NRA may buy TV Station

[thebaghwan]

God help us. Here is the link: http://www.msnbc.com/news/1002051.asp?0cv=CB20

[leftwingpunkrocker]

1. Hmm..

Well, at least if this gets through to the press though and enough people hear about it, I don't think the jury that judges them will cooperate because they know this is a very partisen organization that wants it's way, although Faux News may try to spin it.

[Cooley Hurd]

2. Hmmm... "Must Bleed TV"

[alexwcovington]

3. I'm not concerned about the NRA -- they're not all that partisan

but I am concerned with the precedent it would set if any group who gets a media outlet is allowed to push themselves as a legitimate news source...
\

[salinen]

4. Is this so different

than TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network)? Money buys, everythings else eats do do.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

7. On what planet?

Republicans received more than four times as much support from the NRA as Democrats. Republicans received $11,224,994 in PAC and soft money combined with supporting independent expenditures, while the Democrats received a total of $2,438,165, from 1989 to 1998.


Source: http://www.commoncause.org/publications/june99/061599.htm

And Charlton Heston's a liberal.

[louis-t]

12. So's 'is momma....

[NickB79]

21. But the NRA DOES give money to Dems that agree with their position, no?

If they were truly a partisan, Republican group, why did they give ANY money to Democrats? Why did they give Howard Dean an A-rating? The NRA cannot be called partisan if it gives money and support to politicians on an individual basis of what each of them supports. Partisan would be to give money to the Republican runner no matter what their beliefs are.

You could even argue that Heston IS a liberal, at least based on his views on gun control, since supporting an individual's constitutional rights IS a liberal ideal.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

27. LOL... You are a hoot. Some people just have a gift for comedy.

:toast:

[NickB79]

31. I can see the comedy in my Heston remark

But I don't see the comedy in my other remark, asking how the NRA can be partisan if they do give money to some Democrats that agree with their position?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

33. OMFG!!! You were serious????

Dude.

[MrBenchley]

5. Too frigging funny....

Guess that "theme restaurant in Times Square" idea went down the toilet...

Guess it's the network for people who think Faux is too liberal...

By the way, love the deliberate lie in the story: "The NRA is one of the biggest magazine publishers in the United States and provides news over the Internet, LaPierre said. The group has close to a dozen publications, including the “American Rifleman” and “American Hunter” magazines. "
All of which go free to their members, and all of which have declining circulations...which add up to fewer than three million readers total. AND one of them is a gun magazine for kids....disgraceful,no?

"The NRA and its lawyers will “look at every option to continue to exercise our First Amendment rights,” even anchoring a ship “in international waters and beaming in” if necessary to get its gun-rights message on the air at election time, LaPierre said.
Hilarious...could he sound any more desperate?

 "The NRA was first in line at a federal courthouse in Washington to challenge the new campaign finance law, filing its lawsuit immediately after President Bush signed the campaign finance legislation in March 2002."
Oops...sounds like the lawsuit isn't going so well..guess he should have hired a real lawyer instead of Ken Starr....

[NickB79]

18. ???

'All of which go free to their members". The magazine subscription is part of the $15 membership fee, so how do you consider it free?

"AND one of them is a gun magazine for kids....disgraceful,no?" I have read parts of that one, and IMO no, it is not disgraceful. It is largely dedicated to talk of hunting and shooting targets, and gun safety. How is that a bad thing? Any child who gets this magazine almost certainly has a parent that has introduced them to guns and hunting already, so it could hardly be called an indoctrination tool.

"The NRA was first in line at a federal courthouse in Washington to challenge the new campaign finance law, filing its lawsuit immediately after President Bush signed the campaign finance legislation in March 2002." The NRA is a partisan, Bush cheerleading squad, yet is challenging in court one of the pieces of legislation Bush signed into law?

[pinto]

6. "News You Can Uzi"

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

8. "All gunz, all the time... Keeping America paranoid.

[Lefty48197]

9. The NRA already has a TV station

it's called FOX. It belongs to the NRA and all the other Republicans.

[salinen]

10. N.R.A.

Never
Really
Aboveboard

[DoNotRefill]

11. On the other hand....

I've never seen anything about them being fined by the FEC for concealing political donations, like just happened to the Brady Bunch....and that INCLUDES the times that the Dems have been in control of both Congress and the White House...

