Too Hot to Handle

As of late, we've been covering the increasingly outrageous activity of Open Carry Texas. They've tried packing heat at Chipotle. They've tried "spicing it up" at Chili's. They even chased down Marine Corps veteran James Henry when he dared to show up at their Fort Worth "street heat" demonstration with a camera.

On Monday, the NRA criticized Open Carry Texas for going too far. Mind you, the NRA made sure to praise the policy that Open Carry Texas cherishes. But because the NRA dared to criticize Open Carry Texas' campaign tactics, G-O-TEA Culture Warriors started attacking their own.



And now, the NRA is backing down. On the NRA's own online TV network, a top NRA lobbyist apologized to Open Carry Texas for daring to even criticize its campaign tactics.

On Monday, the NRA called Open Carry Texas' heat packing displays "weird" and "scary". But now, the NRA just wants everyone to look away and move away from this "distraction". And it's all because Open Carry Texas threatened to withdraw its support for the NRA.



So much for the NRA behaving rationally. But then again, the NRA couldn't even condemn Cliven Bundy after he made his now infamous speech on 21st century race relations. What made anyone think it could withstand the rage of Open Carry Texas?

All too often, the NRA has been part of what stood in the way between this nation and stronger gun safety laws. And now, we have a better sense of what's standing in the way between the NRA & sanity. Yet the NRA still can't admit this culture of "gun enthusiasm" that it's nurtured is now too hot for even the NRA itself to handle.

Meet Its Match

Remember this gem from last month? NRA lobbyist Brian Judy was very upset over Nick Hanauer donating to the pro-I-594 campaign in Washington State. So he went Godwin and slid down the rabbit hole into "libertarian populist" gibberish.



We can't help but wonder what Brian Judy is saying now. Nick Hanauer just delivered on a $1,000,000 pledge he made in June for I-594. And none other than Bill & Melinda Gates. The philanthropists and tech industry legends also donated $1,000,000 to the Yes on I-594 campaign.

Go ahead and queue the "libertarian populist OUTRAGE!!!!11111!!!111" now.

Also go ahead & ask this: If the NRA is so "OUTRAGED!!!" at the likes of Bill Gates, Nick Hanauer, and Michael Bloomberg spending on pro gun safety campaigns, why did the NRA spend over $25 million during the 2012 election cycle? Why have the NRA and its gun industry backers spent so heavily on lobbying and campaigning during the past couple of years?

We've seen the results of the NRA's political shopping spree here in Nevada and nationally. A basic background checks bill was filibustered in Congress last year. Similar state level background checks legislation was vetoed by Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA) shortly after. And the NRA has bought itself "open carry orgies" across the nation, from Georgia to Idaho to Florida and elsewhere.



But now, the NRA wants us to believe it's concerned about the overflow of money in politics? That's funny. We don't remember the NRA endorsing any kind of state or federal campaign finance reform legislation. (That's because the NRA never has.)

So why are NRA mouthpieces now screaming at Bill Gates? They're just worried about the NRA finally meeting its match. And now that Nevada is now considering The Background Check Initiative, the NRA is running scared.

In an ideal world, none of this would be necessary. In an ideal world, we'd have a clean money system in place so that no well heeled special interest could buy oneself whatever policies one wants. Hell, in an ideal world, we wouldn't have to resort to ballot initiatives to make major policy changes!

But alas, we don't live in the ideal world. We live in the real world. Yet in this real world, the NRA has finally met its match. And that's why it's suddenly worrying about the big money rolling in for gun safety reform.

Redefining?

Here we go again. Once more, the NRA is trying to spin away the reality of gun violence. Apparently, it's not enough for the NRA to have its own online TV network. It also wants to dictate the terms of use for the English language.

No really, the NRA recently posted this video on the definition of "shooting".



How helpful. We were just thinking about this. What does the NRA think about the definition of "shooting"?

Still, we can't help but wonder who advised the NRA on the definition of "shooting". Did they talk with the family of Kenneth Brown? Did they consult with the family of Michael Landsberry? Or did they only speak with Wayne Burgarello?

But then again, this isn't new for the NRA. Last year, the NRA fought hard against modest background checks... Even though the NRA had previously endorsed universal background checks. Just as the NRA has tried to rewrite its own history, it's now trying to redefine the English language.

Has the NRA been consulting with Cliven Bundy? Has the NRA lost track of where it currently stands on Open Carry Texas? Or is the NRA so afraid of confronting the brutal reality of gun violence that it has to try to convince us that certain words don't actually mean what we think they mean?

So the NRA has shifted from merely "rebranding" its image to redefining words. But try as it might, the NRA can't redefine gun violence.

What Boobs

They still haven't learned. And no, not even an entire online TV channel can save the fine folks at the NRA from their own insani-TEA. Hell, not even an entire online TV channel can save the NRA (and its BFF Open Carry Texas) from an army of topless women armed with "boobs for peace"!



But wait, there's more. Not wanting to be outdone by a bunch of ragtag Texas women daring to "bare it all", the NRA decided to go Godwin.

Oh, yes. That's right. An NRA lobbyist Brian Judy actually compared expansion of background checks to the genocidal tyranny of Nazi Germany. Wait, what?!

The NRA and its "TEA" powered allies in Washington State are furious over Seattle venture capitalist Nick Hanauer supporting I-594. So not only did the NRA decide to engage in "Everyone gets a gun!" style socialism, but one of its Washington lobbyists actually attacked Hanauer, his Jewish heritage. And then, he claimed Hanauer is trying to disarm the proletariat, provoke Helter Skelter, and celebrate his family's escape from Nazi Germany by endorsing the alleged policies that would have exterminated them.



Wait, what?! We know the NRA is trying hard to "rebrand" itself as "the nation's oldest civil rights organization", but this is just beyond the pale. It was bad enough when the NRA celebrated George Zimmerman's ruthless slaughter of Trayvon Martin. It only worsened when the NRA then encouraged Cliven Bundy and his "Patriot Movement" comrades to start a "Range War" in Bunkerville. And it only became more tragically revolting when the NRA's favorite G-O-TEA politicians boasted about being "what stood in the way" of mere background checks legislation (like Washington's I-594) that could have prevented Jerad & Amanda Miller from obtaining the weapons they needed to slaughter two Las Vegas Metro police officers and one civilian in June.

