Don't Underestimate this administration

I have no crystal ball and I'm not clairvoyant. I can, however, read the political signs. The current administration has placed their anti-gun agenda front and center. They're fully committed. If they weren't confident they could win this fight, they wouldn't have so openly committed the full prestige and pride of the President. Some of us underestimated the sophistication of their marketing capabilities in November. Need I say more?

The administration has the means, money and knowhow to mount a powerful disinformation campaign. They also have the full-throated support of most news media.I'm convinced we can win this contest, but it's not gonna be a walk in the park. Folks who sat on the sidelines in November are going to be needed now. We're going to need to work all possible relationships with people from all political viewpoints. The administration will work hard to divide and conquer. Talk to your friends, family, neighbors and fellow workers. Speak calmly and rationally. Be prepared to answer the "why do you need a 30 round magazine" question without becoming defensive. Recount the last 100 year record of government-led atrocities (Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Pol Pot, Assad etc.). Explain the historical context and concerns of the founding fathers. There have been lots of threads already on these forums with great information. Let's do our homework and present ourselves well. Sadly, most Americans are historically illiterate. We'll need to find ways to educate without condescending. We need to tell the stories of real people, like those who found themselves helpless before the pogroms and Holocaust in Europe. There are powerful stories from survivors of American riots as well. Truth is our friend.

I'm rolling up my sleeves for a prolonged ideological struggle.

PC

+1 on every point.

It's going to be a long 4 years...keep contacting your legislators and spreading the positive message of responsible gun ownership. This fight won't get any easier.

We all have out opinions as to why the politicians want the gun bans so badly and where escalation of the bans me go, so I won't go there. I will say ( IMHO ) that they saw a chance to garner public sympathy for the bans which would make it easier than trying to sneak through laws tacked on to humdrum bills no one reads unless the topic is of special interest to them. Lucky for us that didn't work so well. It put spotlights on the actions they were taking and even on sneaky bills and got a much larger response from the pro-gun than they thought would happen. Too late for them to back off without loosing face and saying " Gee the people should have a voice." They do not like things voted on by the people as their agenda is not about the people but self promotion. A bill giving lifetime protection to presidents ( they are more special than my kids ) a bill to allow a third term for president ( I wonder who that is aimed at ) Bills to hold up the removal of illegal aliens ( hmm who has aliens they need to protect ) Now they have a scramble as the wave against the abuses rise.
Based on performance I would suggest that all politicians get a major pay cut and all " bennies " removed.
That anyone running for political office must have held a blue collar job for 1 full year and supported family on that income only.
Another note. When talk of succeeding from the union by the individual states the Pres was super fast in responding " They can't do that" If all the states that wanted to could and did succeed there would be little left to work with and little money coming in to support special interest groups and political plans of gaining more power.

Well said, and a good basic outline of what we need to know and do.

I agree with PC also. Here is what WV Senator Joe Manchin told Keith Morgan of WVCDL . . .

"Senator Manchin told me what the media will do if Congress (including the US House of Representatives) fails to pass an AWB and/or mag restrictions. "They will one, by one, put up pictures of dead children. They will show the carnage." Considering that tomorrow, President Obama will be exploiting children by dragging them on stage with him while he outlays his plan, this is not a huge leap. And these are the words of a United States senator. We, and I don't mean just West Virginians, I mean Americans, must prepare for this. That is a direct quote. Verbatim. We need every talking head in the conservative media out in front of this. Make it happen. Share this post far and wide."

If they do this, public opinion all be on their sides. Even lots of gun owners will be swayed! We must stay vigilant. Join the NRA!!

Jim

I have never underestimate the marketing abilities of this administration or their supporters. Many, including the loyal opposition in congress did and I fear still do.

I never have nor will I underestimate them.

Yup. There's nothing to lose, this time around. It's all or nothing, and I think they're all going to act like it.

If we didn't have such a wishy-washy SCOTUS, it might not be so bad, but this one's capable of anything. We also might be looking at a SCOTUS replacement this term as well.

Keep the pressure up, all. Full-court press. Keep communicating with the legislators (fed, state) and ask those sticky little questions; get them committing themselves; involve them in the right side of the fight, if you can.

The White House: HUBRIS

We shall see. I do believe it is going to be tough, but I think Obama is surrounded by a bunch of synchophants afraid to tell him "No" and he vastly overestimates his abilities and his swing.

Good post PC, I agree wholeheartedly. We should never under estimate our adversaries. 2A is not just important to us but to the future generations yet to rise.

Agree with everything you said and with each thing we loose, they gain more steam. Once we loose something, its gone forever. One swipe its assault rifles, then hi cap mags, then 10 rounds is too much, then 7 is too much. Then you really cant be trusted with a gun in the first place so why don't we just hold it for you....open your history books and read like crazy folks. Lean from past mistakes or repeat them. Get involved or be steamrolled.

Maybe I should take a worry pill. I feel left out. Here's my take on the White House and the current administration. I keep reading that gun control is the most important thing Obama wants to contend with. Let's be logical. The real issues facing this country are unemployment, the budget and health care. While discussions about gun control have a tendency to raise our neck hairs, it's just rhetoric. Shakespeare said it best "sound and fury signifying nothing". There's nothing wrong with trying to understand and stop the needless murder of innocent people. Talking about ways to thwart idiots from mass shootings isn't a sin. At the end of the day, we'll still have our guns.

Polls may show a majority of our fellow citizens want things like bans on 'high' capacity mags, the so-called 'assault rifle' and background checks on all sales...
but only a small minority of those are worked up enough to throw time, energy and $$ into the movement.
It's my belief that our side of the issue is much more engaged... we have more to lose.
I'm not under-estimating Obama and his allies...but it won't be an easy road for them.

It is just but a matter of time before another staged mass shooting occurs in another gun free zone. I am quite sure the next one is going to be very bad and it maybe the marketing the government needs. And please do not tell me you do not think or even consider that a government as powerful as this one will not stage an event that regardless of life or death is in order to drum up fear in the American people so they will relinquish more liberty.

After all every single regime that ended with tyranny used mass fear to control their populaces.