Reagan used it, Nixon used it, Bush used it, and it worked. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_strategy

Also read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Rifle_Association

They were one element of the conservative coalition that swept Reagan into power.

If you don't own a gun, then you literally have to do absolutely nothing to continue to not own a gun.


If you own a gun, then you have to get politically organized and active in order to keep it from the people that think you should be disarmed.

OK, yes, that's the law, but there is an exemption in the law for conscientious objectors.

Well, the exception that proves, the rule, I guess.

I hadn't heard that.

It was a largely symbolic gesture. There had been a number of Chicago area communities around that time banning handguns.

That it is Joe Hunter paying their bills.

...all of his riflery patches and pins were issued by the NRA. Beyond the assumption that the organization existed to promote marksmanship skills among scouts and other youth groups, I never gave it another thought. What naivete, eh?

It was founded by Union military officers because the Confederates shot the shit outta Union soldiers in the Civil War. There was concern that "If we have to do this again" they might want to improve the marksmanship of the citizenry.

Bush Sr. signed an imported assault weapon ban, and with Clinton's election in 1992 things look bleak for gun rights. Clinton passed an assault weapon ban, and it led to the GOP takeover of the House.

Dubya and Ann Richards weren't far apart on a lot of things when he ran for Governor, but Ann Richards vetoed concealed carry legislation twice when it had passed by something like 62% in the legislature. Dubya as Governor led the way to the White House.

Crime rates have been falling, concealed carry rising, and people have been questioning, "WTF do we accomplish with bans?"

It's a losing issue.

Not now. In 1994 immigration reform was a losing issue. Not now. Things change.

--as a concatenation of deregulation enabled corporations to inject money into politics for the purpose of protecting and increasing their profits.

The arms industry is hugely profitable. Always has been, which meant they had a ready pool of cash available every time some new bit of deregulation offered an opportunity to buy more legislators, or any time some attempt to regulate their industry or the sale, maintenance, and control of guns threatened their profits.

And the NRA, once a not-terribly-political association of firearms sporting enthusiasts, was ripe for takeover and manipulation as the "grassroots" tool of the arms industry, offering their bought-and-paid-for legislators the figleaf of "popular support" to protect the industry's profits.

helpfully,
Bright

the irony of gun control in America was that it's biggest victory laid the foundation for it's destruction.
The AWB was the greatest gift the NRA ever got.