More Than Meets the Eye

An article from the National Review Online; I have bolded my remarks at the end:
"The DISCLOSE Act and the NRA: Some Bad News [Hans A. von Spakovsky]

"Just as opposition was building in the House to the unconstitutional and burdensome DISCLOSE Act, which is intended to help Democrats in the November election by stifling the political speech of corporations and many non-profit advocacy organizations (but not unions), the NRA has apparently sold out.

"Politico and others are reporting that the NRA has reached a deal to withdraw its opposition to the bill in exchange for an exemption for the NRA from its disclosure provisions. The exemption would apply to “organizations which have qualified as having tax exempt status under section 501(c)(4) of the tax code for each of the 10 years prior to making a campaign-related disbursement, that had 1 million or more dues-paying members in the prior calendar year, that had members in each of the 50 states, that received no more than 15 percent of their total funding from corporations or labor organizations, and that do not use any corporate or union money to pay for their campaign-related expenditures.”

"There aren’t too many organizations that will fit within this exemption, but I understand the NRA thinks it is one of those that will. This exemption will not apply to small, less powerful 501(c)(4) organizations, which will be hit the hardest by the onerous, burdensome, and expensive disclosure requirements of the DISCLOSE Act, but it will apply to the large, well-funded and well-connected NRA.

"So, the NRA may end up providing the lobbying grease that allows this noxious and partisan piece of legislation to slide through the House, something that I seriously doubt most of the individual members of the NRA (who are strong believers in the First Amendment as well as the Second) would agree with."

This is disturbing on several levels; I would encourage you to write to the NRA, even if you aren't a member, they need to understand that America is at stake, not JUST the voice of the NRA. It tells me that, contrary to what I have believed, the NRA is looking out for NRA members, not America at large. I understand that America at large doesn't pay dues, but we need to help them understand this has broader ramifications, and making a deal with the devil NEVER turns out well.