Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

The NRA has endorsed 39 Dems for the House this Nov...

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opini ... 70898.html

It makes you wonder just who's side the NRA is on, doesn't it?. Clearly, they are on their own side.

http://www.redstate.com/dhorowitz3/2010 ... -majority/

Whoa, wait a sec there. Are you saying the NRA is a Republican organization?

Conservative rather than republican I'd say. Take a look at who spoke at the NRA's annual meeting -- any Dems?

Nope. Of course, I wonder if they invited any...such as Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a pro-gun politician if ever there was one....

Well now that I think about it, Chris Cox (head of NRA's ILA) spoke and he could well be a Dem. He needs to go along with the Dem majority in the House.

If we assume the NRA is purely 2A then it makes some semblance of sense that they might endorse one or two non republicans. There are democrats that stand up for 2A rights even if they lean left on other issues. This is one big reason I harp on all of us here looking beyond the 2nd. We cannot subject ourselves to tunnel vision. We must support and expect our candidates/elected leaders to support the Constitution in toto...no exceptions...

Right on, DK. The 2A is what backs up all the others, yes, but that can't be the single issue on which we vote. For me, adherence to the Constitution is #1, and I will be voting accordingly.

The NRA gave our idiot for a congressman Perrilo a A+ He may claim to be pro 2nd but he's nothing more than a puppet for pelosi,Reid and osama. He sure isn't getting my vote.

The NRA has issued an explanation as to how they derive their choices...In it they state that they are 1) non partisan 2) single issue only (gun),,

The How & Why Behind NRA-PVF's Endorsement Policies

Friday, October 01, 2010

Candidate Ratings And Endorsements Now Available

The 2010 elections are less than five weeks away, and NRA members will be deciding thousands of races. The NRA-Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF -- NRA's Political Action Committee) has redesigned its website, www.NRAPVF.org, to make it more user-friendly and to provide you with the critical information you'll need to make informed decisions on Election Day, November 2nd. New information on the site includes the 2010 candidate grades and endorsements, which were released today. These ratings and endorsements will also appear in the November issue of your NRA magazine (November issue should arrive by mid-October).

With release of the grades and endorsements today at www.NRAPVF.org, here once again is additional information on how our grades and endorsements are issued.

NRA is non-partisan in issuing its candidate grades and endorsements. We base our political decisions solely on gun-related issues, as we are a single-issue organization. By not taking into account political party affiliation and/or non-gun-related issues, we ensure we do not divide our base of support that is united in its support for the Second Amendment.

We have an incumbent-friendly policy that dictates our support for pro-gun incumbents seeking reelection over pro-gun challengers, as voting records trump statements in support of the Second Amendment. We stand with our friends who stand with us in Congress or the state legislature. We would lose all credibility if we abandoned our friends who have stood by us. Of course, should a pro-gun challenger win his election, then he will be the beneficiary of this policy when he seeks re-election.

For candidates who are not incumbents, or who have not previously held elective office, we review answers to NRA's candidate questionnaires. NRA staff also interviews candidates, reviews campaign literature and candidate statements, and factors in intelligence from local NRA members.

All of this information is then reviewed and a grade of A to F is issued. Endorsements are not given in every race, as in addition to a candidate's positions on gun-related issues, NRA staff also has to take into account other factors like a candidate's viability and campaign organization. Our endorsement is not given lightly; it is something that is reserved for those candidates who meet certain criteria and thresholds. It must be earned.

Our endorsements are recommendations only. We understand and respect that voters will decide for themselves how important non-gun-related issues are, and on which issues they will base their final voting decisions. Our job is to provide the clearest information possible on a candidate's stance on Second Amendment-related issues and to encourage our members and supporters to "Vote Freedom First!" on Election Day.

For more information on NRA-PVF's endorsement and grading policies, please click here and here for articles featuring NRA-ILA Executive Director and Chairman of NRA's Political Victory Fund, Chris W. Cox.

Simple yes/no voting records don't mean a thing. It is common practice to feign a pro-gun vote when the politician actually supports the opposite, but their support isn't needed to pass/defeat it. That is the hypocrisy which angers many gun owners.

Take Cantor as an example. Sure, his record looks ok, but in practice he isn't pro-gun. He just needs to appear that he is to win votes. The same thing goes for a lot of politicians.

The NFA is only legal because the government argued it was a tax and not registration. However, in 1986 they banned the manufacture and registration of all new machine guns. The NRA won't challenge that. The pro-gun politicians won't either. In fact, politicians like Cantor would actively fight against such a bill ever being debated. Here is a law that is suppose to only be a tax, but won't allow any new taxable items of a particular kind to exist!

