Along with the "conman/conned" nonsense discussed in my previous post, another common bit of leftist lie suggests the GOP is in the pocket of the National Rifle Association. But the very notion is patently absurd, and always has been.
https://news.yahoo.com/jonah-goldberg-republican-voters-driving-100050687.html
I even found a lefty who at least understands ragging against "the gun lobby" is bullshit politics:
https://www.alternet.org/2022/06/blaming-gun-lobby-convenient-fiction/
The NRA and the gun industry simply doesn't have the kind of control of right-wing politicians the lying left wants stupid lefty voters to believe.
The following link compares donations from the North Carolina Association of Educators over a three year period to that which was donated by the NRA:
https://www.nccivitas.org/civitas-review/no-research-reveals-myth-behind-big-moneyed-gun-lobby-nc-politics/
Given the low regard lefties have of the better people on the right, it seems incongruous to believe any GOP politician would be "in the pocket" of the NRA or "gun lobby" for what amounts to chump change. At the same time, it's crystal clear state and federal Education Associations and teacher unions favor the Democratic Party, and by this last link, it should be clear they dwarf donations by the NRA.
The following provides donation lists broken down in several ways.
https://www.opensecrets.org/elections-overview/top-organizations
We can clearly see labor and teachers unions are massive donors to the Dems. Thus, by the logic of those criticizing "the gun lobby", Dems are in the pockets of teacher and labor unions. Why is it we don't typically hear them characterized as dictating Dem policy as we hear from lefties how the NRA dictates GOP policy?
While I see a lot of "gay" people on FoxNews these days, I think it's a safe bet that the Dem party is in the purses of the LGBT community and likely gets a greater portion of "LGBT money" than does the GOP. I haven't been able to confirm this, and I've seen some articles purporting less support for Dems by those people...at least in the coming cycle. We'll see. Historically, I think it's clear who gets that lobby's support.
Then there those in entertainment. I saw a list of donations from those in the industry and it leads one to believe the Dems are in their pockets as well.
The bottom line here is the nonsense insistence the GOP doesn't make a move...particularly on guns and 2nd Amendment issues...without the NRA telling them what to do...that GOP politicians await marching orders from the NRA. It's absurd. The Constitution is clear on the issue of gun ownership. There's no reason any politician with any fealty for the Constitution would need any fiduciary encouragement to act in accordance with that document. Given the pandering so common by the Dems on so many issues, it's far more certain the Dems are motivated by donations far more than the average GOP candidate...Mitch McConnell notwithstanding.
7 comments:
Art,
While labor unions may donate to the DFL, it's clear that as the DFL is more and more controlled by the green agenda, that they are screwing the members of labor unions.
The unions that we need to worry abut are the public employees unions, teachers included. The conflict of interest here is staggering. These unions give millions to the DFL with the expectation that the DFL will then provide more jobs, and more money to their members. It seems a bit like straight up bribery to me.
I have many reasons I'm so very pro-immigrant and refugee. My family may literally have died out if we hadn't been allowed to escape religious persecution in France by coming to the Americas. They were a relatively wealthy family that escaped with almost nothing.
We should all remember that sort of thing.
But what do we do with a full third (ish, give or take, to greater and lesser degrees) of the nation that has bought into this madness? Biden's taking a nuanced and measured step in denouncing that part of the GOP that has gone all maga-like and bought into/been conned by Trump.
Fortunately, he won't be around in an election cycle or two - he can't be very healthy, no matter how much healthcare being a billionaire (ish) can buy.
Dan,
I don't know the connection between your comment and this thread. It's absurd in any case, but seems more appropriate in the previous thread. With that in mind, I'll be copy/pasting it and moving it there.
Craig,
As you suggest, the left is eating their own. I did mean to list public employees unions specifically, but as all labor unions are supporters of the Democratic Party, it's a small oversight on my part. But I see them as all equally problematic in that regard and reigning in any of the three forms of labor union mentioned here...if not all...will improve the nation. They all operate in the same way with regard to their support and their expected ROI. As such, it shows the Dems are in their pockets in ways the GOP never has been with regard to the NRA.
Art,
I'd argue that labor unions are less insidious than public employee unions. The fact that the Unions donate massive amounts of money the the party which the people who make decisions about the number of union employees is very simply unethical. The unions are buying jobs and the DFL is buying votes.
Having said that, you point is still well made. The DFL is much more engaged in quid pro quo with it's donors than the GOP.
As I've pointed out before, the DFL problem is that they have come to rely on various groups who's agendas conflict, and eventually will have to choose one or the other or accept that people aren't going to continue to support them when they aren't getting what they pay for.
Frankly, I'd much rather believe no politician acts on the amount donated by any given donor, but rather on principles...principles being the true motivating factors. But I can't say it's truly the case for too many of them. What I can say is that I find it absurd to think that the NRA or "gun lobby" in general is providing enough cash to sway any opinion or belief not already aligned with them. It becomes a question of which came first, the position of the politician or party in general, or the donation from the gun lobby whose principles conflict with the politician? I'm saying that donations from the gun lobby to the GOP is due to the position of the party and its candidates already aligning with that of the gun lobby. I donate to those I feel are doing what I believe is right and proper. The left wants to pretend the GOP wouldn't defend the 2nd Amendment if not for donations from the gun lobby. It's absurd and baseless.
I'd much rather believe that too, but given how the DFL dances to the tune of public employees unions and PP, I find it hard to believe.
I think it's usually more about buying access to personally try to persuade politicians, than outright vote buying. The system can be unseemly, but it's what we have.
I agree about the "gun lobby". If someone believes in 2A rights then a relatively small donation isn't going to sway them. It's more about wanting to elect people who these groups know will support their issues, than trying to influence them to vote against their beliefs.
I'm saying that the DFL is at least as addicted to special interest money as the GOP, and has the additional problem of taking large amounts of money from groups who's interests are diametrically opposed. Which leads me to conclude that there is a fair amount of lying for donations going on.
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