Years of NRA tax returns obtained by The Daily Beast show that the gun group’s revenue has been falling for years. And last year was the NRA’s weakest fundraising year since 2008.
Their primary mission was training and education, they only got into politics when it turned out to be a cash cow, and that was their downfall. It just had a long tail of money making first.
safety training no less. basic gun safety and security was one of the biggest things the NRA did until they transformed into a lobbying org for the arms industry.
They got into politics after a string of federal gun control bills became law; most notably the NFA and Gun Control Act of '68. Suddenly there was a need to protect the right to keep and bear arms and they were in the optimal position to do it. Then they got greedy and others have thus taken on the mantle.
That’s not quite the story. Or it is, but only in the broadest of strokes.
The real story boils down to Harlan Carter, and his bullshit.
See, prior to 1968, the NRA did get involved in politics. They were consulted on gun regulation, and even had a hand in helping to write the NFA and Gun Control Act of '68.
This pissed off Harlan Carter, who was a racist, unrepentant murderer, and former head of the US Border Patrol, into staging a coup for the control of the NRA leadership.
He then instantly started running the NRA as the propaganda arm of the gun manufacturers, and was paid handsomely to do so. It’s also when the NRA “got into politics”.
It’s also when they somehow collectively forgot about the second half of the Second Amendment.
Their primary mission was training and education, they only got into politics when it turned out to be a cash cow, and that was their downfall. It just had a long tail of money making first.
safety training no less. basic gun safety and security was one of the biggest things the NRA did until they transformed into a lobbying org for the arms industry.
They got into politics after a string of federal gun control bills became law; most notably the NFA and Gun Control Act of '68. Suddenly there was a need to protect the right to keep and bear arms and they were in the optimal position to do it. Then they got greedy and others have thus taken on the mantle.
That’s not quite the story. Or it is, but only in the broadest of strokes.
The real story boils down to Harlan Carter, and his bullshit.
See, prior to 1968, the NRA did get involved in politics. They were consulted on gun regulation, and even had a hand in helping to write the NFA and Gun Control Act of '68.
This pissed off Harlan Carter, who was a racist, unrepentant murderer, and former head of the US Border Patrol, into staging a coup for the control of the NRA leadership.
He then instantly started running the NRA as the propaganda arm of the gun manufacturers, and was paid handsomely to do so. It’s also when the NRA “got into politics”.
It’s also when they somehow collectively forgot about the second half of the Second Amendment.
this fucking guy… goddamn
The second half?
First half…