Thom Hartmann: Why is the NRA at the Senate hearing?

[thomhartmann]

After today's display from Wayne LaPierre and the NRA - my question is this: Why was he even at the Senate hearing? This is an organization that disagrees with most of its members on common sense gun control - and is completely out of touch with what the American people believe needs to be done about gun violence in America. It’s an organization that’s been taken over by out-of-touch, radical gun industry shills, who lost nearly every election they invested in, back in 2012

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[BlueStreak]

1. Would we invite the biggest polluters to a panel on air quality?

Maybe, if the point was to find out ways to stop the pollution. But LaPierre is certainly not interested in reducing gun violence, so what does he add to this panel?

Why doesn't anybody stand up and state the obvious? The NRA is a small organization -- only 4 million members, most of whom disagree with Mr. laPierre.

In contrast, AARP is FORTY million members. When was the last time they were given these same privileges in a hearing?

[MynameisBlarney]

2. I think the NRA

and the Senate have slightly different thinking on why LaPierre is there.
The NRA thinks they're making their case, the Senate is giving them enough rope to hang themselves.

[Arkansas Granny]

3. Money, money, money.

The make a lot of political contributions and do a lot of lobbying. Open Secrets has the details on these expenditures as well as outside spending. They are classed as a "heavy hitter".

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000082