Those women in Austin may have revealed their bare breasts as a response to ammosexual idiocy, but the NRA and its allies seem to be the real boobs here. Either they're incredibly clueless about their own "legacy of civil rights", or they're attempting to be "too clever by half" by adopting this rhetoric. Either way, they sound like idiots. Either way, they're the ultimate boobs.

From Brady to Bundy

March 30, 1981, seemed to be just another day in DC. Then President Ronald Reagan and his staff were leaving the Washington Hilton after the President delivered a midday speech. Just as Reagan was heading towards his presidential limousine, John Hinckley, Jr., opened fire. Hinckley fired his "Saturday Night Special" Rohm AG-15 at Reagan in hopes of convincing Jodie Foster to date him.

Reagan was shot in the chest and the lower right arm. And even though his lung was punctured, the President was able to fully recover from his injuries.

Then White House Press Secretary James Brady was also shot. A bullet hit his head. He was also rushed to the hospital. And while he survived the assassination attempt, he did suffer permanent injuries.

On Monday, Jim Brady passed away.



After surviving the shooting, Jim & Sarah (his wife) founded the Brady Campaign. They decided to dedicate their lives to preventing future tragedies like the one they experienced. They committed themselves to stopping rampant gun violence.

And they weren't alone. Even though he had fostered a political legacy suggesting otherwise, Ronald Reagan also took action to curb gun violence. He signed a law banning fully automatic weapons in 1986, penned a New York Times op-ed in support of the Brady Bill (which first established the national background checks system in 1991, and even endorsed the first Assault Weapons Ban in 1994.



Remember, John Hinckley, Jr., used a "Saturday Night Special" he obtained under a false identity in his assassination attempt. And when he was Governor of California in 1967, Reagan teamed with the NRA (??!!) to pass the Mulford Act to prevent the carrying of any loaded firearms at any public location in California. (Back then, both Reagan & the NRA feared the message of armed resistance preached by the Black Panthers.)

Why is it so easy to forget our history? Armed militia movements aren't new. And neither are government regulations of the firearms industry. And neither are regulations meant to prevent criminals from obtaining lethal firearms.

While this isn't new, we haven't seen in a while this brazen call to arms against the rule of law. He may not have invented the American militia movement, but Cliven Bundy has breathed some new life into the extreme anti-government Patriot Movement by declaring a "Range War" against state & federal law. Even now, the Bundy Bunch continue their call to arms in the age old battle between good and evil", a call to arms that Jerad & Amanda Miller, Brent Douglas Cole, and others have been all too willing to take heed.

What is relatively new is the NRA's full embrace of this armed extremism. Once upon a time, the NRA supported a number of gun safety regulations. Only when a slate of radicals took over the NRA board in the late 1970s did the NRA begin to turn around and reflexively oppose any and all gun safety standards... But even this has been a gradual process. Even as recent as 1999, the NRA endorsed expansion of background checks for gun purchases. It wasn't until 2013 when the NRA killed a very modest background checks bill in Congress.

Once upon a time, Republicans like Ronald Reagan championed gun safety laws and the NRA didn't object. After Reagan himself was nearly assassinated and Jim Brady was seriously injured, Congress passed bipartisan legislation to curb gun violence. But now, the NRA encourages "armed resistance" and enables the kind of violence that changed the Brady family's lives forever and nearly killed our 40th President.

Bloody "Rebranding"

We know they like to go there. But really, must they go there? Don't they realize how moronic they sound whenever they go there?

But alas, NRA "News" internet eye candy commentator Dom Raso insists on going there.



Really, Mr. Raso? Really, NRA? Jim Crow? Seriously?

We know the NRA is trying hard to "rebrand" itself as "the nation's leading civil rights organization"... But that doesn't mean this statement is true. After all, where was the NRA when Trayvon Martin was brutally murdered?



Oh, yes. That's right. The NRA was busy enabling more George Zimmermans to "stand their ground" against innocent people. And the NRA & its "TEA" tinged allies were busy attacking Trayvon's family & friends for daring to fight for #JusticeForTrayvon.

And for the record, we saw the same reaction from the NRA after the murder of Jordan Davis. That's because the NRA always turns to "philosophical arguments" over "framing & language" whenever it's confronted with the ugly truth about "Stand Your Ground".



Jim Crow? Seriously? But of course, it's easier for the NRA to turn to rhetorical nonsense than to address its own history of enabling the likes of Johnny Lee Wicks, Cliven Bundy, Wayne Burgarello, Jerad & Amanda Miller, and Brent Douglas Cole. The NRA can "rebrand" itself as often as it wants, but it can't "rebrand" away its own bloody record.

The Big Picture

Last month, a number of progressives were furious at Senator Harry Reid (D-Still Searchlight) for leaving the Assault Weapons Ban out of his initial gun safety bill. Many were asking why Senator Reid would "pre-compromise" and water down the bill so quickly. Yesterday, they got their answer when Senator Dean Heller (R-46%) announced not just his intention to vote against Senator Reid's bill, but even the Manchin-Toomey Amendment that would further weaken the bill by limiting its provision on expanding background checks for gun purchases.

Earlier today, Senator Reid delivered a powerful speech on gun safety reform on the Senate floor. He expressed sorrow over the likely demise of his bill. He mourned the lives recently lost to gun violence. And he even made a shocking surprise announcement.

Reid —a moderate Democrat who has a ‘B’ rating from the National Rifle Association —tore into conspiracy theorists who use “shameful scare tactics” to claim that requiring more gun buyers to undergo screenings would lead to the creation of a national gun registry. He argued that the amendment offered by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Pat Toomey (R-PA) specifically outlaws a registry “on page 27″ and would strengthen existing prohibitions against federal officials who store the names of gun owners.

