The National
Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the
United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA
has become a prominent gun rights lobbying organization while continuing to
teach firearm safety and competency.
It is estimated
that U.S. civilians own 393 million firearms, and that 35% to 42% of the
households in the country have at least one gun. The U.S. has by far the
highest estimated number of guns per capita in the world, at 120.5 guns for
every 100 people.
1- The NRA
spends about $250m per year, far more than all the country's gun control
advocacy groups put together. But the NRA has a much larger membership than any
of those groups and disburses funds for things such as gun ranges and
educational programs.
2- In terms
of lobbying, the NRA officially spends about $3m per year to influence gun
policy - the recorded amount spent on lobbying in 2014 was $3.3m. That is only
the recorded contributions to lawmakers however, and considerable sums are
spent elsewhere via PACs and independent expenditures funds which are difficult
to track.
3- Highly
organized and well-funded by its five million members, the NRA is one of
Washington's most powerful lobbies.
4- Analysts
point out that the NRA also wields considerable indirect influence via its
highly politically engaged membership, many of whom will vote one way or
another based on this single issue. The NRA publicly grades members of Congress
from A to F on their perceived friendliness to gun rights. Those ratings can
have a serious effect on poll numbers and even cost pro-gun control candidates
a seat.
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5- It relies
on a disputed interpretation of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, which
it argues gives US citizens the rights to bear arms without any government
oversight.
6- The NRA
has boasted some high-profile members over the years, including late former
President George HW Bush. He resigned from the group in 1995. Current members
include former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and actors Tom Selleck
and Whoopi Goldberg. The late actor Charlton Heston was president of the NRA
between 1998 and 2003.
7- It
staunchly opposes most local, state and federal legislation that would restrict
gun ownership. For example, the NRA has lobbied for guns confiscated by the
police to be resold, arguing that destroying the weapons is, in effect, a waste
of perfectly good guns.
8- It
strongly supports legislation that expand gun rights such as
"open-carry" laws, which allow gun owners to carry their weapons,
unconcealed, in most public places.
Although the legal battle could last for years, the NRA is now under attack. But The NRA has been successful in blocking laws that were supported by the majority of Americans.
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