Most politicians are pro-gun so long as it is politically expedient. They don't actually believe it. The NRA plays politics and makes deals with these devils and some gun owners take offense.

gunderwood wrote:Take Cantor as an example. Sure, his record looks ok, but in practice he isn't pro-gun. He just needs to appear that he is to win votes. The same thing goes for a lot of politicians.

And Cantor is a ... REPUBLICAN. The R in NRA cannot stand for Republican, because if it did the GOP would take our votes for granted and not vote for RKBA issues, which many of them are already pretty bad about doing.

The NRA must remain non-partisan to remain effective. We wouldn't want them to be like NOW, which is primarily seen these days as an arm of the DNC instead of an independent advocacy group.

More proof that it's not the National Republican Association (NRA)

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... n-over-fi/

LFS wrote:The NRA must remain non-partisan to remain effective. We wouldn't want them to be like NOW, which is primarily seen these days as an arm of the DNC instead of an independent advocacy group.

Yes. When the government changes hands between only two parties, effective lobbying is hampered if you're identified with one party and the other one is in power. There's no incentive to listen to a given organization if you're on opposite sides and you the politician will get nothing out of it.

Here is GOA's ratings of the VA candidates. I tend to put a little more faith in their choices due to their no BS approach,,,,,If interested here is link to all their picks nationwide,,Lot of D's with NR.....And a few R's refused to answer to. Not all R;s are on our side for sure,, The ones who refuse to answer the GOA or NRA surveys are the most unnerving... A vote for them is a crap shoot,,,,, I have included the link to the NRA's calls for VA ...There are some differences at NRA from the GOA,,,Seems a few candidates would answer NRA but not GOA>>Hmmmmmm,,,,Gotta wonder!
http://gunowners.org/2010candidateratingsguide.htm
http://www.nrapvf.org/upcoming-elections/Virginia.aspx

GOA Virginia Candidates
House
DISTRICT NAME PARTY RATING
01 WITTMAN R B
01 BALL D NR
02 RIGELL R NR
02 NYE D B
02 GOLDEN I A
03 SMITH R NR
03 SCOTT D F
04 FORBES R A
04 LEGROW D NR
05 HURT R A
05 PERRIELLO D C
06 GOODLATTE R A
07 BAYNE I A
07 CANTOR R A
07 WAUGH D NR
08 MURRAY R NR
08 MORAN D F--
09 GRIFFITH R A
09 BOUCHER D C
10 WOLF R D--
10 BARNETT D NR
11 FIMIAN R NR
11 CONNOLLY D F
11 DOTSON L A


© 2010 by Gun Owners of America
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 - Phone: 703-321-8585 - Fax: 703-321-8408
The information contained herein may be disseminated for non-commercial purposes as long as credit is given to GOA.

It's a shame Dotson (11th) doesn't have much of a chance as a third party candidate. Dotson's A-rating endorsement, if acted on by voters in the 11th District, will end up increasing the reelection chances of the F-rated democrat Connolly.

Still on the fence about joining the NRA, or renewing your current membership?. You might want to watch this video and ask yourself if this is where you want your money to go.



If you're still on board with the direction the NRA leadership is headed, then by all means use the link below to join or renew:

https://membership.nrahq.org/

Or just send your checks directly to the DNC, Attn: Nancy Pelosi

What could possibly go wrong?.

It seems to me that the NRA is backing established politicians rather than Rs or Ds in particular. It almost seems like the NRA is hedging their bets.

If they back the established Democrat or Republican (really makes no difference) they can gain favor with them if they happen to win and certain favors will be due. On the other hand, if they lose the other candidate is often a "Tea Party like" candidate who in general is already on board with gun rights. Should the "Tea Party like' candidate win, they are likely to make amends with the NRA and support gun rights, but the established politician needs to be bought and dragged alone the agenda.

The NRA has stated that if they are given two candidates of equal rating, they favor the incumbent. This is pretty wise given that incumbents have a huge advantage and tend to win re-election more often than not. Additionally, incumbents have a voting record for the office in question.

I think saying that the NRA is supporting the DNC is hyperbole.

LFS wrote:The NRA has stated that if they are given two candidates of equal rating, they favor the incumbent. This is pretty wise given that incumbents have a huge advantage and tend to win re-election more often than not. Additionally, incumbents have a voting record for the office in question.

I think saying that the NRA is supporting the DNC is hyperbole.

That isn't at all what I was saying. That is standing policy. I was suggesting that the inflated grades (perception?) that many incumbents seem to be getting is a product of that strategy. It isn't just Democrats that have some people scratching their heads.