The NRA's Endorsement of Lincoln Davis (4th District)

[Guest SMSTRICK]

I have been a proud Life Member of The National Rifle Association for many years now. The NRA, through the Institute For Legislative Action, was VERY beneficial in the helping to kill of the proposed Crossville city ban of firearms on city owned property. The NRA was beneficial because there is indeed strength in numbers. On the other hand, I am starting to question whether basic principles are now taking a back seat in acquiring these numbers (more members.)

I recently had a conversation with a concerned citizen who asked why the NRA continues to endorse Lincoln Davis even though there are other candidates out there who are not only pro second amendment, they are more in support and in line with the basic principles of the constitution in general. As I understand the second amendment, it is not about duck hunting or collecting, the second amendment is about restricting the government from infringing upon the people's right to keep and bear arms as a means to defend, protect and to preserve essential liberty from the very government which has sworn an oath to uphold very the constitution which it now either ignores or infringes upon. The second amendment is about defense against tyranny, period. The founders knew this well because they understood basic human nature. I do not buy into the idea that of the constitution being a "living" document because basic human nature has remained unchanged ever since it's ratification over 220 years ago.

I have always been one to look first at how a candidate votes on gun /second amendment issues. "Vote Freedom First" is the slogan used by the NRA as a means to encourage members to vote for candidates who support the second amendment. I agree with this 100%, as long as the candidate also supports and defends the rest of the principles of the constitution. Set within our constitution are a set of principles which serve as our basic foundation for securing our most precious, God given rights and liberties. These ARE the principles of liberty. Therefore, I believe that if the NRA is to endorse a candidate, then that candidate must be in support of all these principles of the constitution.......These principles a non negotiable and should neither be ignored or compromised, regardless of the cause.

Even though Lincoln Davis voted "NO" on the health care bill, his true colors had shown through once he voted to push forward with the Slaughter Rule. This the why he holds out till the end to vote. If his vote is not needed, he votes against the measure in order to save face as a so called conservative, blue dog democrat. If his vote is needed, then he is there to pull them through at the end. (This is a pattern among blue dog democrats) We must acknowledge that Lincoln Davis has voted with a majority of his Democratic colleagues 94.8% of the time during the current Congress. This percentage does not include votes in which Davis did not vote (which has been 82 votes during this present congress.)....Pardon me for saying, but I have never been one to ever consider the Democratic Party as being defenders of our liberty.

I called the NRA / Institute Of Legislative Action to inquire as to how they go about endorsing their candidates. They told me strait up that they vote for the incumbent if he has a good pro gun voting record. They DO NOT consider any other votes whatsoever. It does not matter if he has a tendency to infringe upon the rest of the constitution at all as long as he gives them what they want. My response to this was that the second amendment is about defending liberty ! If the NRA is not going to stand in support of the principles of liberty and allow them to be compromised, then we are only prolonging the inevitable. We must stand on a foundation of un compromised principles in order to ultimately win the fight in preserving our second amendment.

What good is our second amendment if we are going to allow others to either sacrifice or compromise our principles of liberty,...which the second amendment was put in place for us to ultimately defend (even unto death ?)

Ihave yet to find a informed NRA member in Cumberland County who claims to support Lincoln Davis for our 4th District U.S. Congressional seat. I urge you to please call the National Rifle Association / Institute For Legislative Action concerning their endorsement of Lincoln Davis. The number to the NRA Member Services ( follow the menu to the NRA/ILA) is as follows: 800-672-3888

I knew that something was terribly wrong once the NRA changed from the position of trying to educate others as to how John McCain had infringed upon the 1st Amendment with the McCain / Feingold "Campaign Finance Reform Bill," served as a threat to infringe upon the rights of gun owners in his attempt to close the "Gun Show Loophole,".........to then endorse him in the last presidential election as being the lesser of the two evils. The NRA would have better served its members by not endorsing a candidate at all. John McCain has never been a friend of the gun owner, he's been in bed with the democrats too long for that.

Until the NRA can learn to place principles before numbers, they will not get another dime of my money. My rights and liberties are non negotiable and are not to be compromised.

God Bless, SMSTRICK

[leroy]

SM:_________

...Until the NRA can learn to place principles before numbers, they will not get another dime of my money. My rights and liberties are non negotiable and are not to be compromised. ...

The truth "of principles before numbers" is one that lots of national organizations can benefit from; chief of which is the Republican Party. Whom i believe is facing extinction if they do not come to grips with this truth.

It seems that as i get older, is more clearly i see the shift from principles to numbers. I believe it is the result of the pragmatic ideal that that says "we need to win first, then straighten everything out later". This concept never works out. Nobody ever remembers to straighten things out later. I believe that is why the Libertarian/Tea Party Movement is doing so well now.

The NRA could use a good housecleaning. As smart as the NRA policy makers are, surely they can see that backing Demorats is a bad policy for gunowners and America in general.

Food for thought.

Leroy

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Ditto to what Leroy says.

Change also takes time. Messages have to become clear from

any political party. If something like the Tea Party movement does not

get the two parties clearly defining themselves, then they will be two progressive wings on the same bird. But that also says that you have to become active, like the Tea Party movement, to make them define themselves.

Lincoln Davis could very well have voted for the health care bill if his vote were needed.

[D3vo]

IMHO if we lived in a single issue world Lincoln Davis would be acceptable, but the world is more complicated.

[eapking]

The problem with the NRA's endorsments is that they are only centered on the 2A issues. If you ever watch/listen to Cam and Co. you can tell they really skirt the other issues. Their policy is keep the incumbent if he/she is pro-2A. I can see why they do it. It falls in line with the narrow focus they intentionally have. It makes their decision easier. But there is more to voting, beyond the 2A...

I think the Tea Party if it does not become an official party, ought to become a more visible endorser of candidates based on all constitutional matters, including the 2A. Can you imagine the power it would wield if it had a very public face like Wayne LaPierre and published internet rankings of candidates? I think this is where the Tea Party needs to go as a group. Model themselves after what the NRA does with it's "2A only" rankings and expand it to cover the rest of the constitution, and as well fiscal responsibility rankings. They can be this watchdog that is just as feared as the NRA. I would not just leave the 2A rankings to the NRA. The Tea Party should do it too. It's the whole package people! I think their rankings would then become more important than the NRA's.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

That's a great idea. Agree!

[ttocswob]

I saw Lincoln at the town hall meeting in Jamestown last year. Several people expressed 2A concerns. Lincoln said nobody was banning anybody's guns, and that he liked to dove hunt....FWIW