprocity amendment, the Burr provision to protect veterans’ gun rights, and the Barrasso language cutting off funds to states that release gun owners’ names.

GOA - HERE'S WHERE WE ARE ON OBAMA'S GUN CONTROL PROPOSALS

Gun Owners of America Here’s where we are on Obama's gun control proposals: Today, the Nut-Left Democrats on the Senate Judiciary voted to report the Feinstein gun ban –which could ban between 50% and 80% of guns and magazines in circulation today. It may not even get a majority in the Senate – much less the 60 votes needed to pass. And it is being pushed primarily to allow anti-gun Democrats from pro-gun states to pretend to be pro-gun. Tuesday, the Judiciary Committee passed, by a 10-to-8 vote, the universal gun registry bill. Chief sponsor Chuck Schumer has been unable to achieve Republican support from anyone other than the anti-gun Illinois Republican Mark Kirk. Therefore, unless another Republican sells out at the last minute, we believe we can successfully filibuster this ill in the full Senate. Tuesday, by a vote of 14-to-4, the Judiciary Committee also reported a Boxer bill that would increase, by $10 million, the funding for an existing school safety program. The money could be used for armed guards, as the NRA proposes, or it could be used for an anti-gun study. It is therefore neither inherently “pro-gun” nor “anti-gun.” We have said we would oppose proceeding to Boxer if it is a vehicle for votes on other anti-gun measures – but that we would not object to its passage, without amendment, by “unanimous consent.” This brings us to the central battlefield: Last week, the committee reported, by a vote of 11-to-7, the Veterans Gun Ban, S. 54. The lone GOP vote in favor came from Chuck Grassley, who indicated he would oppose the bill on the Senate floor unless it was improved from the committee-reported version. As we see it, the chief strategic objective is now to keep gun control votes from coming to the Senate floor by opposing the “motion to proceed” to any bill which is going to be used as a vehicle for gun votes.   That would certainly mean that senators should oppose moving to proceed to universal gun registries or the Veterans Gun Ban. But it also means that we oppose moving to proceed to so-called non-controversial bills, such as Boxer, if those bills are being brought up as a vehicle for anti-gun amendments.   ACTION: Click here to contact your senator. Ask him to oppose any motion to proceed – by filibuster if necessary – to the Feinstein gun ban, the universal gun registry bill, the Veterans Gun Ban (S. 54), or to any other piece of legislation being brought up as a vehicle for votes on these anti-gun proposals.      Please do not reply directly to this message, as your reply will bounce back as undeliverable. Please forward this e-mail to friends and family Gun Owners of America 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102 Springfield, VA 22151 703-321-8585 www.gunowners.org Contact Form If this alert was forwarded to you, you can subscribe to receive alerts directly by clicking here.

If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from us, please click here.

OBAMA PUSHING "MOST ANTI-SECOND AMENDMENT NOMINEE" IN RECENT HISTORY - CONTACT YOUR SENATORS RIGHT AWAY

Gun Owners of America   Obama Pushing “Most Anti-Second Amendment Nominee” in Recent History Contact your U.S. Senators right away!   Senators on Capitol Hill are telling Gun Owners of America that Harry Reid is twisting arms to get support for one of the most anti-gun judicial nominees in recent memory.   Her name is Caitlin Halligan, and she has a long track record in favor of gun control.  In fact, one Senate Republican said that she is the most “anti-Second Amendment nominee Obama has ever put forward.”   As New York’s Solicitor General, Halligan was one of the chief lawyers responsible for New York’s baseless and politically motivated efforts to bankrupt gun manufacturers using frivolous litigation. In so doing, Halligan proved that she places liberal political activism above fealty to the law.   Halligan’s public hatred for firearms was only matched by her zealotry inside the courtroom. In a speech on May 5, 2003, Halligan called for “handgun manufacturers [to be held] liable for criminal acts committed with handguns.”   Certainly, no other manufacturer of another item -- whether it be cars, baseball bats, or anything else -- would be held liable for the criminal misuse of its product. And, as Halligan well knows, the application of that principle to firearms would surely eliminate the manufacture of firearms in America.   After attempts of legal extortion of the firearms industry were repudiated by a bipartisan vote in Congress, Halligan’s office did not let up on attacking gun rights, signing a legal brief calling for New York courts to declare the federal Gun Makers’ Protection Act unconstitutional.   Finally, Halligan, in written testimony submitted to the Senate in connection with her nomination, attempted to conceal the extent of her anti-gun animus.   Halligan’s failure to provide information that would clarify her statements, thus keeping her testimony from being misleading, constitutes “fraud” against the Senate. As such, the only role she should play in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals is the role of a defendant.   But, of course, none of this matters to Harry Reid. He and President Obama are doing what they can to pack the Appeals Courts with radical leftists.   We have to stop this Reid/Obama court-packing scheme. Please act now, as Reid is pushing hard for a vote on Halligan’s nomination.   ACTION:  Click here to contact and demand that your U.S. Senators oppose the Caitlin Halligan nomination to the DC Court of Appeals and support ANY and ALL efforts to filibuster her nomination.   Please do not reply directly to this message, as your reply will bounce back as undeliverable. Please forward this e-mail to friends and family Gun Owners of America 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102 Springfield, VA 22151 703-321-8585 www.gunowners.org Contact Form If this alert was forwarded to you, you can subscribe to receive alerts directly by clicking here.

