Election Post Mortem - Trump and Gun Owners Win

The election results from last night confirmed that Donald Trump tapped in to an undercurrent of unrest among a segment of the public.  Unless you were listening to certain talk radio programing, you heard that Trump was going to lose because polls showed he was trailing and could not win.  National Review's Jim Geraghty addressed that in his post election Morning Jolt:

Everything I wrote yesterday about the polls generally being right most of the time is now inoperative. Pollsters have had off years before, but there has never been a colossal ten-car pile-up like this in the polling industry. The entire industry needs to scrap everything they know about the electorate and start over. One of the giant questions they must address is whether we now live in an atmosphere of such far-reaching and stifling social disapproval of politically incorrect positions that a significant portion of respondents no longer feel comfortable expressing their actual beliefs to a pollster.

As Geraghty said, there really is a "silent majority" that waited until election day to voice their opinion.

It also looks like the NRA knew what they were doing in their placement of Campaign Field Representatives (CFRs).  NRA-ILA strategically chose eleven states to place one or more CFRs and their efforts paid off in seven in the Presidential race and helped defeat the so-called "universal background check" ballot initiative in Maine.  NRA made it known via Twitter:

Congratulations, President-elect @realDonaldTrump, on your hard-fought victory! #2A pic.twitter.com/Ju6J9YH43s

— NRA (@NRA) November 9, 2016

On the gun ban lobby side, Politico reported Monday that Bloomberg spent $65 million, with $25 million going to ballot initiatives including three gun related efforts, one in Washington (Allows courts to prevent dangerous individuals from acquiring guns), one in Nevada ("universal" background checks) and Maine ("universal" background checks), and the rest on several U.S. Senate candidates - both Republican and Democrat and several statewide races.  On the ballot initiatives, he won handily in Washington, barely won in Nevada, and lost in Maine.  He also had mixed results in the Senate and statewide candidate races.

Last night was a good night overall for gun owners.  Trump has vowed to appoint justices to the Supreme court that will not overturn Heller.  He has said he will put his Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the judicial appointments.  We shall see.  And, Bloomberg will continue to spend his unlimited pot of money at the state level in areas where he thinks he has the best shot to win.  We need to analyze our win in Maine and use what worked there to defeat him going forward.  But for now, we can all breath a sigh of relief that Hillary Clinton will not take up residence in the White House.

The Future is in Our Hands So Vote

The direction our country will take for the next generation will be decided today.  It is up to us.  Vote! Then, make sure all of your gun owning friends vote!  Polls are open until 7 PM in Virginia. 

NPR: Firearms Industry Soars Amid Election-Year Angst, Shattering Records

NPR has the story here.  NPR spoke to a gun shop owner in California for the story.  The shop owner, David Strickroth, rightly says gun owners are not convinced that Hillary Clinton supports the right of individually keep and bear arms.  He then follows up with this:

... He hears from gun owners and enthusiasts who are afraid that they'll lose their right to own certain types of firearms if Clinton becomes president.

Personally, he doesn't believe that will happen. Strickroth is no fan of Clinton and won't be voting for her on Tuesday, but he says that any restrictions on people's Second Amendment rights will "eventually [get] to the court and the court will say, 'No, you can't do that,' " he says.

He references the uproar and fear that followed the 1968 Gun Control Act and the last two presidential elections and gestures around his gun shop. "I'm still here," he says.

We still have people on our side who don't understand the seriousness of this election.  If Hillary Clinton wins, she will have the power to render the Second Amendment irrelevant by making court appointments.  She can also do additional "Executive Actions" that congress will be powerless to overturn because it takes 60 votes in the Senate to move legislation.

Final Weekend Before Election Richmond Volunteer Opportunities

This is the final weekend before the election.  If you live in the Richmond area, below are some volunteer opportunities in which you can participate:

Click a link below to RSVP!Friday, November 4th, 5pm-8pm Phone Bank in Colonial Heights
We will be holding a phone bank to ensure our Second Amendment supporters get out to the polls on November 8th.

Saturday, November 5th, 10am-4pm Neighborhood Walk in RichmondYour NRA team your fellow Frontlines Volunteers will meet at Dominion Shooting Range off Midlothian Turnpike to go on a neighborhood walk in the area.

