(continued from: “GRNC vs NRA: The History”)

Now, let’s take a look at each organizations rating system and compare a couple of current candidates. Understand that each organization takes a different approach to rating candidates. Both organizations issue candidates surveys as well as evaluating voting records and previous positions on gun issues.  The NRA opts for the flexibility of choosing which votes to include in their evaluations, key indicators like “critical’ and “key votes” should be noted. However, GRNC takes a purists approach to voting records by tabulating every vote a candidate has cast dealing with Second Amendment issues.

The NRA scores an incumbent with an A+ who “not only has an excellent voting record on [critical] NRA issues, but who has also made a vigorous effort to promote the Second Amendment.”  An “A” rating is issued to incumbents “who have supported NRA positions on [key votes].”

GRNC is much less subjective, by rating a candidate’s position on gun issues “by comparing their views with those of a control group of gun owners. A 4-star candidate agrees with pro-gun voters on at least 90% of gun issues, a 3-star agrees on at least 80%, a 2-star on at least 70%, a 1-star on at least 60%. A 0 star candidate agrees on less than 60% of gun issues.

To be honest, many candidates legitimately share positive ratings from both organizations, as evident by Democratic Sen. Doug Berger and Republican Phil Berger.  However, there are some stark differences and here is where it becomes evident that the NRA panders to incumbents.  For example, the casual pro-gun voter in Mecklenburg County would believe that Sen. Clodfelter’s “A+” rating from the NRA indicates he is a strong pro-gun candidate.  Clodfelter’s GRNC shows that he votes with gun owners only about 60% of the time.  For me and GRNC 60% is a failing grade.  Kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

It will be interesting to see how the NRA rates Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid this fall and who they endorse.  Reid’s challenger is Tea Party-preferred candidate, Sharron Angle who is decisively conservative and pro gun.  On the other hand, Reid’s long record of voting against the Second Amendment was recently chronicled by Gun Owners of America.  GOA lists 44 reasons why Nevada gun owners should vote against Reid and why freedom loving Americans should support Angle. The question remains, will the NRA sell out to incumbency or will America’s largest pro-gun organization support a pro-gun candidate?

Here in North Carolina voters will know exactly where a candidate stands on gun issues.  GRNC’s “Remember in November” is a comprehensive evaluation that scores each candidate by tabulating their survey results, voting record, and other positions the candidate may have.  This guide will be distributed to approximately 120,000 NC gun owners this fall.

See Also: “GRNC vs. NRA: There is a big difference“

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David Regnery
Board Member, Grassroots North Carolina

Several years ago I began to question some of the candidate ratings the NRA was awarding politicians whom I was certain did not share my reverence of the Second Amendment. I thought to myself “how in the hell can that be”. Something was wrong, either the candidate was lying to the NRA or the NRA was lying to me. What I discovered not only surprised but saddened me, it lead me to joining Grass Roots North Carolina (GRNC) where today I serve as their Director of Volunteer Services and on the Board of Directors.

It was 1994; Republican Ham Horton was challenging incumbent Democrat Ted Kaplan for his senate seat. Mr. Kaplan had a rather extensive record of supporting anti-gun legislation. He favored of the ridiculous assault weapon ban, supported hand gun registration, and a one-gun a-month purchase law. In contrast, Horton recognized that banning semi-automatic sporting rifles because of cosmetic features like thumb-hole stocks was absolutely absurd. Horton held the Second Amendment in high esteem which was diametrically opposite to Kaplan’s indifference to the Founding Father’s intention that, “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”.

Horton entered the race with several political “positives”; he had previously been elected to public office, was well respected within the community and as such enjoyed established name recognition. You can only imagine our shock as the race tightened up and the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action issued their candidate ratings. Kaplan’s rating had been upgraded from a “C” to an “A”. To add insult to injury, the NRA actively campaigned on behalf of Kaplan by mailing orange alert postcards to every NRA member in the district. I was dumbfounded; the NRA was endorsing Ted Kaplan. In the end, things worked out. Ham Horton and fellow state senate candidate Mark McDaniel were both elected against the wishes of the NRA. Both senators went on to support North Carolinians’ right to carry concealed weapon (CCW), a law that was written by GRNC, and both fought for its passage.

Two years later, in 1996 the NRA and GRNC would again lock horns regarding candidate ratings. During the 1995 legislative session Democrat Senator Fountain Odom was attempting to seriously gut the CCW bill in his subcommittee. He proposed onerous provisions that would require individuals to repeat mandatory training when permits were renewed. He fixed it so that concealed carry would be prohibited in financial institutions and state parks. He attempted to fix it so that only police firearm instructors could teach the mandatory course; in fact he actually proposed prohibiting NRA Instructors, such as myself, from teaching the course. He later reversed direction on the Senate floor by removing his objection thus allowing NRA Instructors to teach the course. It was apparently this single act of compromise that endeared Odom to the NRA.

