Jeff Knox has a good legislative update at the statehouse in Des Moines regarding our competing gun bills, along with a little history thrown in:
Democrat leaders realize the pressure is on and they are going to have a tough time shutting down all pro-rights bills this year without incurring significant damage from GunVoters in November. Desperate to find an out, they needed some political cover.RTWT: The Iowa Concealed Carry Controversy
Enter the NRA.
With a fired-up electorate of GunVoters, realizing that IGO would not support watered-down concealed carry reform, and that, while more amenable to making a deal, Iowa Carry doesn’t have the clout to subdue IGO, the Democrat leaders went straight to Washington. Crafting a back-room deal with NRA, who has the clout to step right over IGO and to coerce Iowa Carry into cooperating, is a win-win, providing cover for wishy-washy politicians, while NRA can claim an easy victory, rather than working for the best possible bill for Iowa gunowners. After all, even a small win will be a much-touted, highly publicized victory for NRA.
NRA devised their strategy no discernible consultation with grassroots forces in Iowa, disregarding and undermining local strategic plans. Iowa GunVoters have been fired-up and engaged. They are geared up for a battle. If the Democrat leadership succeeds in this political trick, using NRA for cover as they perform a sleight of hand to shut down concealed carry reform, GunVoters will be disheartened, and to a large extent, removed from the equation in November. Even if the NRA bill passes, the momentum for serious reform may be lost and, if experience in other states holds true, the issue is not likely to be effectively revisited in this decade. Iowans will spend at least ten years sifting dog poo out of their salt before there is another chance for real reform. The bottom line is this: Iowa had a historic opportunity historic reform this year and that opportunity has been seriously compromised by NRA’s shortsightedness.
1 comment:
NRA, the nation's oldest and largest gun control organization.
It is the 4 million member lobby against the constitution and citizen rights.
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