Saturday, November 5th, 5pm-8pm Phone Bank at Dominion Shooting Range in RichmondCome by, shoot a few rounds at the range, and make some calls to help us protect your right to do so!

Sunday, November 6th, 12pm-3pm Phone Bank in Colonial HeightsWe will meet at Dance's Sporting Goods to make calls to pro-gun Virginians.

Sunday, November 6th, 3pm-7pm Neighborhood Walk in Colonial HeightsNRA staff and volunteers will be knocking on doors in the Colonial Heights area to invigorate our pro-gun base.

If you would like to help out on any of these days, make sure to click the link and RSVP. If you have any questions, or if you'd like to help from home, please contact Joseph Vrechek at (817) 729-8365 or at joseph@nrailafrontlines.com. We hope to see you there!

Five Days to the Biggest Election of Our Lifetime

I know we hear every year that "this is the biggest election of our life" but I honestly believe that is true this year.  The U.S. Supreme Court has a vacancy and the person that is elected President will determine if the vacancy is filled by a pro-rights justice or if it will tilt the court to the anti-rights side for probably a generation or more.  VSSA's sister organization, Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) said it best in their Thursday Bulletin today:

Gun owners, if there was ever a time for all hands-on deck, it is now.  I know there is some hesitation about voting for a less than perfect candidate.  This time we don't have that luxury.  If they are pro-gun, vote for them and don't look back.   We can work out the other details later.

Earlier this week this blog posted ways that people in the Richmond area can help get out the vote.  There is also a way for gun owners in the rest of Virginia to get involved and you don't even have to leave your home.  Just click here and you will be taken to an NRA web site that will help you make phone calls from home to turn out pro-rights voters in Virginia.  In order to make the NRA phone-from-home options available, you will need to sign up as an online volunteer.  After you sign up, be sure to check your email. NRA will send information about your next step.

One Week Left to Stop Hillary Clinton

Next week this time the polls will be just a few hours from closing.  Here are some things you can do to help turn out pro-rights voters if you live in the Richmond area:

Wednesday, November 2nd, 4pm-7pm Neighborhood Walk in Short Pump
Volunteers will be knocking on doors and encouraging pro-gun voters to get out to the polls and make the pro-gun voice heard this year.

Thursday, November 3rd, 4pm-7pm Neighborhood Walk in Glen Allen
Don't miss the last Glen Allen neighborhood walk of the season! NRA staff and fellow Frontlines Volunteers will be engaging with the community about our Second Amendment rights, our pro-gun candidates, and, most importantly, getting our supporters out to vote!

Friday, November 4th, 5pm-8pm Phone Bank in Colonial Heights

If you have any questions, or if you cannot make these events but would like to help from home, please contact NRA Campaign Field Representative Joseph Vrechek at (817) 729-8365 or joseph@nrailafrontlines.com.

Tim Kaine's "Gun Violence" Lies

BearingArms.com contributor Bob Owens does a great job of picking apart Tim Kaine's recent op/ed in Time Magazine.  Owens starts out by pointing out Tim Kaine's "creative rhetoric."  Kaine even says he is a "proud supporter of the Second Amendment" because he owns a gun.  Then Kaine drag's out the gun ban lobby's favorite talking points on mass shootings, "terrorist watch list" and non-existent "gun show loophole".  It didn't take long for Owens to shoot down every one of the lies.  It's a good read.

An Urgent Election Message from NRA's Wayne LaPierre

On October 21st, NRA Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Wayne LaPierre delivered an urgent message to America’s 100 million gun owners, declaring Hillary Clinton an enemy to the Second Amendment. “If, God forbid, Hillary Clinton is elected, she will launch an all-out war on the Second Amendment. She will come for your guns,” says LaPierre. “She will attack your right to carry. She will attack your most basic right to defend your family with a firearm in your home.” Before asserting that Hillary Clinton “dreams of twisting a knife into the heart of the one freedom that separates us from the rest of the world,” LaPierre hit the current administration saying, “Obama attacked you [gun owners] harder than he attacked ISIS …. He used the terrorism his own weakness and failures made possible to try to gut your right to shoot back at the terrorists he refused to kill.” In his passionate appeal, LaPierre called upon every American who supports the Second Amendment: “If you refuse to witness the self-destruction of the greatest nation the world has ever known, then join me … the only thing that can stop her is you.” Supporters are being urged to share the video using #SavetheSecond.