If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from us, please click here.

PIERS MORGAN, IN HIS RED DIAPER TAKES ON LARRY PRATT OF GOA - LARRY WON

http://constitutionclub.org/2012/12/19/piers-morgan-vs-larry-pratt-watch-the-fur-fly/

LARRY PRATT OF GOA VIDEO - TIME TO SHUT DOWN ATF!

FROM JPFO - EXPOSING NRA POLITICAL HANKY-PANKY

Y'ALL KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE NRA. THEY ARE SELL-OUTS TO POLITICIANS. PUT YOUR MONEY INTO ALTERNATIVE SECOND AMENDMENT CAUSES LIKE JPFO AND GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA AND EVEN OATHKEEPERS. I'VE FOUND THROUGH THE YEARS, THEY ARE UNBLEMISHED, AND NOT SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE SEDUCTION OF BIG MONIED POLITICIANS.

September 27th 2010

David Codrea Exposes NRA Political Hanky-Panky

In our recent "in-house" survey, the vast majority of our correspondents wanted us to continue to pay close attention to the activities of the NRA. With that thought in mind we'd like to bring to your attention these three articles by David Codrea, which expose the political hanky-panky that continues at the NRA .......

www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/nra-nevada-endorsements-betray-angle-and-gun-owners
www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/why-is-anti-gun-mayor-bloomberg-backing-harry-reid
www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/fear-of-schumer-reid-angle-race-is-a-cop-out

Have you watched "No Guns For Jews" yet? Pay close attention to the strategy we have created for you to use to put our enemies on the defensive and in doing so, abolish "gun control". The "No Guns For Jews" homepage is here - http://nogunsforjews.com/

-----ooooOOOoooo------

Get an aggressive defense of your rights, team up with JPFO today!

The Liberty Crew
Protecting you by creating solutions to destroy "gun control"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA - VICTORY FOR THE SECOND AMENDMENT

Victory for the Second Amendment
-- Gun Owners triumphant at the Supreme Court today

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org

Monday, June 28, 2010


Gun Owners of America rejoices in the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Otis McDonald and against the city of Chicago. In doing so, the Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment applies the right to keep and bear arms (in the Second Amendment) to all 50 states.

"This is great news for Otis McDonald in Chicago and even greater news for citizens that are languishing under restrictive gun control laws across the country," said Erich Pratt, Director of Communications for Gun Owners of America.

GOA is still pouring through the ruling and will have a more detailed analysis later. But in brief, the Court ruled that:

* "The Fourteenth Amendment makes the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms fully applicable to the States."

* "A survey of the contemporaneous history also demonstrates clearly that the Fourteenth Amendment's Framers and ratifiers counted the right to keep and bear arms among those fundamental rights necessary to the Nation's system of ordered liberty."

These are arguments that GOA has been making for years. In fact, Gun Owners of America submitted an amicus brief in this case and was pleased to see that Justice Clarence Thomas made some of the exact same arguments (found in our brief) in his concurring opinion.

The decision by the Court today will have tremendous ramifications for the restrictive gun control laws in California, New York City and elsewhere.

Gun owners, please stay tuned!