“The courage today is to say yes,” Reid said, as he called on his fellow senators to vote their conscience:

"Today our decision will determine the decision of our country. Today I choose to vote my conscience, not only is Harry Reid a United States senator but also a a husband, a father, a grandfather and I hope friend of lots and lots of people, I choose to vote my conscience because, if tragedy strikes again, I’m sorry to say, Mr. President, it will, if innocents are gunned down in a classroom, theater or restaurant, I would have trouble living with myself as a senator, as a husband, a fathers, or grandfather and friend, knowing that I didn’t do everything in my power to prevent that incident." [...]

Reid also announced his support for Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) assault weapons bill, noting that “maintaining law and order is more important than satisfying the conspiracy theorists who believe in black helicopters and false flags.” He made a similar case for Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s (D-CT) high capacity magazine amendment and pointed out that hunters don’t need 30 rounds, as they are already limited in how they can target animals. “Don’t people deserve as much protection as birds?” he asked.

Earlier today, Manchin told reporters that his background check amendment is unlikely to attract the 60 votes it needs for passage and accused the National Rifle Association of spreading misinformation.

The last time the Assault Weapons Ban had a vote on the Senate floor (in 2004), Senator Reid opposed it. He also opposed the original version in the 1994 Crime Bill. So today marks a major change of heart for Senator Reid.

And yes, that's what it is. I've already been seeing accusations of this being some cold, calculated game of charades. Sorry, but I must call bullshit on that.

And I must explain why. Senator Reid has faced harrowing incidents of gun violence in his own life. Yet because of his family's and Nevada's overall storied gun culture, it's been difficult for him to break too far from the NRA.

That began to change in recent months. Senator Reid hasn't forgotten the NRA's refusal to endorse him in 2010. He's witnessed their bizarre, outlandish, and increasingly belligerent reactions to calls for even modest gun safety reform measures. And perhaps most notably, he's been bearing the brunt of their scorched earth campaign to kill a compromise of a compromise. And today, he's witnessing the innocent victims of the Newtown massacre watch in horror & disgust as Congress looks increasingly set to follow the NRA's marching orders & kill this compromise of a compromise.

The “gun rights” forces like to make several arguments about the involvement of the families in this drama. Some like to say it constitutes “emotional bullying” or “using the families” when gun control advocates cite their desires. Rand Paul today accused the Obama administration of using the Newtown families as “props.”

The problem with this, of course, is that these families are doing all of this of their own accord, and if they want to channel their grief into lobbying for gun reform, that’s their right. As for those gun control advocates who cite the family’s desires, the families share the same policy goal as they do,so why shouldn’t they?

Others like to say that the Manchin-Toomey proposal “wouldn’t have done anything to stop Newtown.” But that elides the obvious point that the families are lobbying on this issue because they are hoping to prevent other shootings of innocent people later,in hopes of sparing other families from getting torn apart they way their families have. “I’m not just here for the 26 that died at Sandy Hook,” Nicole Hockley said recently. “If we can make any steps forward to help save lives, then it’s a step worth taking.”

Many Senators stood and applauded when Obama, during his State of the Union Speech, intoned again and again that the Newtown families “deserve a vote.” But it’s not emotional manipulation to refer back to that moment; the families are actually in the Capitol asking for a simple majority vote. They could have gotten one. Senators who will vote No today had the option of voting Yes on the Toomey-Manchin amendment, which requires 60 votes, and then voting No during the simple majority vote on the final package of proposals. These Senators could have justified this by saying they believe Toomey-Manchin deserved a straight up or down vote and shouldn’t be killed by a supermajority requirement.

But these Senators apparently don’t believe this. We’re now learning that a number of them —red state Democrats and purple state Republicans alike —who genuinely seemed undecided on the proposal can’t bring themselves to allow such an up or down vote on it. As the families themselves will witness in person today, a simple majority vote in the United States Senate on expanding background checks —which is supported by over eight in 10 Americans –is apparently not going to happen.

I wholeheartedly believe all of this has been weighing on Senator Harry Reid. And as a result, Reid himself has had a dramatic change of heart on gun safety reform. And Senator Reid may not be alone.



That was Senator Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) expressing shock and horror over his amendment, one that's meant to weaken Senator Reid's background checks provision and essentially written by other gun industry lobbyists, suddenly being put to death in the Senate. How could something as milquetoast and broadly accepted as his amendments go down in flames like this?

Earlier today, Joan Walsh noted just how much of a milestone today has been.

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin had an A rating from the NRA, winning the endorsement of its PAC for his staunch defense of gun rights (and opposition to even sensible gun regulations.) He made national headlines during his 2010 campaign with an ad that featured him shooting a copy of a cap and trade bill with a rifle, proving with one unforgettable image that he loved guns and hated energy regulation.

So it was big news when he decided to hook up with Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Pat Toomey on compromise gun control legislation expanding background checks and closing the so-called gun-show loophole. When Manchin announced that he was working on such measures, the Washington Post’s Greg Sargent said it represented “real movement in the right direction” and might even “give cover to all of the other red state Democrats who are skittish about embracing this common sense step.” Sargent was also encouraged that the NRA darling said he was discussing the measures with the NRA.

But two months later,with a vote on the Manchin-Toomey measures set for Wednesday afternoon, the senator’s work is expected to end in defeat. He admitted as much to NBC News today, and on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” he even accused his former political patrons, the NRA, of lying about his legislation. The NRA is claiming that the amendment would “criminalize the private transfer of firearms by private citizens,” Manchin noted, complaining “It is a lie.” The senator pointed out that his measure exempts sales between private individuals from the screening requirement. [...]

[NRA Chief Agent Provocateur Wayne] LaPierre’s seemingly crazy no-compromise strategy actually worked. As Zeff argues: “By effectively shifting the conversation far to the right, he also shifted rightward what constituted a ‘compromise’ in the gun discussion.” Meanwhile, Zeff notes, many gun control advocates abandoned Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s assault weapons ban proposal, which probably never could have been passed, but could have served as a countervailing force to pulling the “compromise” on guns so far to the right. Liberals, by the way, never seem to think that way, preferring to seem “reasonable” from the get-go and to negotiate with themselves.

