In this era of political division, Racial division and seemingly endless gun violence across the nation, why does the NRA still hold any influence in Washington.
As the nation continues to get older, AARP membership continues to rise. Even the majority of Legislators are old enough to be members, and many are.
While the membership of the NRA has fallen year, after year, after year. Although a large number of the lifetime members of the NRA are Senior Citizens, who are also AARP Members.
In spite of overwhelming suppoprt from the public, Capital Hill is still afraid to approach ANY sort of "Common Sense" Firearm controls, for fear of angering the NRA and losing their financial support.
But AARP Members outnumber and outspend the NRA in Society. And the AARP has championed a wide range of Health Care issues from Alzsheimer's to Cancer. When you think about it, getting shot is very bad for your health. Severe Lead Poisoning is the grim joke in Pulp Novels.
Why don't AARP lobbyists envelope Capitol Hill and flood the voice mail, email and even snail mail of everyone who matters. By preventing NRA access, but more importantly, removing any desire to associate with the NRA, so many positive projects could proceed.
It's not unreasonable to believe that those same Senior Citizen, NRA/AARP Members are the ones who believe in things like trigger locks, gun safes, and don't think you need 100 round magazines for hunting.
In reality, if AARP bragged about succeeding in bringing "common Sense" gun controls to actual votes, their membership would increase, while the NRA would continue their downhill decline.
Certainly, it would take a lot of money, both legal and under the table. But the AARP pockets are deeper than the dwindling number of Firearms and Ammunition Brokers who want to make as much money from fear and chaos as they can.
They can easily match the NRA, dollar for dollar, and it's all just an investment in the future. If children...or anyone else for that matter, aren't killed in mass shootings, they will live long enough to become AARP members.
Nobody thinks we can eliminate guns completely. But AARP has the ability to organize safety training, Target Shooting Groups, Hunting Trips etc. along with discounts on insurance for safe behaviour.
When you look at the math, AARP could stomp out the NRA's influence on both the local and national levels, while pushing through a Pro-Safety Agenda without much more effort than they are already putting out.
Simply by broadening their focus and message, they could become a major force for health and safety. And by adopting the more aggressive tacticts of their opponants, they can become Bullys for the aging.
Wouldn't you rather have a Bully a Senator for affordable Health Care and Universal Background checks, or an industry that only a fraction of America supports?