---

HOUSE DEMS TRYING TO GAG THEIR POLITICAL OPPONENTS - HR5175!

I received an email from a relative this a.m. about his anger at the NRA which really isn't on "our" side when it comes to legislators and legislation concerning the Second Amendment. I told him to discontinue his membership, probably a lifer, and to join Gun Owners of America AND Jews for the Preservation of Gun Ownership. They are 100 per cent in support of our Second Amendment rights and gun ownership. A better alternative to the NRA - but that's my opinion.



House Democrats Close to Reinstituting Penalties for Criticizing Congress
-- Help GOA get other pro-gun groups on board in this fight

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

We alerted you last week to the very dangerous DISCLOSE Act (HR 5175), where liberal House Democrats are trying to gag their political opponents.

Well, there have been some late-breaking developments in the fight to kill this bill, but you're not going to believe what's happening. This is what Politico.com reported yesterday:

House Democrats have offered to exempt the National Rifle Association from a sweeping campaign-finance bill, removing a major obstacle in the push to roll back the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling.

The NRA had objected to some of the strict financial disclosure provisions that Democrats have proposed for corporations and politically active nonprofits and that had kept moderate, pro-gun Democrats from backing the legislation.

But if the NRA signs off on the deal, the bill could come to the House floor as early as this week. The NRA said it would not comment until specific legislative language is revealed.

An NRA official also noted that the group would not be supporting the bill but would not actively oppose it if the deal with the Democratic leadership holds up.

So if the NRA gets an exemption for itself, it will not oppose the anti-freedom DISCLOSE Act (HR 5175). This legislation is designed to overturn major parts of the recent Supreme Court decision which restored the ability of groups like GOA to freely criticize elected officials during a campaign.

But the NRA would no longer oppose the bill once they've won an exemption for themselves. As reported by Politico.com:

The legislation in question is designed to restore more campaign finance rules in the wake of last year's Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, which removed prohibitions on corporations and unions running TV ads opposing or backing candidates in the run-up to an election.

Democratic leaders fear the Citizens United decision could open the floodgates for corporate money to flow into this year's midterm elections, which they believe would favor Republican interests.

The legislation, offered by Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, would require special-interest groups to disclose their top donors if they choose to run TV ads or send out mass mailings in the final months of an election.

In addition to benefiting the NRA, this "exemption" amendment will benefit Blue Dog Democrats who will be given a green light to support the Obama-Pelosi backed bill:

Democrats are justifying the NRA exemption, saying the organization has a long history of being involved in the political process, and they say the real goal of the new campaign finance bill is to expose corporations and unions that create ambiguous front groups to run attack ads during campaigns. Unions would not be allowed to use the NRA exemption.

North Carolina Rep. Heath Shuler, an NRA backer and conservative Democrat, proved to be pivotal to the NRA deal. Shuler was the first to offer an amendment to exempt the NRA and other nonprofits from the legislation, but that move drew objections from campaign watchdog groups.

"There were a number of concerns that the DISCLOSE Act could hinder or penalize the efforts of certain long-standing, member-driven organizations who have historically acted in good faith," Shuler said, referring to the NRA. "Most of those concerns are addressed within the manager's amendment."

But here's the rub, the special exemption amendment will ONLY benefit the NRA and no other groups whatsoever. It will leave all other groups who are currently in Obama's crosshairs dangling in the wind:

The proposal would exempt organizations that have more than 1 million members, have been in existence for more than 10 years, have members in all 50 states and raise 15 percent or less of their funds from corporations. Democrats say the new language would apply to only the NRA, since no other organization would qualify under these specific provisions. The NRA, with 4 million members, will not actively oppose the DISCLOSE Act, according to Democratic sources.

The exemption for a huge group like the NRA is sure to outrage smaller special-interest groups [like Gun Owners of America].

We are in a political war, and our opponents are trying to change the rules of the game by gagging those groups that are their political enemies. Some might say that the requirement to disclose our membership is not a gag rule, but it most certainly is. Gun Owners of America will NOT do anything that would jeopardize the privacy of our members!

Gun owners know the dangers of being registered, as it has often proven to be the first step towards gun confiscation -- which, by the way, is why it's lamentable that the management of the NRA is selling out its members for the proverbial bowl of pottage. (Go to http://tinyurl.com/2uw9sm9 to see what a leading Capitol Hill blog has written about this sell-out.)