Still, to look on the bright side, aside from a few stalwarts like the Brady Campaign, the pro-gun control forces had mostly surrendered over the last 10 years. Inspired by Newtown, they engaged with new fervor, and powerful new allies, like deep-pockets Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Tucson massacre survivor Gabby Giffords. Manchin’s “education” by his former NRA friends is the kind of life experience that might bring change. He once believed he was allying with a gun-owners’ lobby; he’s now discovered he was flacking for the gun-manufacturers’ lobby. This experience could change Manchin and other NRA supporters.

Actually, I think it already is. In witnessing both the extreme positions of the NRA and the extreme level of juice the NRA enjoys on Capitol Hill, it's forced many to rethink their loyalty to an organization dedicated to maximizing gun manufacturer's profits at the expense of many Americans' lives. Again, I believe that's what's led to Senator Reid's change of heart. And perhaps there's hope of Senator Manchin and others following along soon.

What's happening in Congress today is simply disgusting. Even with at least some gun safety reform measures attracting majority support, everything may ultimately be filibustered to death anyway. The only "victory" gun safety activists may see this week may be in watching the NRA's lurid poison pill amendments to the bill get filibustered to death as well.

This week may be full of heartbreaking defeat... But it may also be the start of real, positive change. Don't lose sight of the big picture.

Rhetoric v. Reality

It hasn't been easy trying to get Congress to agree on anything... Lately. Period.

It's especially been difficult trying to get Congress to agree on any sort of gun safety legislation. The House struggled just to approve more funding for the national background checks system. And even though a majority of Senators supported closing the various background checks loopholes (that criminals exploit to obtain lethal weapons they're not supposed to obtain), the NRA convinced just enough Senators to filibuster a modest background checks bill to death.

Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA) took part in that filibuster. Yet a month after he blocked that background checks bill (and his approval rating subsequently slipped), Senator Heller then turned around and claimed he voted for background checks legislation. He lied to constituents, and those constituents didn't appreciate that.

He's at it again. In a Vaseline smeared interview with the Las Vegas Sun's Amber Phillips, Senator Heller equivocated some more when he parsed over the language of background checks and the "philosophy of gun rights". Just like his patrons at the NRA, Senator Heller prefers debating theoretical language over discussing real policy.



It was all too convenient for Senator Heller that the Sun interview dropped yesterday. That's also when Everytown dropped its new ad in support of S 1290.

Remember the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)? Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) recently introduced S 1290 to strengthen VAWA by closing loopholes that allow domestic abusers and stalkers to obtain lethal firearms. Yet despite Senator Heller's "No Labels" label and recent change of language on gun violence, he's remained cagey as to whether he'll even allow a final vote on S 1290.

Of course, Senator Heller's BFFs at the NRA are whipping hard against S 1290... Because, you know, it's so committed to "civil rights". And by "civil rights", the NRA means the right of LGBTQ folk to shoot each other dead. Way to go on "rebranding", NRA. Oh, and by the way, we've yet to see the NRA endorse any legislation that would actually advance LGBTQ civil rights.

There's rhetoric, then there's reality. The NRA loves to engage in "philosophical discussions on civil rights", yet it refuses to admit to the reality of gun violence. Senator Heller loves to debate the language of theories and "ideas", yet he's failed to actually support any real gun safety legislation... Yet. He now has a chance to change that, but means he must agree to drop the "philosophical" rhetoric and engage in actual reality.

In the Shadow of the NRA

While the nation has been debating gun safety reform in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school massacre, the NRA has staged a "seminar for elected officials" here in Nevada. Despite the growing demand for reform, NRA officials and a group of state legislators (plus a handful of local electeds) met behind closed doors in the "Battlefield Vegas" assault weapons playground shooting range in the shadow of Circus Circus and the northern reach of the Las Vegas Strip. No really, this happened... And ProgressNow Nevada was on hand to speak up for the voices the NRA is trying to silence.





Surprisingly, not too many legislators showed up. Among the ones who still did were Senator David Parks (D-Paradise) and Assembly Members Ellen Spiegel (D-Henderson), Michelle Fiore (R-Las Vegas), Heidi Swank (D-Paradise), and Andy Eisen (D-Paradise). In addition, Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins (D) and Las Vegas City Council Member Steve Ross attended. Yet while they arrived to meet with the NRA, Nevada Legislature leaders of both parties were notably absent. What's also fascinating is that none of the other legislators who accepted NRA campaign contributions (save Parks & Fiore) were spotted at Battlefield Vegas.

So all the elected officials who did attend today were greeted by ProgressNow, PLAN, Culinary Union, and other progressive protesters. Yet while most just drove in, two came out... For a few minutes. Ellen Spiegel briefly came out to talk to protesters, and she brought Heidi Swank with her. Spiegel plead her case of "wanting to listen to all sides and talk to everyone". ProgressNow's Brian Fadie responded by noting the closed door nature of this event, that the NRA doesn't seem to want to allow all sides a chance to have their say. And no mention was made by Spiegel or Swank of considering Senator Tick Segerblom's (D-Las Vegas) proposed gun safety legislation.

After providing a "peace offering" of donuts, defending their intent to "listen to all sides", and exchanging business cards, Spiegel and Swank returned inside the Battlefield Vegas compound. Again, no other elected official (who attended) came outside.







What happened today is very much a reflection of Nevada political history. Typically, the gun lobby has enjoyed immense "juice" in Carson City while gun safety advocates have been pushed into the shadows. Even despite the evidence showing the dangers of allowing so many high capacity military grade weapons in civilian communities, it's been incredibly difficult to convince Nevada lawmakers take this problem seriously.

Yet something also felt different about today. This happened just before President Obama's Second Inauguration & Martin Luther King Day, and shortly after the Newtown massacre & renewed calls for gun safety reform. The timing couldn't possibly be worse. And perhaps that's why so many legislators and local elected officials decided not to attend this NRA event.

So perhaps there's still the potential for change here in Nevada, but it certainly won't be easy.

Who's Afraid of Those NRA Checks?

Yesterday morning, we were wondering how far gun safety reform can go in Carson City. Today, we're being reminded of why this won't be easy. Note who's been playing in #NVLeg races since 2010.

The National Rifle Association spread around five figures to Nevada legislative candidates in 2010 and 2012, including to key Carson City players.

