I have always thought that one thing lacking in the fight for better gun control was a strong advocacy group for such actions. Well that is changing, thanks to Michael Bloomberg and his wallet:
Michael R. Bloomberg, making his first major political investment since leaving office, plans to spend $50 million this year building a nationwide grass-roots network to motivate voters who feel strongly about curbing gun violence, an organization he hopes can eventually outmuscle the National Rifle Association.
Mr. Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York, said gun control advocates need to learn from the N.R.A. and punish those politicians who fail to support their agenda — even Democrats whose positions otherwise align with his own.
“They say, ‘We don’t care. We’re going to go after you,’ ” he said of the N.R.A. “ ‘If you don’t vote with us we’re going to go after your kids and your grandkids and your great-grandkids. And we’re never going to stop.’ ”
He added: “We’ve got to make them afraid of us.”
Bloomberg plans to fold his other gun control groups under an umbrella group called Everytown for Gun Safety. I’m not too crazy about the name, but I do love the idea of a larger, well funded group that can compete against the lobbying strong arm of the NRA. And notice that the group is about “gun safety”, not eliminating our second amendment rights. That is exactly what the NRA used to stand for before the 80s and something that has been lacking in the debate. Of course mentioning any safety, even keeping guns out of the reach of children, will be considered an attempt to take your guns by the loons on the right. That’s the hardest part of the battle.