We're positive that regular members of the NRA would never want this to happen -- where all the other pro-gun organizations (like GOA) that are fighting to protect our rights would be gagged, while special favors are cut for one group in particular.

We stand shoulder to shoulder with NRA and all the other pro-gun groups when they are fighting to defend our Second Amendment freedoms. We all have to stick together if we are going to win these battles.

We're not sure who is making the decisions over at the NRA headquarters... but this type of thing would have never happened in the past, and we're positive that the NRA membership would not be happy with it. This cannot stand!

ACTION: Please do everything you can to kill this dangerous DISCLOSE Act legislation (HR 5175). Here's what you can do:

1. Urge your congressman to oppose HR 5175. You can use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send a pre-written message to your Representative.

2. Call the NRA-ILA at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) and urge them to oppose this legislation and to rate any congressman who votes in favor of HR 5175 as having cast an ANTI-GUN vote. Urge them not to sell out our constitutional freedoms just because they can get an exemption for themselves.

3. Please help Gun Owners of America to continue fighting for your rights. You can go to http://gunowners.org/contribute-to-goa.htm to help us alert as many people as possible to this new threat.

----- Pre-written letter -----

Dear Representative:

I stand with Gun Owners of America in opposing the DISCLOSE Act (HR 5175).

There are reports that a deal may be cut to exempt one large organization from the terms of the DISCLOSE Act. This smacks of the money-for-votes fiasco which helped grease the skids for passage of ObamaCare and which has already lowered Congress' reputation to unprecedented depths.

On the Senate side, Senator Mitch McConnell blasted this deal, which is aimed at carving out special exemptions for the NRA leadership in exchange for their promise to sit on their hands and not oppose the DISCLOSE Act. "If there is one thing Americans loathe about Washington, it's the backroom dealing to win the vote of organizations with power and influence at the expense of everyone else," McConnell said.

"Just as it wasn't the Democrats' money to offer in the health care debate, free speech isn't theirs to ration out to those willing to play ball -- it's a right guaranteed by our First Amendment to all Americans."

I agree wholeheartedly. Please do NOT vote in favor of this legislation, as it will have a chilling effect upon our free speech rights by forcing the organizations we associate with to disclose their membership lists.

How ironic that a Congress and President who treat transparency with contempt should now be trying to force legal organizations to disclose the names of their law-abiding members. The hypocrisy is blatant, to say the least.

Vote no on HR 5175.

Sincerely,

---

Please do not reply directly to this message, as your reply will bounce back as undeliverable.

To subscribe to free, low-volume GOA alerts, go to: http://www.gunowners.org/ean.htm. Change of e-mail address may also be made at that location.

To unsubscribe send a message to gunowners_list@capwiz.mailmanager.net with the word unsubscribe in the subject line or click on the link at bottom.

Problems, questions or comments? Please visit http://gunowners.net/cgi-bin/ttx.cgi?cmd=newticket or call 703-321-8585 during normal east coa

HARRY REID AVOIDS TEA PARTY IN HOMETOWN, THEN GETS COZY WITH WAYNE LAPIERRE OF NRA AT A SHOOTING RANGE OPENING

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/27/tea-party-town-harry-reid-helps-open-shooting-park/

SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DO?

You CANCEL YOU SUBSCRIPTION TO THE NRA.
And you write to Wayne LaPierre and tell him he's a fraud, and so is the NRA.

There are alternatives who really have their goals firmly set to uphold the Second Amendment in the USA - Gun Owners of America and Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, to name two.

If you know others, send me a comment. I'll be watching to post them here.

NRA capitulates on Sotomayor

http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/07/21/national-rifle-association-totally-capitulates-on-sotomayor/

I told you, I told you, I told you. Take your precious shekels out of the NRA and put them in the coffers of Gun Owners of America or Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership.

This isn't the first time the NRA cowtowed to the anti-gunners. They have done it over and over again.