The NRA has given to about a third of the current crop and in a bipartisan fashion. The contributions, while not overwhelming, indicate that the gun lobby is interested in squelching legislation in Carson City. Its biggest contribution, not surprisingly, was to ex-state Sen. John Lee, who proposed that campus carry bill now being pushed by newly elected Assemblywoman Michele Fiore. It's worth keeping these donations in mind as lawmakers consider laws related to guns in 2013.

In looking at the NRA's contribution history, it becomes obvious that the NRA was almost as invested in a more Republican controlled Legislature as the rest of Tea Party, Inc. It gave to Michael Roberson and Don Gustavson in 2010, and to Mark Hutchison, Greg Brower, Steve Kirk, and Mari St. Martin in 2012. It also gave to several Republican Assembly candidates in both cycles.

Yet unlike the rest of Tea Party, Inc., the NRA has been much savvier in currying some bipartisan favor. Most notably, it gave $2,500 to John Lee earlier this year. However, the NRA has also given to Democrats David Parks, Debbie Smith, Marilyn Kirkpatrick, Eliot Anderson, Olivia Diaz, and others. Yikes.

This is why Senator Tick Segerblom (D-Las Vegas) will have such an uphill battle in pursuing better gun safety standards. With so many Republicans AND Democrats so close to the NRA, will this get a fair shot?

Maybe. It especially might if a few "angry liberals" succeed in shaming the above mentioned Democrats who have accepted campaign contributions from the NRA in the past. Hey, if it seems to be working at the federal level, why can't progressives try shifting "The Overton Window" on gun safety here in Nevada?

Again, it won't be easy. And today, we're seeing even more reasons why. However, something has to change. And people have to start making noise in order to make the change possible. At least it now looks like a few brave souls have started making noise.

Here's the Solution.

Yesterday, it offered its latest "solution" for "security". And yes, that "solution" involves more guns. The NRA wouldn't have it any other way, even if that means more guns in schools.

Yet while the NRA is busy "rebranding", gun safety advocates seem to be busy preparing to win some elections.





Last night, we dropped by an OFA phone bank. And this wasn't just any phone bank. Southern Nevada volunteers were calling into Washington State for I-594.

Why? Initiative 594 (I-594) is the background checks initiative on this fall's ballot there. Just like Nevada, a handful of politicians in Olympia (Washington's State Capital) blocked a background checks bill that had strong public support. So after the bill died in the State Capitol, gun safety advocates gathered more than enough signatures to place I-594 on the 2014 general election ballot.

Last night, OFA volunteers in Henderson were calling voters in Washington State to explain I-594 and ask them to vote for this background checks initiative. The NRA & gun industry have been hoping that lower midterm turnout and snazzy "media strategy" would be enough to kill I-594. But last night, volunteers were calling voters the NRA wasn't counting on to vote. And they were sharing with these voters the message the NRA doesn't want them to hear.







While the NRA wants to continue debating the "philosophy" of "well regulated militia" and trying to redefine the English language, the rest of America wants an end to the bloody reign of #gunfail. The rest of America is looking to end the armed madness that senselessly threatens so many lives.

#GunSense will be on the ballot in Washington State this year... And may then be on the ballot in Nevada in 2016. And perhaps in more states, voters will finally have the opportunity to do what the NRA has forbidden so many politicians from even considering. Here may finally be the solution concerned citizens have been looking for.

Bucket List

Just over a month ago, this was official NRA policy: "Everyone gets a gun." We warned of the dangerous folly of this policy. But of course, the NRA and its "TEA" powered allies refused to listen.

Charles Vacca was a firearms instructor at Last Stop, a gun range in White Hills, Arizona. Bullets And Burgers is Last Stop's tourist promotion that brings tourists from Las Vegas and up Highway 93 to the gun range with promises of "exotic" automatic weapons, "Desert Storm atmosphere", and lunch included. Earlier this week, Charles Vacca gave a nine year old girl an Uzi military grade submachine gun to fire. This was the result of that fateful decision.



Charles Vacca was brought to Las Vegas for medical attention, but it was too late. He died. He had been shot by the Uzi he had given to the nine year old girl to use at the range.

And now, we must all endure the painful aftermath. We must all confront the haunting questions left behind at Bullets And Burgers.



Of course, the usual suspects don't want to confront anything seen as challenging their "conventional wisdom". Under its "@NRAWomen account, the NRA actually tweeted "7 Ways Children Can Have Fun at the Shooting Range". And yes, the NRA actually tweeted this out yesterday.

When interviewed by Chris Hayes on MSNBC yesterday, Last Stop operator Sam Scarmardo said he plans to seek guidance from the NRA and other gun groups going forward. Perhaps he should rethink seeking any kind of guidance from the NRA.



On average, seven American children are shot dead every day. This nine year old girl could have killed herself along with Charles Vacca. Why on earth are children shooting Uzis at ranges like Last Stop?

On MSNBC last night, Sam Scarmardo defended Last Stop's decision to allow that nine year old child to shoot that Uzi by claiming "this was a big -- something that was high on her bucket list to do and her parents took her out to do what she was gonna do." Bucket list? Really? Is the "Children's Death Wish Bucket List" supposed to be the new "killer Las Vegas tourist attraction"?

"High on her bucket list"? Really, NRA? And really, LVCVA? If this is truly our new pitch to tourists, then perhaps we should become accustomed to seeing more numbers like these.

Victims, Guilt, & Guns

A manhunt is now underway for Ammar Harris, the lead suspect for the Las Vegas Strip shooting last week. Another person of interest is also being sought. The search for Harris is now nationwide.



Police believe an altercation at Aria led to the shooting. Yet despite this, there's been media speculation about victim Kenneth Cherry and his personal life. "Oh, he was a pimp! It was all just a pimp war." (Never mind that Cherry was never arrested for any crime, and that he's one of the slain victims in this crime.)

It's not as if this hasn't happened before. Still, it's disturbing to see certain victims of gun violence villainized in some corners of the media and treated like perpetrators. Why go there?

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin near Orlando, Florida. Even though he was the slain victim, some in the media were ready to villainize Trayvon. Why? He was wearing a hoodie!



