Shooters Even Angrier at Congress

Just when I thought it would be impossible for shooters to get any more disgusted and angry at Congress, I get proven wrong. This time, it isn’t something they’ve actually done, it’s something they’re trying.

The latest insult is H.R. 5175, also known as the Disclose Act.

It would force organizations to disclose their financial contributions to candidates the final 60 days before a a general election. If that sounds familiar, it’s a resurrection of part of an earlier measure the Supreme Court overturned which was once referred-to as “the incumbent’s employment guarantee”.

Never ones to let an opportunity to give themselves extra leverage pass, this new measure has infuriated millions of gun owners. But it’s not just the basic wrongness of 5175 that has so many of us hopping mad.

It is designed to stifle any “issue” organization-conservative or liberal, and would include subversive groups like local chambers of commerce and agricultural organizations. The thing that’s toasted gun enthusiasts is the fact the measure has a little surprise in it.

Knowing that tangling with the NRA frequently leads to figurative butt-whippings, the group of our elected representatives that whipped this one up tossed in language that, essentially, created an exemption that was, in the words of Alan Gottlieb of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms “tailor-made” for the NRA.

Bad idea.

Introducing a bad piece of legislation is sad enough; trying to buy off the single largest group that would oppose it only confirms the smell normally associated “with a mackerel in the moonlight”. It might sparkle, but it stinks.

That exemption move, says Gottlieb,” should be proof enough that the entire measure is morally, if not legally, repugnant and should be rejected by Congress”.

What the measure does, is limit the First Amendment rights – the equivalent of “toss us under the bus” – of all the other grassroots gun rights organizations because their membership didn’t meet the NRA’s big numbers.

Around the country, the NRA has been taking a blistering from gun owners who feel betrayed, or think the NRA’s cut some backroom deal, or both.

Now, it’s time to take a deep breath and think this over.

As Gottlieb observes, it’s time for the millions of other gun owners to realize the goal of this measure is really two-fold: keep groups from being critical of how things are being mismanaged in Washington, and drive a wedge between the effective gun rights organizations.

Gottlieb’s own organization- with 650,000 members – would find itself covered under H.R 5175. As you might expect, he’s urging his membership to tell their duly elected representatives this one had better be a non-starter.

But this piece of rotten legislation has already started a malestrom in the firearms community.

Sadly, it has made the NRA look like an accomplice in the whole matter. Personally, I have no knowledge of what kind of dealings go into something like this. But I’ve been assured that’s not the case – and have no reason to doubt that being the truth.

While I don’t always agree with many of the NRA’s decisions – especially when they decide not to fight battles that make my blood boil- I don’t think they’re going to sacrifice any pro-gun organization over a piece of legislation that should be – and probably will be- killed.

If you listen to my friend Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk Radio, you’ll have the opportunity to hear the NRA position first-hand. The NRA’s Wayne LaPierre will be a guest on Sunday, talking about H.R. 5175 and giving the NRA’s side of the story. It should be an interesting conversation.

Speaking of Sunday, this is Father’s Day weekend.

Thanks, Dad, for everything. I had no idea just how much you taught me, gave me and motivated me until it was too-late to thank you face-to-face.

–Jim Shepherd
www.shootingwire.com