Scarlet Letter: What The NRA ‘A’ Rating Is Really All About

 

“Lives Over Bribes” — Gun control rally sign.

By Mark L. Taylor
The Commoner Call (2/22/18)

The recent mass shooting — the latest bauble on the bloody necklace of American exceptionalism — has ignited the recent episode of national gun cult debate we have all grown numbingly use to. There are the predictable laments of “never thought it could happen here”, the candle-lit vigils, prayer services, grieving families, parades of ambulances and the empty thoughts and cynical prayers of the nation’s supposed ruling class. A ruling class that just can’t bring itself to even consider a tiny less wealth to save lives of fellow citizens.

The fact is, the ruling corporate class is completely at ease with America’s grief. After all — these movers and shakers fret — there are quarterly profit goals and share prices to meet and campaign coffers to fill. In other words, those who control the economy really don’t give a crap about you or your kids or your grief.

Well dems, as the brave high school students across the nation have been showing, it is high time to grow a pair. It’s time to call out NRA-backed pols of both parties for what they are: Accomplices. It’s time to support our children and the cause of sanity.

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Accomplices

Mass murderers do not act alone. Even the proverbial AR-15 armed ‘lone gunman’ has his accomplices.

The murderers are assisted by politicians on the take to the National Rifle Association. Through their indifference and coldly calculating, never satiated hunger for campaign cash and other benefits, these pols ignore the wishes of the majority of Americans to bring legislative sanity to our gun cult. When the shooters begin their rampages they have been legislatively coddled and armed by those who are supposed to represent us.

Now I expect Republican politicians to behave in a way consistent with the morally arthritic, sociopathic values of their party. I mean these creatures have been spawned in the greasy entrails of corporate corruption and military adventure. Their affinity for the NRA is as natural as a blowfly to dog poop.

I refuse to accept the same thing from Democratic politicians. Any democratic politician with an “A” rating from the NRA needs to be primaried and run out of office. Our own Rep. Ron Kind is just such a “democrat”. Now I regularly make myself unpopular at dem party gatherings when I speak out against “Wall Street” Ron for his various seedy corporate liaisons. The reality is most dems I know — basically — agree with my assessment but roll their eyes, shrug their shoulders and say, “Yeah, well, that’s Ron, whaddya’ gonna do? At least he’s not a republican.”

Well a whole long list of things shows that when it comes to corporate wishes and militarism there is precious little difference between Ron and the Rethuglicans. Personally, I haven’t voted for the guy in the last three elections. It’s nice to emerge from the voting booth feeling clean.

NRA “A=Accomplice”

And when it comes to the issue of our children being gunned down in their classrooms you can’t really peel Ron away from the murderous agenda of the NRA, where the congress critter has an “A” rating with the thuggish gun group. That is “A” as in “ACCOMPLICE”. As in accomplice to school and other mass shootings that occur almost daily in this lost and wandering nation living in fear of the glassy-eyed shooter.

Ron Kind is the only Wisconsin democrat in congress to hold an “A=Accomplice” rating from the NRA. At the same time Kind has earned the title of gun lobby “Lap Dog” from the Brady Campaign.

And yet, many of my fellow dems get nervous when Ron’s close legislative tie to mass murder is brought up. You hear that “Whaddya’ gonna’ do” mantra over and over and over…

Well dems, as the brave high school students across the nation have been showing, it is high time to grow a pair. It’s time to call out NRA-backed pols of both parties for what they are: Accomplices. It’s time to support our children and the cause of sanity.

If our party can’t do that no-brainer it’s time to close up shop.

I’m not opposed to the Second Amendment (do read the article in today’s Commoner Call on the actual history of the amendment. It ain’t what you think it is). I am a gun owner. I am even a long ago former member of the NRA. And I support those courageous and morally clear high school students demanding reform and sanity. Any democrat — office holder or member — who refuses to stand with those students against the attacks of the right wing extremists and shun the NRA and their dirty money should leave the party. They are beneath what the party should be about. Really, if the party ever wants to rise to power again they have to stop renting out its soul for dollars.

We do not want to be associated with accomplices to mass murder. It’s not just a matter of expecting better, it is about demanding better. Politics should be aspirational not a neutered focus group exercise. These guys are supposed to be working for us and our interests. Theoretically, at least — right?

Right?

And BTW dems, as of October 2017, Ron Kind had $2.8 million in his campaign lockbox. Only 23% of that came from individual voters. Makes you wonder what Third Way corporate funders and banks are backing Kind’s campaign.

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Republican Accomplices…

Rep. Paul Ryan — NRA Mass Murder Accomplice

The National Rifle Association loves to splurge their cash — including donations from Russia — on Republican candidates. In 2016 98% of NRA donations went to republicans. Check out the going market value on republican senators here.

In 2016 House Speaker Rep. Paul Ryan was the third leading NRA bagman, raking in $171,977 and earning a solid NRA “A” rating from the leading enabler of mass shootings in America.

And who was the fourth leading recipient of NRA largess in 2016? Why our very own Sen. Ron ‘RoJo’ Johnson who bagged $165,498. (I’m guessing RoJo was gnashing his teeth that he didn’t get that final $2 to round up his take.) He too — of course — earned a resounding “A” rating from the NRA.

 Sen. Ron ‘RoJo’ Johnson — NRA Mass Murder Accomplice.

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So the next time you hear any one of these mopes mouthing off about “thoughts and prayers” for the latest gun massacre victims keep these facts in mind and know one thing:

“They don’t give a damn about the safety of your child.”

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Now’s The Time To Send A Contribution To Your Favorite NRA-Backed Mass Murder-Enabling Congressional Stooge

I wish I could say I came up with this idea, but I didn’t. It is something floating around the internet. Given pols like Ryan, Johnson and Kind don’t give the proverbial rat’s behind for what the majority of Americans want with gun reform, maybe they will get the message — written on a check (otherwise known as a congressional love letter). — Mark L. Taylor, Editor

(Commoner Call cartoons and photo by Mark L. Taylor, 2018. Open source and free to use with link to www.thecommonercall.org )

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