The NRA pushed hard for Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, the statute that George Zimmerman now uses to justify the murder of Trayvon. The NRA & ALEC then pushed more states to pass similar "Stand Your Ground" law. Even Nevada now has a modified version of it.

For decades, the NRA has (mis)used its juice in Carson City and Washington to weaken gun safety standards. They've essentially bribed lawmakers in the not-so-distant past with campaign contributions and prestigious "A" ratings. Meanwhile, victims of gun violence were all too often marginalized, forgotten... And in some cases, even treated like criminals.

Last night in Illinois, we saw a groundbreaking development. As mentioned above, the NRA has enjoyed immense political clout. But now, that's being called into question as former Illinois state legislator Robin Kelly won the Democratic Primary for the 2nd Congressional District spreading from Chicago's South Side to exurban Kankakee County.

Kelly ran against Debbie Halvorson, herself a former Member of Congress who lost her old seat in 2010. Because she had some name recognition from that and challenging Jesse Jackson, Jr., in this seat before he resigned, she was considered the early frontrunner. But in the wake of Newtown and increased gun violence right in Chicago, this special election to replace Jackson became a referendum on the NRA. And the gun lobby hasn't been used to taking criticism on the campaign trail.

To be sure, this is a heavily Democratic district, and messages that resonated in Illinois' 2nd district may not be equally as effective elsewhere. But that doesn't negate the fact that this was the first race in recent memory in which a major party's candidates felt the need to distance themselves from the NRA. The far-right lobbying group's "A" ratings for some of the candidates practically became "a scarlet letter," forcing some Democrats who'd previously bragged about NRA support to scramble in the other direction.

Even in reliably "blue" districts, that just hasn't happened in recent years. Democrats, at nearly every level, had been led to believe that supporting gun control was a recipe for electoral failure, so they reflexively avoided the issue. This race set out to challenge those assumptions, and the results were unambiguous.

Indeed, Kelly was only too pleased to tout her "F" rating from the organization, which in turn led to support from Bloomberg and progressive groups like the CREDO super PAC. It helped separate her from the pack and positioned her to become a member of Congress in April.

And because of this, Capitol Hill must rethink its relationship with the gun lobby. And in fact, it will have a chance to do so today as the Senate Judiciary Committee finally gives the Assault Weapons Ban a hearing. The gun lobby has attempted to blithely dismiss calls for gun safety reform as "The Connecticut Effect", but that strategy may not be so effective any more.

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We've just seen too many untimely, unnecessary, and uncivilized deaths across the country. From Tucson to Sanford, and from Newtown to Las Vegas, the shootings have piled up. And the gun lobby's excuses are wearing thin.


Driving down Las Vegas Boulevard is not a crime. Wearing a hoodie outside is not a crime. And for goodness sake, going to school is not a crime. But you know what? Murder is. And while protecting criminals' right to murder, it can be just as dangerous and dastardly.

"Reality" v. Reality

In recent years, Netflix has changed the TV entertainment game. It now produces its own content. And lets us stream TV shows onto a plethora of internet connected devices.

But now, a new content provider is aiming directly at Netflix. And its opening shot just happens to be Colion Noir. No really, "Noir" will be a talk show aimed at "urban gun enthusiasts". And it's just one of the shows on new NRA Freestyle online TV network.

Do NRA chieftains actually think some online TV network will expunge their organization of its own bloody record? Do they truly believe Colion Noir can make us forget all about Cliven Bundy? And do they really expect this latest PR campaign to sanitize the reality of gun violence that they're always trying to hide from public view?







Unfortunately for the NRA, far too many Americans know better. They've seen for themselves the brutal reality of gun violence. And they're joining with Everytown to do something about it.

Everytown may not have its own online TV network full of slick programming, but it does have committed volunteers. Yes, it even has volunteers here in Nevada. And last Saturday, they met at Pebble Park to kick off their campaign to elect pro #GunSense candidates to office and pass legislation that over 80% of Nevadans support.

The NRA may refer to these citizens as "props", but that's only because these citizens aren't afraid to stand up and fight back. And now that they're indeed standing up and fighting back, the NRA & its "TEA" powered allies are trying whatever they can think of to deflect from the real issues at hand.









Apparently, that includes an online TV network complete with a talk show aimed at "urban gun enthusiasts". Yet while the NRA is now venturing into the "reality TV" business, far too many American families have had to witness the actual reality of gun violence. And they're not about to let some "wannabe Netflix" distract them from the real issues at hand.

Bloody Victory

Sadly, this has become all too common in America today. All this year, mass shootings and epic gun violence have made headlines. We've even seen it awfully close to home recently with the Sparks Middle School shooting up north and yet another Las Vegas Strip shooting down south.

Last Friday, history repeated itself again. And this time, it happened at LAX.

The unemployed motorcycle mechanic suspected in the deadly shooting at the Los Angeles airport set out to kill multiple employees of the Transportation Security Administration and hoped the attack would "instill fear in their traitorous minds," authorities said Saturday.

Paul Ciancia was so determined to take lives that, after shooting a TSA officer and going up an escalator, he turned back to see the officer move and returned to finish him off, according to surveillance video reviewed by investigators.In a news conference announcing charges against Ciancia, U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. spelled out a chilling chain of events at LAX that began when Ciancia strode into Terminal 3, pulled a Smith & Wesson .223-caliber assault rifle from his duffel bag and fired repeatedly at point-blank range at a TSA officer. The officer was checking IDs and boarding passes at the base of an escalator leading to the main screening area.

After killing that officer, Ciancia fired on at least two other uniformed TSA employees and a civilian airline passenger, who were all wounded. Airport police eventually shot him as panicked passengers cowered in stores and restaurants.

Apparently, Paul Ciancia was motivated by "New World Order" and anti-government conspiracy theories and ready to kill anyone in sight. He succeeded in killing on-duty TSA officer Gerardo Hernandez. He also wounded Calabasas High School performing arts teacher Brian Ludmer, along with TSA officers James Speer and Tony Grigsby.

So how did this happen? How did one of the world's busiest airports become a bloody battlefield? As usual, we can thank the NRA for this.

