Alternatives to the NRA?

[Uni-Vibe]

National association for gun rights?

Second amendment foundation?

Gun owners of America?

What do you think?

[SteyrAUG]

I wish the GOA was a huge organization with almost 5 million members, but if that happened they'd probably become a lazy ass lobby group who funnels most of their income into advertising and membership drives while engaging in token efforts at best.

In the past members have been able to make direction changes and demand greater action a few times successfully. Not sure if it was the strength of the membership at the time or societal values or a combination of both.

What I do know is Congress and the rest of our enemies pretty much have no idea who the GOA, JPFO or the SAF even are. The only evil bugaboo they know is the NRA and even if they completely piss us off on a regular basis they are still better than not having an NRA. Being a Life Member I will absolutely never give them another dime until they start earning it and anytime I take their call I let them know that 100% of any donations will be going to the ILA so they can't mismanage it.

GOA is probably the most proactive organization I've ever seen, but I don't think they wield any true influence yet. When Zelman was alive, JPFO got some amazing information out to the shooting community but I think he was the driving force and once he was gone so was the effort.

IMO it's worth the $35 a year to build a big rock in the middle of the progressive road, and honestly the NRA is about as useful / useless as a big rock in the middle of the road and tell them if they want anything more they need to dance for their money. They put out a magazine with election alerts and stuff like that which most gun owners need because they haven't got a clue about anything. But we need to remember the NRA once considered Harry Reid an A+ rated politician.

[jsbhike]

GOA does send out accurate candidate ratings versus the NRA. They inform you exactly what the candidate did to get a D rating instead of the NRA giving the same person a high grade or endorsement with no background info.

GOA also sends out alerts on anti 2nd amendment legislation and they don't spin it any way other than what it is.

[themonk]

Sorry, no one other than the NRA has any power in Washington.

[jsbhike]

Sorry, no one other than the NRA has any power in Washington.

Might want to ponder why that appears to be the case.

http://jpfo.org/articles-assd02/gca68-nra3.htm

"The National Rifle Association has been in support of workable, enforceable gun control legislation since its very inception in 1871." — NRA Executive Vice President Franklin L. Orth NRA's American Rifleman Magazine, March 1968, P. 22

The NRA routinely approves of anti-2nd Amendment candidates and promotes bad legislation so of course politicians will play them up.

[themonk]

Might want to ponder why that appears to be the case.

http://jpfo.org/articles-assd02/gca68-nra3.htm

"The National Rifle Association has been in support of workable, enforceable gun control legislation since its very inception in 1871." — NRA Executive Vice President Franklin L. Orth NRA's American Rifleman Magazine, March 1968, P. 22

The NRA routinely approves of anti-2nd Amendment candidates and promotes bad legislation so of course politicians will play them up.

Nothing new and if you think that is their power source you're fooling yourself and are confused about how Washington works. Its about number of members, members that vote and can be proved to vote, money and good lobbyists.

[26 Inf]

I wish the GOA was a huge organization with almost 5 million members, but if that happened they'd probably become a lazy ass lobby group who funnels most of their income into advertising and membership drives while engaging in token efforts at best.

In the past members have been able to make direction changes and demand greater action a few times successfully. Not sure if it was the strength of the membership at the time or societal values or a combination of both.

I'm not so sure about GOA - I get stuff from them all the time asking me for donations.

In 2017 they reportedly took in $2,272,624.00. They reportedly had salaries, other compensation and employee benefit expenses of $793,968.00. That is 34.9369 percent of their nut.

There are board members making money from the corporation: MR. GERALD OGNIBENE IS VOTE RITE SYSTEMS, INC.'S 100% OWNER AND PRESIDENT, AND IS ALSO A GOA DIRECTOR. VOTE RITE SYSTEMS, INC. RECEIVED PAYMENT OF $146,421 FOR CAGING AND COMPUTER SERVICES FROM GOA.

Read the Form 990 data - https://projects.propublica.org/nonp...ions/521256643

Taking in the totality of the circumstances, I guess after reading all of this I'll continue to belong to NRA and GOA as well as check out a couple of the others mentioned.

Edited Edit To Add: Just joined FPC for $20.19 - https://www.firearmspolicy.org/

[tb-av]

If Vote Rite is running all the computer side of things, that's not a lot of money. and as far as I'm concerned they have the best run and most user friendly tech interface to the public that I have seen from any 2A oriented system. Now I don't know if that is because of VoteRite or not but whoever is doing it, is good at what they do.

As far as asking for money all the time. That's advertising 101. I far prefer the way they do it over the way the NRA does it. They give me a valuable service and ask that help out. they do so often.

The NRA gives me a valuable service and it feels like the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. It's a "we will give you this if you do that".. "Ok, but I just did that".. then it's groundhog day.

GOA gives me links that take me 60 seconds or post cards or phone numbers. Then they ask for money. To me that's reasonable. The NRA asks for money and tells me they will perform a future service. We can't afford to not support them all but I like the way the GOA rolls. Especially their "No" attitude towards Dems.

[fledge]

Firearms Policy Coalition

They are growing and vocal. Active in the courts.

https://www.firearmspolicy.org

[themonk]

That happened because Wayne jumped on a plane and flew to New Jersey this weekend and spent two hours in a room with the President and convincing him that any new laws would suck and greatly piss off his base.