Why the NRA won't talk gun control with Obama

[middlefinger]

Why the NRA won't talk gun control with Obama

Washington (CNN) -- The chief spokesman for the National Rifle Association is expected to get an invitation any day now to sit down at the Justice Department for talks aimed at reaching a consensus on new gun control legislation.

But don't put down NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre as a "yes."
In an interview with CNN, LaPierre accused the White House of trying to pull off a "political maneuver" aimed at weakening the Constitution's Second Amendment right to "keep and bear" arms.

"What's happening is very transparent. The president's base, the anti-Second Amendment political base, is screeching. And he's trying to appease them," said LaPierre.

Complicating the talks is the fact that the NRA is suing the federal government, forcing the Justice Department to invite officials with the powerful gun lobby through their attorneys, said DOJ spokesman Matthew Miller.

The discussions are also to include backers of gun control legislation. Miller said the meetings scheduled for the next two weeks aim to include "stakeholders" in the gun control issue.

Noting on Tuesday that he had yet to receive an actual invitation from the Justice Department,

LaPierre insisted the meetings aren't worth his time.

"Why should I go sit down with a bunch of people that have spent their lives trying to destroy the Second Amendment? I understand what's going on," LaPierre said.

A top advocate for gun control in Congress, New York Democratic Rep. Carolyn McCarthy calls LaPierre's refusal to join the meetings "foolish." She introduced legislation in the House Tuesday that would require an instant background check for all gun buyers, including those who purchase firearms at gun shows.

"If you want to look at any poll ... the majority of Americans, the majority of gun owners, all feel people should go through background checks. That is undisputed by anybody," McCarthy said.

A new Newsweek/Daily Beast poll finds 86% of Americans support background checks for all gun buyers, an indication of strong backing for closing the so-called "gun show loophole."

McCarthy's legislation would also stiffen penalties for states that fail to forward criminal, mental health and other pertinent records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The bill has the backing of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The bill is similar to measures backed by President Barack Obama who called for a new conversation on gun control in an op-ed that appeared in an Arizona newspaper last weekend.

The nation's porous background-check system allowed Jared Lee Loughner, the suspect in January's mass shooting that wounded U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona, to purchase a handgun from a licensed dealer despite indications he was mentally ill. His background check at the dealer came back clean.

LaPierre vehemently opposes any attempt to close the "gun show loophole," saying it wasn't a factor in Tuscon.

But the NRA's top advocate did indicate to CNN some support for strengthening the record keeping in the system.
Just don't expect him to sit down at the Justice Department to express those views.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/03/16/nra.obama/

[legendarylorot]

So LaPierre is going to sit and whine that he won't be listened to, rather than going and trying?

Don't get em wrong, I'm not anti-NRA like a lot of folks here, but that's just immature. I'm half hoping those quotes were fabricated.

[FNG19]

CNN also ran another cover piece/hit piece about this. Once more, they're selling the gun control agenda, even going so far as to say, "Constitutional Common Ground" and "dead bodies piling up". Yes, yes, it's clearly marked as an "opinion piece" -- then again, what that comes out of the media these days isn't? -- but they still chose to run it. Good job, CNN!

[NikeBauer21]

So LaPierre is going to sit and whine that he won't be listened to, rather than going and trying?

Don't get em wrong, I'm not anti-NRA like a lot of folks here, but that's just immature. I'm half hoping those quotes were fabricated.

But what use is it? The only.. ONLY possible outcome would be a compromise, in which we still lose. Do you think Obama will make way and actually give the 2nd Amendment more freedom??

Normally, I would agree with you. In the US political scene, I don't.

[legendarylorot]

But what use is it? The only.. ONLY possible outcome would be a compromise, in which we still lose. Do you think Obama will make way and actually give the 2nd Amendment more freedom??

Normally, I would agree with you. In the US political scene, I don't.

It's all about sending a message. Sure, he's likely to make concessions, but that just backs up the point that NRA leadership doesn't seem to be cut out for, well, leadership. Send the message that there are Americans who will stand up for themselves. Whenever the Brady-types use their buzzword statistics, show the logical fallacies that are nearly always attached.

But not showing up? That just sends the message that you don't care anymore, or that you're too immature to do anything but throw a tantrum. There will be no refuting of "facts", and America at large will see gun owners as whiny brats.

Not a win for us, not even a holding of the status quo.

[God's Country]

So LaPierre is going to sit and whine that he won't be listened to, rather than going and trying?

Don't get em wrong, I'm not anti-NRA like a lot of folks here, but that's just immature. I'm half hoping those quotes were fabricated.

Obama wants a photo-op nothing more. He wants to be able to show all the "reasonable" gun owners and fence sitters how he worked hard to compromise with the NRA.

He's already taking CREDIT for the national park carry.

See how it works?

I often disagee with much of what the NRA does. Not on this one.

[twoguns]

As David Codrea has stated, there are some in the gun culture who will not back up another inch. No more retreating on this issue. There is nothing more to discuss.
They need to recognize an inalienable right to keep and bear arms and that is it.
No more compromise. It has gained us nothing and only served to embolden those who would infringe on our rights.
Keep pushing and see what happens.

[7998]

But what use is it? The only.. ONLY possible outcome would be a compromise , in which we still lose. Do you think Obama will make way and actually give the 2nd Amendment more freedom??

Normally, I would agree with you. In the US political scene, I don't.

^This^ I'm glad he didn't go, it tells them "F-you we have nothing to talk about".

[Pat T]

No doubt the regime is trying to change the subject away from the Gunwalker ATF scandal. Even CBS reported on this twice, BHO needs to get the narrative altered big time, so the dog & pony show starts with the "gun safety" theme. I have no doubt that they want to do whatever they can with executive orders and all, but our undocumented prez is also conducting a campaign of distraction as well. Glad NRA told him to stick it.

[greenC]

When your side is stronger, you don't have to make concessions to the other side.