Over the last decade, the NRA hasrepeatedly lobbied against airport firearm restrictions. According to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, states including Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin either expressly allow firearms in specific sections or only prohibit firearms in airports beyond checkpoints.

And in California in 2012, the NRA formally opposed Assembly Bill 2182, which would have required a person be arrested if they brought a firearm into the airport and ban them from entering in the future. The bill never moved from committee. More recently, bills introduced in Virginia, Georgia, and Ohio would allow people to carry their weapons inside. [...]

When the TSA subjected a girl carrying a firearm-shaped purse to extra questioning, the NRA responded that this extra precaution constituted harassment. “We shouldn’t be surprised that security personnel who see nothing wrong with humiliating 85-year-old women at our nation’s airports might see a teenage girl sporting a purse with a firearm motif as a potential danger,” NRA President David Keene said at the time. “But it should upset us as much as it did her and her parents.” The extra scrutiny may be needed: TSA agents have confiscated 30 percent more guns from passengers, many of them loaded, in 2013 compared to last year. Most travelers say they “forgot” they had the firearm, which has made sociologists think the trend is a result of people being permitted to carry their guns virtually anywhere.

Once again, the NRA can declare bloody victory. The gun lobby has pushed hard in Carson City and on Capitol Hill to kill even the most modest gun safety legislation. So why is anyone surprised by the bitter fruit of the gun lobby's bloody victory?

There's "something evil in our society". And what are we doing about it? What are we willing to do to root it out and end the senseless bloodshed? What will we do to stop this bloody victory from claiming even more innocent lives?

It's About Time.

It's "unacceptable". He "doesn't comply with the law". The "case has been reviewed by a federal judge".

This sounds like something Senator Harry Reid (D) would say, or perhaps a BLM dossier. But no, the above statements were actually from a #BundyRanch dossier prepared for Senator Dean Heller (R) by his own staff. So why didn't Senator Heller use it? Why did he instead endorse the brazen lawlessness of Cliven Bundy and his gang of "sovereign citizen" extremists?

Well, why are he and so many other G-O-TEA politicians still sticking with the NRA? The gun industry's #1 cheerleader held its convention last weekend. And during that convention, it unveiled this "inspiring new ad".



Notice something? Perhaps the same something we all noticed in Cliven Bundy's now infamous comments on race relations? Oh, yes. That's right. The NRA engaged in race baiting, too.

But then again, this shouldn't be a surprise. The NRA has aiming for the bottom of the barrel for quite some time. It's just not used to defending its own record, like Everytown is now making it do.



Republican politicians & party operatives are now desperately trying to spin away their support for Cliven Bundy's "rebel with an outrageous cause" act, yet they won't say anything about the organization they've been sucking up to for decades... To the point of standing in the way to block modest legislation that over 80% of Americans support. They've sucked up to the point of protecting gun industry profits from modest legislation that can save lives. And they haven't uttered a peep about the NRA's extremist rhetoric & agenda.

Make no mistake. Cliven Bundy is no "lone wolf". And #BundyRanch is no "isolated incident". The NRA has been encouraging this kind of behavior for some time. And it's about time that someone calls the NRA out on it.

What Stood in the Way

Here they go again. Once more, "Republican rebranding" is the term of the day. Why? They just can't stop reminding us of why they tried "rebranding" in the first place.

Case in point: Colorado State Senator Bernie Herpin (R-Colorado Springs). While the Colorado Legislature was debating a bill he proposed to overturn the state’s new ban on high capacity magazines, he let these "words of wisdom" slip from his tongue.

“My understanding is that James Holmes bought his 100-round capacity magazine legally,” state Sen. Irene Aguilar (D) said to Herpin during the hearing. “So in fact, this law would have stopped James Holmes from purchasing a 100-round magazine. ... I just wondered if you agree with me.”

“Perhaps, James Holmes would not have been able to purchase a 100-round magazine,” Herpin said in response. “As it turned out, that was maybe a good thing that he had a 100-round magazine, because it jammed. If he had instead had four, five, six 15-round magazines, no telling how much damage he could have done until a good guy with a gun showed up.”

For the record, James Holmes was able to shoot 45 rounds in that Aurora movie theater in July 2012. He killed 12 people and wounded 58 others. And NRA All Star Bernie Herpin thinks it's "maybe a good thing" that James Holmes was able to legally obtain a 100-round magazine to use to kill 12 people & injure 58 other people in that Aurora movie theater?

Meanwhile in Florida, the NRA & its G-O-TEA allies are pushing to expand Florida's now infamous "Stand Your Ground" statute. Michael Dunn is on trial for the murder of Jordan Davis. And even though Dunn is using "Stand Your Ground" as his defense, his supporters are worried that his story of "defending himself against a car blasting loud music" may simply be too absurd for a jury to use to acquit him of all criminal charges. So now, the NRA is "jumping to the rescue" to save white & well armed wannabe militia-men from the "clear & present danger" of unarmed African-American youth like Jordan Davis & Trayvon Martin.

Meanwhile here in Nevada, some local Republicans want everyone to know that Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA) is "what stood in the way" between us and better gun safety laws. It probably won't be long until we hear about how US Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA) & Rep. Joe Heck (R-NRA) are "what stood in the way" between us and federal level progress on gun violence prevention. After all, why shouldn't they all be proud of standing in the way of efforts to prevent the meaningless loss of life of those who simply "committed the crime" of going to the movies, listening to music in the car, going to school, and/or walking home while black?

Yep, so many G-O-TEA politicians continue to boast about how they're "what stood in the way" of any & all gun safety legislation. And they continue deluding themselves into thinking this is some kind of "virtue".

Reason for Hope?

In the wake of the violent turn of events last week, there's been talk of finally doing something about the growing gun violence problem. Yet while there's been talk about real action, there's also been speculation over what will actually happen. And today, much of that speculation is swirling around Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Here).

