NRA 5 Million Members Strong

NRA had their convention this weekend and revealed the membership numbers. 10% of members have joined since the Newtown shooting. They are shooting for 10 million members. That should be a quite powerful lobby. Especially in Red States.

so less than 2% of the population of the US. Their leadership are neathanderals. LaPierre using the Boston bombing to trumpet gun ownership. Real classy.

Less than 2% of the population, but much higher percentage of voters.
And if they weren't powerful, how did universal background checks fail?

Because of the millions of dollars from special interests that threatened the cowards in Congress. Even their own board members have complained how special interests have taken over the NRA at odds with their membership.

"Adolphus Busch IV, an heir in the Anheuser-Busch beer-making family, has reportedly resigned from the National Rifle Association over the NRA’s “distorted values” in the recently concluded gun control debate.
“The NRA I see today has undermined the values upon which it was established,” Busch wrote in a letter obtained by KSDK-TV in St. Louis. “Your current strategic focus places a priority on the needs of gun and ammunition manufacturers while disregarding the opinions of your 4 million individual members.”
Busch added that the NRA’s board of directors is dominated by manufacturing interests and says it represents their interests rather than those of gun owners.
“I am simply unable to comprehend how assault weapons and large capacity magazines have a role in your vision,” Busch wrote."

Washington Post

Easy question. Would you prefer to see ALL guns banned?

And record attendance for an NRA convention, some 80,000 people. The base is mobilized.

Right, that is why many of the senators who voted against universal background checks have seen their support erode greatly.

Guess we will see. If Reid thinks it will pass the next time, he will submit it to another vote. So far he has chosen to let it lie.

I don't think he's decided to let it lie as much as he's looking for the right bribes to purchase the 5 votes he needs to get it passed. Leopards don't change their spots after all.

The NRA has donated a lot to Harry Reid in the past and even endorsed him in his last Senate run. Does he repay that by quietly never submitting the bill again? Or figure he doesn't need to be re-elected and gives Obama a plum?