Help Get Out the Vote for Pro Gun Candidates this Weekend

With time ticking away, votes already coming in, and the future of the Supreme Court hanging in the balance, the time to get involved is now. Join fellow gun owners on the ground in Colonial Heights and Glen Allen this weekend to kick off  Get out the Vote efforts, which will be crucial to ensuring victory for our pro-gun candidates on November 8th.

Whether you're a seasoned volunteer or brand-new, there is still time to ensure the pro-gun vote gets out this year. Click the links below to RSVP so we know you will Stand and Fight for your rights.

Saturday, October 29th, 12pm-3pm Phone Bank at Dance's Sporting Goods in Colonial Heights
NRA Staff and fellow gun owners will be making calls to pro-gun voters here in Virginia to make sure they get out to vote! Join us for free NRA gear, other giveaways, and refreshments.

Saturday, October 29th, 3pm-7pm Neighborhood Walk at Dance's Sporting Goods in Colonial Heights
NRA Staff and volunteers will be meeting at Dance's at 3pm to head into the Colonial Heights community to spread the word about our our pro-gun candidates.

Sunday, October 30th, 10am-4pm Neighborhood Walk at Martin's in Glen Allen
 Local volunteers will be knocking on doors in the Glen Allen area to encourage pro-gun voters to get out to vote. Free NRA gear, other giveaways, and refreshments will be provided.
 
Sunday, October 30th, 5pm-8pm Phone Bank in Glen Allen
Volunteers will be meeting at one of our wonderful volunteer's homes in Glen Allen to reach out to voters and make sure the pro-gun vote is well represented on Election Day! This will be the last phone bank in Glen Allen for the year - don't miss it!

Monday, October 31st, 5pm-8pm Phone Bank in Colonial Heights
This phone bank will be the first of many GOTV weekday activities available to help ensure victory for our Second Amendment and our pro-gun candidates. Feel free to come over anytime between 5pm and 8pm!

It's not too late to make a difference in this election, but it will be on November 9th! Now is the time to Stand and Fight to make sure pro-gun voices are heard this year. If you are interested in helping out this year but are unable to make the events above but like to help from home, or if you have any questions, please contact Josephy Vrecheck, NRA-ILA Campaign Field Representative at (817) 729-8265 or at joseph@nrailafrontlines.com.

Hillary Clinton Wants Heller Reversed to Make the Second Amendment Meaningless

VSSA's sister organization, Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) emails a Thursday Bulletin to members.  It's similar to VSSA's eBullet.  VSSA's office receives the ISRA bulletin and Executive Director Lu Charette passed along the October 6, edition.  In that email update, the ISRA Executive Director shared that he had received a phone call from one of their members who indicated they would be voting for Hillary Clinton on November 8.  Here is his response:

On Monday the office received a call from a member who indicated they were going to vote for Hillary Clinton, misguided to say the least.   It has taken millions of dollars, an enormous amount of time, massive efforts by organizations like the ISRA, NRA and SAF as well as personal sacrifices by people like Dick Heller, Otis McDonald and others to bring the Second Amendment back to its real meaning.  If Hillary Clinton is elected President, Heller v DC, which is the cornerstone of the Second Amendment movement, will be reversed.  McDonald v City of Chicago will be overturned, as well as many other cases and will fall by the wayside and turned into the dust of history.   Moreover, there are other important cases waiting like Peruta v County of San Diego, which seeks to destroy concealed carry.  In this case, the County of San Diego insists there is no right to carry concealed in the Second Amendment and that a person must prove his or her life is in danger before being issued a permit.  The 9th Circuit upheld the County's position by a margin of 7-4.  Before you say that it's "just California", Hillary's court will make that the law of the land.