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

13. They're still basically a part of the RNC Gestalt...

Republicans received more than four times as much support from the NRA as Democrats. Republicans received $11,224,994 in PAC and soft money combined with supporting independent expenditures, while the Democrats received a total of $2,438,165, from 1989 to 1998.


Source: http://www.commoncause.org/publications/june99/061599.htm

And...

In its bid to quash legislation that would respond to a rash of school shootings by strengthening the nation’s gun laws, the National Rifle Association (NRA) outspent gun control advocates nearly 50-1 in campaign contributions to members of Congress in the first half of 1999.



Newly filed records with the Federal Election Commission show the NRA contributed more than $270,000 from its political action committee to members of Congress between Jan. 1 and July 31, 1999, 81 percent to Republicans.

source: http://www.opensecrets.org/newsletter/ce65/01gun.htm

and...

The National Rifle Association had specifically opposed stricter gun show regulations in its lobbying in recent weeks and months. In fact, the NRA and gun rights groups have traditionally maintained close ties with Congress, spending millions in lobbying expenditures and political contributions to gain clout with federal lawmakers. Between 1991 and 1998, gun rights groups have given nearly $9 million in soft money, PAC, and individual donations to federal candidates and parties. Contributions have overwhelmingly favored the GOP, which received about 74 percent of those dollars.

source: http://www.commondreams.org/pressreleases/may99/051499c.htm

[DoNotRefill]

23. And the Bradys are Democrats???

http://www.bradycampaign.com/press/release.asp?Record=491

Sounds like they wouldn't support Dean if he got the nod....

And I'd remind you that Reagan wasn't famous for having Democrats on his staff.

I think you'll find that both the NRA and the Brady organization/MMM folks are both "single issue" groups. They don't CARE what party a politician is affiliated with, as long as the politician supports their position on gun control.

Democrats on the state and local level here are pro-gun. They regularly receive NRA endorsements. Just as I'm sure that anti-gun Republicans receive support from the Bradys.

[ikojo]

25. The Brady Bunch and the NRA are

no different than the "choice" lobby....single issuers who can't see beyond their pet issue.

All things are connected and affect the other. We don't live in a bubble of gun rights or abortion rights.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

28. Money talks, BS walks....

Just look at the NRA's money trail.

They're Repug Thugs. With guns.

[DoNotRefill]

29. Then is my Representative a Repug?

He's got a (D) after his name, the NRA endorses him, and they even give him money.

[NickB79]

32. Howard Dean's a Republican?

HOLY CRAP!!! What's wrong with me? *bangs head against wall*

[MrBenchley]

14. Gee, refill.....

Still pissing and moaning about that?

By the way, weren't those fines for anti-Republican ads?

[DoNotRefill]

20. Nope....

there are no fines associated with running ads for either party or against either party. The fines were the result of violating the laws covering the REPORTING of who financed what. The Bradys don't CARE what party a politician is from. Remember who Jim Brady worked for. Just look at their comments on Dean for an example.

Of course, since the Brady organization doesn't care about violating the Constitution, why should a silly thing like violating the reporting requirements in election law bother them?

And BTW, Benchley, if you check the thread in the gun dungeon, you'll see that I didn't "piss and moan" about it down there. So how can I "still" be "pissing and moaning" about it when it's my first post on the subject?

[MrBenchley]

26. By dodging the question

you've answered it....they were anti-Republican ads.

[goforit]

15. Karma????

:tinfoilhat:

[ldf]

16. if it is possible for the nra to get a tv station

there is absolutely no reason whatsoever that a group of "progressives", or, dare i say, "liberals", can't do the same.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

17. The NRA's got more money than God...

They collect 10's of millions every year. These people could wear George Soros out spending in a minute.

[Gopens]

19. And now ...

"back to The Rifleman."

[AlFrankenFan]

22. Oh god no

I fear the day that happens

[corporatewhore]

24. So is Dean gonna be a host ?

Dont trust a cannidate the NRA loves

[maxanne]

30. a cannidate? n/t

:eyes:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

34. Dean is trying to make Gun Control a "non-issue" by saying

it's up to the state.

A wise move IMHO, because for the simple minded "one issue voters" it would negate a lot of people either way if he brought it in as a national topic.