From Frank Talk About Guns (USA)

November 28, 2008

Meanderings From Some Crowded Minds Dear Folks, Around here, we've talked a lot about what may lie ahead for the gun industry. And if we thought it was almost surreal before the election, times have gotten even stranger after the election. The economy is still wildly yo-yoing and nobody can tell you where it's all going. But what we can tell you is that the firearms industry is having gang-buster sales - one of the few really bright spots in the economy right now. There is one heck of a rush to the local gun shop and online gun stores. Of course, this is panic buying... all those folks who figured "it couldn't happen", or "I'll get a gun sometime", are now realizing that we are going to have the most anti-gun administration this country has ever seen. One that doesn't believe or care about the second amendment being a personal right, despite the Supreme Court ruling, or their election promises, or about self-protection, or about the castle doctrine or any of those other issues we gun owners care about. So they are rushing out to buy the guns while they still can. I'm telling all my gang here to hunker down and ride out the storm. In two years we have a chance to re-do the House of Representatives; in four the Presidency, the House again and some of the Senate. Of all the factors causing the current buying rush, the Obama-nation effect has the largest impact because of the Democratic agenda and their penchant for banning guns. The current make-up of the House and Senate, being almost filibuster-proof, also adds to the fray. Keep in mind it was the Dems who put together the most restrictive weapons ban law we have seen. Word from those in the know is that the Assault Weapons Ban will come back for a vote - hi-cap mags for rifles and handguns are just the tip of that mess - however, this time there won't be a sunset clause. They also want to close the so called "gun show loophole", limiting private sales of firearms between individuals. We should expect the first shot across the bow not long after January 20th. They also plan to try to slip this through with little warning or discussion. For those of you with gun shops, basement gunsmithing businesses and retail gun stores - something my Dad, Bob, told me about years ago still runs true today: When auto sales and durable goods purchases are at an all time low, our business, the gun business, will do well. It's really simple when you think about it. If people are taking part of their income to buy cars and keep their washing machine and refrigerator up-to-date, they have less disposable cash in their pocket to spend on their hobby. If they are not buying cars, houses, or expensive stuff for their homes, they do have a little left over for hobbies. Add to that "pocket change" the fact that when gas prices drop one penny at the pump, it puts one billion plus dollars back into the economy. Oddly enough the combination of all of these means the consumer has more dollars to be spending right now for less expensive items. If you're one of those buying, buy wisely. Cheap is still cheap and often crap. Was, is, and will still be in the future. If you're buying for the future, go with the best you can manage. Go with the products which are going to last the longest. Another odd thing has happened. We're all trying to bulk up our retirement funds. Most of those were invested in equities, that's stock market talk for "stocks". And, frankly, the stock market got trashed. So, now the advent of the "New 401k". Many people are reducing or stopping participation in the former programs and spending their money on something that retains its value in good times and in bad. People are buying guns. Most gun values don't seem to have gone down and they certainly haven't seen the 40-60% loss in value like our stock market has. They may be the recession proof investment plan. >From our side - the industry side - the whole industry is building up inventory as quickly as possible and filling back orders as quickly as possible. This huge demand has caught everyone flat-footed. Everything AR-related is flying off the shelves and there are ever increasing back-order positions. If the ban does go through, any extra capacity built today to handle that demand will go unused so manufacturers are being cautious and wise in their investment in building up production capabilities. What this means to all of us is that everyone is going to have to be more patient and let this all work through. Taking all of these into account, we've seen a perfect storm created for the firearms industry. Everyone I know, which includes even some very left-leaning democrats, has purchased or is considering purchasing a firearm. The whole nation seems to clearly understand what is at stake if there is going to be some type of firearms ban in the future. They are investing now and all those new gun owners give us something to build on. What we all have to do, manufacturers, shops, sport shooters and hunters is work together to get our message out. All those panic buyers who might not have owned an AR before can be strong allies if we get them out shooting. So, keep working with the new shooters, the kids, the ladies, the neighbors. We have to have enough participants in the shooting nation to push back. The stronger the industry, the louder our voice, the more contacts who can carry our message to the Representatives and Senators. Which brings up the final point - and then we're through. We have got to pull together. In numbers comes our strength. So - join the NRA. Add your voice to theirs. There are twelve million of us who say we are members of the NRA, but only around four million plus who have paid dues. Only with numbers will we be able to push back on any legislative action that will ban our rights as guaranteed under the second amendment. Check your membership status now. Join up for this next twelve months, and continue to carry the economic enthusiasm you are feeling now into helping our industry survive the next four years.