But as the president lamented last night in Newtown that "we are not doing enough," the question is what Reid will do. He has openly courted the NRA in the past, and when the group offered a no-endorsement in his re-election bid two years ago, his campaign manager touted Reid's gun rights bonafides:

"The NRA’s relationship with Sen. Reid has been long-standing and productive and – unlike for Sharron Angle – they’ve put their money where their mouth is this cycle. Along with their financial support, the declaration of NRA head Wayne LaPierre that Sen. Reid is 'a true champion of the Second Amendment' and that 'no one has been a stronger advocate for responsible gun ownership than him' shows beyond a doubt that the NRA believes Sen. Reid to be a strong advocate for Nevadans’ Second Amendment rights in the US Senate."

That "true champion" comment came from NRA boss Wayne LaPierre at the dedication of the Clark County Shooting Park and Reid is not seen as a friend to gun control advocates, with some accusing him of killing the assault weapons ban in 2004, and his actions after the Colorado shootings this year also were muted.

Even though conventional wisdom says the GOP-controlled House would kill any gun control legislation, nothing is conventional right now, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Reid become an advocate for gun control today.

In the not-so-distant past, Harry Reid felt the need to court the NRA for political survival. And he hasn't been the only Democrat to do so, far from it.

One of the more extreme cases is Senator Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia). And since Manchin hails from a rural Red State that celebrates the "gun culture", he has said quite a few things that have irritated progressives. So no one was expecting him to say this on MSNBC today.



So hope for real action on gun safety may indeed be alive. If even Joe Manchin is suddenly willing to consider (reinstating) an assault weapons ban, perhaps Harry Reid won't be afraid to finally do something.

The Disconnect

This can be very confusing. Sometimes, it seems like a deal is near on gun safety reform. Even former REPUBLICAN National Committee Chair Michael Steele said this morning on MSNBC that he doesn't understand why a few gun owners (prodded by the NRA) fear background checks and registration.



And on the US Senate floor yesterday, US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) vowed to press on for floor votes on a wide array of gun safety measures. And not only did Reid demand a floor vote on his own bill, but he even went as far to suggest that the Assault Weapons Ban deserves a floor vote as well (as an amendment). Perhaps all the G-O-TEA filibuster threats truly are getting to him. And unfortunately for Senate Republicans, it's happening the opposite effect of what they had desired. (No really, think about it.)



Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) had been planning to effectively give the NRA veto authority over any and all gun safety legislation. And he's willing to do so because he's currying the gun lobby's favor just in time for his own reelection campaign in 2014.

“Sen. McConnell opposes the Reid bill,” the minority leader’s spokesman, Don Stewart, told TPM. “While nobody knows yet what Sen. Reid’s plan is for the gun bill, if he chooses to file cloture on the motion to proceed to the Reid bill, Sen. McConnell will oppose cloture on proceeding to that bill.”

In other words, if a bipartisan deal is struck, McConnell may very well forgo the filibuster and possibly even vote for the final version. But his threat is weighty because he’s an extraordinarily clever strategist and has a proven track record of unifying Senate Republicans behind his will. And so his filibuster threat will likely force Democrats to win his approval for any passable bill.

Crucially, McConnell is up for reelection next year in bright-red Kentucky, and is carefully watching his right flank. That means he won’t dare get on the NRA’s bad side, but he could also be on the hook if any wayward Republicans decide to buck the party line and join Democrats on a bill the powerful gun industry lobby dislikes. In other words, McConnell seems to have taken it upon himself to make sure any new gun legislation will be NRA-compliant.

On that score, lawmakers have an escape hatch to say they support background checks without actually doing anything doing anything to make it harder for people to avoid them when buying a firearm at gun shows or in private sales. The NRA supports enhancing mental health reporting in existing background check systems, a policy that some pro-gun senators back and point to as evidence that they support background checks

And here's the most depressing story from yesterday. While the Senate was debating whether to even allow for votes on gun violence prevention bills, a 4 year old child shot a 6 year old child in New Jersey. No really, that happened.

Authorities are deciding whether to charge anyone after police say a 6-year-old was shot in the head by a 4-year-old in New Jersey.

The older boy is in serious condition.

Authorities are still investigating how the younger child obtained the .22-caliber rifle from his family’s Toms River home Monday night.

Police Chief Michael Mastronardy says the children were outside the 4-year-old’s home when the boy went inside, got the rifle and shot the 6-year-old about 15 yards away. It’s not clear if the 4-year-old pulled the trigger or if the rifle accidentally discharged.

The parents of the 4-year-old were home at the time.

Yes, this actually happened while Congress was wrestling over gun violence yesterday. What also happened yesterday was this.

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In context, [President Obama] was noting the overwhelming public support for support universal background checks -- "How often do 90 percent of Americans agree on anything?" Obama said to laughter -- and the fact that public opinion on the issue crosses partisan boundaries. Even large majorities of gun owners and NRA households agree with the American mainstream. [...]

"If our democracy is working the way it's supposed to..." is a phrase that stuck with me, largely because it seems our democracy is not working the way it's supposed to.

Indeed, as of yesterday, 15 Republican senators said they're prepared to prevent the Senate from even debating any bill that changes any gun law in any way. Forget voting for or against efforts to prevent gun deaths, the GOP lawmakers are prepared to ignore the overwhelming will of the American mainstream and kill popular legislation in its infancy.

In fairness, I should note that this is not a universal attitude among congressional Republicans, and just this morning, Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) said pending legislation "deserves a vote, up-or-down." Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) added that his party's filibuster threats are "wrong."

But the larger trend is hard to miss. As Ezra Klein explained this morning, "Gun control has emerged as an unusually clarifying test case for how Congress really works. On one side of the ledger is most everything that we think moves Congress: Public opinion, a national tragedy, the president's bully pulpit, elite opinion. On the other side is everything we wish didn't move Congress: a powerful but increasingly controversial interest group and, arguably, the minority's natural incentive to foil the majority's agenda. Guess which side is winning?"

I suspect many Americans have a rudimentary Schoolhouse-Rock-style understanding of how a bill becomes a law, and may expect something like background checks to pass, given the larger circumstances. But, once again, our democracy isn't working the way it's supposed to.

That's what's perhaps most frustrating about what's happening in Congress now. While there's broad consensus among the American people on gun safety reform, a rigid minority refuses to even allow votes on it. And while calls for action continue from constituents, some Senators are clearly ignoring their constituents. (Does Senator Dean Heller [R] really want to go there?)


Something must change.