During the 1996 election cycle the NRA’s lead lobbyist Tanya Metaksa gave Odom an A rating, issued one of their, now suspect, orange “ALERT” postcards endorsing him with a glowing recommendation with the following comments to NRA members, “Senator Odom has demonstrated his commitment to our right to self-defense…Here’s how you can help re-elect Fountain Odom – a dedicated supporter of your Second Amendment rights. Help the campaign…make a contribution…spread the word to family, friends, and fellow gun owners…” Gun owners who knew of Odom’s flagrant opposition to the Second Amendment and his history of supporting ever increasing gun restrictions were shocked.

GRNC countered with their own “Election Alert” postcard mailing besting the NRA by reaching out to nearly twice as many gun owners in Odom’s district. The mailing detailed Odom’s Second Amendment transgressions in order to set the record straight. The mailing was complimented with radio spots targeting gun owners and the tactics successfully neutralized the NRA’s endorsement. Fountain Odom was defeated by Robert Pittenger who acknowledged that GRNC had made the difference in a close and hotly contested race.

(to be continued)

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David Regnery
Board Member, Grassroots North Carolina

Previous Post: “GRNC vs. NRA: There is a big difference“

Well folks now we must focus on the happy spenders in our state and local governments. They are at it again, tax and spend liberals that are out of control and actually affect us more than the federal government. These little stinkers need to be removed so they are forced to go out and get real jobs where they can experience their own laws in action. They have already started taxing services, see here and now they want to do more of the same. Let’s start voting these people out of their office and replace them with Tea Party minded folks who will cut services to the bare minimum, lower our tax rates, and remove themselves from office after 1 or 2 terms at the most.

Where do you think our congress men and women cut their teeth? All their habits and corruption are formed locally and then they just move right on up the chain. The Tea Party is going to focus our efforts on local and state elections so as to inform the folks of North Carolina what is happening in our backyard and maybe through intense pressure we can oust these losers and take back our state while keeping more of OUR money in the process.

Here is the article that needs to be read:

RALEIGH — As revenue from the state and local sales taxes dwindles in a down economy, expanding the levy to cover services is getting increased scrutiny as a way to generate millions of dollars in new revenue. Members of a joint Senate-House Tax Reform Committee established by the General Assembly are being given glimpses of just how much the state could bring in by taxing everything from carpet clean- ing to haircuts to athletic events to legal services and much more. For example, placing a sales tax on dances, dog shows, movies and sporting events — some of which are already subject to a smaller privilege tax — could bring in an estimated $85 million to state and local coffers. Bringing landscaping, exterminating, carpet cleaning and security services under the levy would raise nearly $254 million. Pet grooming, horse training, hair-cutting and the like would add nearly $36 million, while a tax on service contracts and warranties, installations and repairs could generate $406 million. The largest windfall, however, could come from a sales tax on professional services — doctors and dentists, $700 million; lawyers, $359 million; accountants, $173 million; computer services, $327 million. The numbers were extrapolated from 2002 U.S. Census data, consumption figures from the Bureau of Economic Administration and other sources. The extracted revenue projections are based on a state sales tax rate of 4.75 percent (not counting a recent temporary 1 percent hike) and a local sales tax rate of 2 percent. “The numbers are solid,” said General Assembly fiscal researcher Sandra Johnson, who performed the analysis. “We just wanted to provide the committee with a bird’s eye view of the subject.” It will be up to the reform panel, made up of members of the House and Senate finance committees, to decide what to do with the data. In addition to studying sales taxes, the group is looking at the way North Carolina taxes personal income and corporate income. The panel’s recommendations for changing the state’s tax laws aren’t expected before May, when the full General Assembly convenes on Jones Street. “We are looking at the details in a way no legislators have before,” said Durham Rep. Paul Luebke, who is a senior chairman of the House Finance Committee. “Another important factor for this committee is that, anything we do, we want to make as bi-partisan as possible.” Sales taxes now generate 28 percent of the state’s revenue. In 1970, the figure was 31 percent. North Carolina imposed its first sales tax back in 1933, but over the decades the state has seen the sales tax base shrink because of changes in what people are buying, tax exemptions — now running into the hundreds of millions of dollars — and cross-border and online shopping. Remedies being studied include raising rates, cutting exemptions or looking for ways to expand the base. Hence, the re-newed focus on services, which generally have not come under the sales tax levy. Research by the Federation of Tax Administrators in 2009 found that five of the 45 states that levy a sales tax impose the tax on fewer than 20 services. Article from Lee WeisBecker who writes for the Triangle Business Journal.