The NRA's Chokehold

This article, by Rolling Stone magazine, gives detailed insight into the relationships between the NRA, gun manufacturers, gun owners, and the politicians in Congress, who have failed to pass gun law reform.

Essentially, the main points are:

1. Several CEO's of major gun manufacturers, such as Bushmaster, sit on the board of the National Rifle Association.

2. Less than 50% of the NRA's budget comes from members.

3. The NRA ranks politicians and has the political clout to attack (and potentially destroy) a politician's career.  In one memorable anecdote, a long negotiation for gun regulation, about to end in a fair compromise for both parties, was de-railed by one NRA email/text.  As politicians checked their Blackberries, they changed their votes.  The legislation did not pass.

Gun owners should not deceive themselves that the NRA is an organization for them.  It is an organization for the gun manufacturers, who stand to lose considerable profit if legislation is passed to outlaw automatic and semi-automatic weapons.  The majority of the US population has voted for some form of gun control, including universal background checks and outlawing high-capacity magazines.  However, even these common-sense initiatives have been grounded by the intense greed which backs the NRA.