VSSA members helped pay for the victories in Heller and McDonald.  You contributed to a special appeal that allowed VSSA to be a party to the State Association amicus briefs, so you have a special stake in making sure those decision are not rendered worthless.  Gun owners need to understand that if those decisions are reversed, we won't go back to the way things were before Heller, as former NRA President David Keene reiterated during his appearance on this past Sunday's Armed American Radio (at about the 43:25 minute mark of the first hour) program and in his new book, Shall Not Be Infringed the New Assaults on Your Second Amendment.  Hillary Clinton wants the 2nd Amendment reinterpreted so it doesn't mean anything, which as Keene told AAR host Mark Walters, "is the moral equivalent of abolishing it."

The Election and Our Gun Rights

That was the topic for much of the first hour of Tom Gresham's Gun Talk Radio program yesterday.  Gresham reminded listeners where Hillary Clinton stands on the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.  Then, he interviewed Tom Mason, co-author of Shall Not be Infringed: The New Assaults on Your Second Amendment.  In the book, Mason and co-author David Keene (former NRA President) outline and examine the ongoing battle fought in the courts, Congress, and state legislatures across the country as well as in the media and even the United Nations. Guns have become a symbol over which battle after battle is fought, all the while hiding the end game of a cultural shift to government dominance.  Although the Supreme Court ruled the 2nd Amendment guarantees an individual right to “keep and bear arms,” Hillary Clinton has promised to challenge this Constitutional freedom, even vowing to make it a litmus test for Supreme Court justice nominees. Gun control advocates continue to insist that the Court was wrong and should reverse this finding, thereby, stripping American gun owners of the Constitutional protection that has thus far made it impossible to ban gun ownership.

Last week, Keene spoke at the Heritage Foundation and discussed the book.

Washington Examiner: Clinton Vows Supreme Court Judge Who Backs Gun Control

Hillary Clinton doubled down on her campaign's anti-gun rhetoric during Sunday night's debate.  During a question related to what type of qualities she will look for in Supreme Court justices, she did not mention their constitutional philosophy once, but listed a litany of things that should not be part of the consideration.  From the Washington Examiner:

"I respect the Second Amendment, but I believe that there should be comprehensive background checks," the Democratic nominee said Sunday, "and we should close the gun show loophole and close the online loophole we have to save as many lives as we possibly can."

Clinton's remarks were a response to the specific question: "What would you prioritize as the most important aspect of selecting a Supreme Court justice?"

She said she believes the current court has "gone in wrong direction." Though the issue of gun control was mentioned only briefly Sunday evening during the debate, it has been an ongoing theme of the Clinton campaign.

Clinton has used both debates to stress the importance of more gun control.  Last debate she tied gun control to better "race relations."  That's interesting given it was a black man, Otis McDonald, that fought for the right for residents of  Chicago to be able to own firearms for self defense.  But that is likely one of the cases Clinton was referring to when she said the Court has "gone the wrong direction."

NRA Releases Candidate Grades for Virginia

You can see the list here.  No real surprises in House races.  The incumbent GOP House members earned endorsements, as did 5th District Candidate, State Senator Tom Garret, who is running for an open seat.  Their Democrat challengers don't receive any grades higher than a "D."  The GOP challengers running in the 3rd, and 8th Districts as well as in the open 4th District received "AQ" ratings but no endorsement.  All three of those districts are gerrymandered to make it almost impossible for anyone other than a Democrat to win.  There is no U.S. Senate race in Virginia this year.  Get out and do what you can for the candidate in your district.  If you live in the Richmond or Roanoke area, you can contact the NRA-ILA Campaign Field Representatives to find out how you can help:

Patrick DeStefano, Roanoke, VA, 864-680-0399, patrick@nrailafrontlines.com

Joe Vrecheck, Richmond, VA, (817) 729-8365, joseph@nrailafrontlines.com

Volunteer for the Richmond NRA-ILA Day of Action to Elect Pro-gun Candidates

NRA-ILA is looking for Second Amendment activists to come out on Saturday, September 24th for the NRA's National Day of Action in the Richmond area! Volunteers will be doing a neighborhood walk to get the word out about pro-gun candidates running in the upcoming election. Training will be provided as well as plenty of complimentary NRA gear!

