Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Democratic Debate "Race to the Bottom" on anti-gun posturing

Friday, October 16, 2015

Democratic Debate "Race to the Bottom" on anti-gun posturing

On Tuesday, during the first Democratic Party presidential debate, former First Lady, U.S. senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley attacked the NRA by name and called for a renewed push for national gun control. “It’s time the entire country stood up against the NRA,” Clinton said, to wild cheers from the adoring audience on hand.

When CNN moderator Anderson Cooper asked the candidates to name the “enemy you are most proud of,” Clinton named the NRA and several unrelated groups, while O’Malley named the NRA alone.

Fellow candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, bragged that he had a D-minus rating from the NRA and that he had supported banning “assault weapons” early in his congressional career. However, Clinton said that wasn’t enough. She criticized Sanders for voting against the Brady bill (originally a bill to impose a waiting period on handgun purchases from dealers) and for voting for the NRA-backed Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which protects law-abiding firearm manufacturers and dealers against harassment lawsuits designed to drive them out of business.

Sanders explained his vote for the PLCAA, saying that he didn’t think that a law-abiding firearm dealer should be held responsible for the unpredictable acts of a deranged person, and making clear that the law doesn’t apply to the exceedingly small percentage of firearm dealers who knowingly break the law. Nevertheless, Clinton incorrectly suggested that Sanders had voted to grant immunity to dealers who knowingly provide guns to criminals. Sensing an opportunity to appeal to the anti-gun audience, O’Malley jumped in, suggesting that Sanders lacked “principle” and was guilty of “pandering” to the NRA, because of his vote on the PLCAA.

O’Malley’s agitated statements on guns during the debate follow his announcement, in September, of his gun control plan, including "universal" background checks, gun owner licensing, mandatory training, national gun registration and mandatory storage requirements for all firearms in the home.

Not to be outdone, Clinton announced her own gun control plan last week, promising that if she’s elected, she’ll ban some guns and impose other restrictive gun control laws, in some cases without Congress’ approval. Clinton’s plan would prohibit Americans from selling a “significant” number of privately owned guns without a license, prevent gun purchases by indefinitely delaying purchasers’ background checks, repeal the federal law that prevents gun control supporters from pursuing groundless lawsuits designed to stop gun sales by driving firearm manufacturers and dealers out of business, ban all semi-automatic shotguns and detachable-magazine semi-automatic rifles (and some other categories of guns), ban the possession of firearms by people in troubled dating relationships without due process of law, and empower the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to revoke the licenses of dealers for unintentional recordkeeping errors.

Clinton’s announcement followed her statement equating gun control opponents with terrorists, her statement that the NRA has a “pernicious, corrupting influence,” and her statement to the effect that the Second Amendment doesn’t protect an individual right to keep and bear arms. Last week, Clinton took her rhetorical attack to another level, comparing the NRA to “the Iranians or the communists.”

For more information about Clinton’s anti-gun plan, click here.

TRENDING NOW
United Nation’s Attack on Ammunition Formally Begins

News  

Monday, July 7, 2025

United Nation’s Attack on Ammunition Formally Begins

The recently concluded negotiations on the United Nations’ Global Framework on Through-Life Conventional Ammunition Management (Framework) should be of grave concern to anyone who values the constitutional protections afforded by the Second Amendment. 

U.K. Embarks on Fresh Knife Amnesty, Reminds Americans Why 1776 was a Good Idea

News  

Monday, July 7, 2025

U.K. Embarks on Fresh Knife Amnesty, Reminds Americans Why 1776 was a Good Idea

It has been a while since we’ve looked at weapon news from across the pond, but with Americans everywhere having just celebrated the Glorious Fourth and our independence from British monarchy, the timing seems particular ...

NRA and 2A Allies Announce NFA Lawsuit

Monday, July 7, 2025

NRA and 2A Allies Announce NFA Lawsuit

Following the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill”—which eliminates the National Firearms Act of 1934’s (NFA) excise tax on suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and AOWs—the National Rifle Association issued a joint statement along with the ...

President Trump Signs the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into Law

News  

Friday, July 4, 2025

President Trump Signs the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into Law

Earlier today, on the 4th of July, a day on which our Founding Fathers declared their intent for a free nation, the President of the United State of America, Donald Trump, signed the “One Big ...

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

News  

Second Amendment  

Thursday, May 22, 2025

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.1 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included Section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act, completely removing suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA).

Maine: Public University Professor Belittles Student for 2A and Religious Views

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Maine: Public University Professor Belittles Student for 2A and Religious Views

Maine's public education system has recently faced national scrutiny, and it appears things are only getting worse, not better, in the Pine Tree State. 

Congress Passes the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Now Headed to President Trump

News  

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Congress Passes the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Now Headed to President Trump

Earlier today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” This bill contained a provision that would, among other things, eliminate the burdensome $200 excise tax imposed by federal law on suppressors, short-barreled firearms, ...

Progress in the Fight to Protect the Firearms Industry and Gun Owners from Financial Discrimination

News  

Monday, July 7, 2025

Progress in the Fight to Protect the Firearms Industry and Gun Owners from Financial Discrimination

In June, the American firearms industry lodged a resounding victory against attempts by gun control advocates to put it out of business with frivolous lawsuits when the U.S. Supreme Court issued its 9-0 ruling in Smith & Wesson ...

HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY, NORRIS N. JERNIGAN!

Take Action  

Monday, July 7, 2025

HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY, NORRIS N. JERNIGAN!

As we celebrate this remarkable milestone for this remarkable man, we honor the life and legacy of Norris N. Jernigan, a World War II veteran who served in the intelligence office with the 393rd Bomb Squadron of the ...

Maine: Lawmakers Call for Anti-2A Progressive Professor to Be Fired

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Maine: Lawmakers Call for Anti-2A Progressive Professor to Be Fired

In case you missed the media firestorm last week, a progressive professor at Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor, Maine, has come under fire for her emails belittling a student for her religious beliefs and views ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.