Where:Martin's Food Market Parking Lot

10250 Staples Mill Rd #6433

Glen Allen, VA 23228

When:Saturday, September 24th

10AM-3PM

 

If you would like to join Second Amendment advocates and volunteer on this National Day of Action, or are interested in any other volunteer opportunities, please contact Joseph Vrechek, Campaign Field Representative - Richmond, NRA-ILA, at joseph@nrailafrontlines.com or (817) 729-8365. I hope to see you there!

Obama's Shifting of Federal Courts to Left Will Impact Gun Rights for Years

Lawyer and blogger Dave Hardy had this post at Arms and the Law sharing a Reuters article about the massive shift in the make up of the federal circuit court districts.  In 2009, only the 9th Circuit was predominantly made up of Democratic appointees with the 2nd Circuit split 50-50.  Today, less than half (the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th) are majority Republican appointees.  Hardy notes that both the Democrat and Republican circuits have massive imbalances in appointees:

...What's also interesting in both Repub dominated and Demo dominated circuits, the proportions tend to be overwhelming, 66-33% or more.

While some say Obama's overreach on environmental issues is his crowing achievement, it is his imprint on the federal courts that will haunt gun owners likely for a generation.  Much of what we have regained of our Second Amendment rights have been won in select cases in the federal courts.  This could be much harder to do going forward, especially if Hillary Clinton is elected president in November.

Hat tip Sebastian at Shall Not be Questioned.

Why Should You Vote Your Guns in 2016?

That's the question contributor Kevin Creighton answers in this post on the Ricochet blog:

Voting guns means you reject the idea that only the people whom the government trusts should be armed. It means you understand that protecting what matters to you most is your job, not the government’s. It means you understand that no matter how efficient a police state is, bad things are going to happen to good people. Moreover, it means understanding that if a politician does not support that basic right of individual self-defense, they do not support the other individual rights either.

The Second Amendment and the right to keep and bear arms is a litmus test about how a candidate feels about the role government should play in your life. It’s not about “allowing” you to hunt or shoot competitions, it’s about not relying on government to define how you and your loved ones will be protected from the evil that is in this world. Voting guns is voting for your life and the lives of your loved ones.

Creighton reminds the reader in the lead-up to his conclusion, using links to her own statements, that Hillary Clinton does not believe Americans should not be able to own semiautomatic rifles, that the Australian-model of gun control is something "worth looking at", that the right to keep and bear arms is something that only belongs to the government, and that she believes the "Supreme Court got DC v. Heller wrong."  Additionally, Clinton believes people do not have the right to defend themselves and their family with a firearm.

Stopping Hillary Clinton should be what this election is about for gun owners.  Get involved today.  NRA-ILA has two campaign field representatives in Virginia, one in the Richmond area and one in Roanoke.  Their contact information is below.

Patrick DeStefano, Roanoke, VA 864-680-0399 patrick@nrailafrontlines.com
Joe Vrecheck, Richmond, VA (817) 729-8365 joseph@nrailafrontlines.com

Wall Street Journal: Gun-Control Groups Reignite Debate by Crossing the Aisle in Senate Races

It appears from this Wall Street Journal blog post that some in the gun ban lobby community don't like Gabby Giffords' group endorsing two Republicans, Pennsylvania's Pat Toomey and Illinois' Mark Kirk, both of which are in tight re-election races this year:

“You can’t blame some of these groups for trying to show some bipartisanship by supporting Republicans, but I’m not convinced it’s ever worked,” said Jim Manley, a former top aide to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) “It doesn’t change the fundamental dynamic: Republicans are still in control.”

But others argue that these groups are helping neutralize blowback Republicans could face when they buck powerful interest groups like the National Rifle Association.

Some pundits look at the move as the group playing "long ball" thinking if supporting candidates that crossed gun owners help them win, it may encourage others to do the same and show there is no price to be paid for crossing gun owners.

While Giffords and Bloomberg are rewarding Toomey for betraying gun owners who worked hard for him six years ago, it looks like a local PA gun ban group is stabbing him in the back based on this report from Bitter at the blog Shall Not Be Questioned:

Back in March, Sebastian called it when he noted that while Pat Toomey was touting support from CeasefirePA leadership, these are not people who would ever actually cast a vote for him. Granted, we thought that was more of a “won’t vote for you in the privacy of the voting booth” type of prediction, not a “will actively campaign against you despite doing what they wanted” kind of way.

But, it seems that’s how loyalty to gun controllers is rewarded. Toomey’s opponent has been endorsed by the very same group whose leaders were kissing his rear back in March, likely knowing all along that they would throw him under the bus come the run up to November’s general election.

It remains to be seen whether Toomey can convince gun owners in Pennsylvania that his opponent Katie McGinty will be more dangerous to their gun rights than he is given he has already double crossed them.  In a close election, gun owners sitting out his election could make the difference between winning and losing.

NRA's National Day of Action

Second Amendment advocates will take to neighborhoods in Richmond this Saturday, August 27th, for the NRA's National Day of Action. Teams will be doing a neighborhood walk and informing the community about pro-gun candidates in the upcoming election. Volunteers will receive training, light refreshments, and free NRA swag! They will be meeting at 10am at the Dollar General parking lot, 7528 Mechanicsville Turnpike, Mechanicsville, Virginia.

In addition to the neighborhood walk, volunteers are needed to help at the Richmond Gun Show at the Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, August 27th, starting at 9am.  If you can help at any of these activities, contact Joey Vrechek, the Richmond area Campaign Field Representative.  You can contact Joey about the National Day of Action, or if you are interested in any other volunteer opportunity, at joseph@nrailafrontlines.com or (817) 729-8365.

NRA-ILA Fundraiser in Chesterfield September 29

Virginia NRA Field Representative David Wells has alerted VSSA to an event that will take place in Chesterfield County on September 29th.  The special Defend America event is a fundraiser for the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action division.

 

The list of speakers include VSSA Life Member and President of the National Rifle Association, Mr. Alan Cors.   This will be an entertaining evening in a relaxed casual BBQ setting, while raising much needed funds for the battles that lie ahead for our 2^nd Amendment freedoms.

 You can download the RSVP card here that details the various giving levels.  There are premiums included for upper level tables.   Seats are limited, but if you have any interest in attending or need more information please contact David Wells at: 

Phone: 434-696-2189 office

email: dwells@nrahq.org.  

 

Libertarian Presidential Ticket No Friend to Gun Owners

It's no real secret that many Americans are not happy with the choices in this year's Presidential Election.  Gun owners know that Clinton will continue the attacks on our rights that Obama opened and has continued since 2013.  Donald Trump has declared he supports our rights and has received the endorsement of the NRA, but since the GOP convention, he has made one misstep after the other.  Polls show Clinton with as much as a 9 point lead.

I've posted on this blog previously that the only real choice for gun owners is to be single issue voters and to pull the lever for Donald Trump.  For those who may be considering the Libertarian candidate due to the party's usual support for the 2nd Amendment, consider these comments from the Libertarian Vice Presidential Candidate William "Bill" Weld via Jim Geraghty at National Review Online:

“The five-shot rifle, that’s a standard military rifle; the problem is if you attach a clip to it so it can fire more shells and if you remove the pin so that it becomes an automatic weapon, and those are independent criminal offenses,” Weld said. “That is when they become, essentially, a weapon of mass destruction. The problem with handguns probably is even worse than the problem of the AR15.”

Those kind of comments make you wonder how he ended up on the Libertarian ticket but as Geraghty points out, Weld has a history of being anti-rights:

While failing to keep his fiscal promises, Weld also managed to make some moves on cultural issues that are seriously inconvenient for a Libertarian candidate in 2016. In 1993, as governor, he endorsed a slew of gun-control proposals: a statewide ban on assault weapons, a waiting period for buying handguns, a limit on the number of handguns an individual could buy, and a prohibition on handgun ownership by anyone under 21. “The purpose of this common-sense legislation is to remove deadly guns from our streets and to take weapons out of the hands of many teens who themselves are becoming deadly killers,” he said at the time.

Just more proof, gun owners have only one choice this election it we don't want the Second Amendment to become irrelevant - pull the lever for Donald Trump.