NRA-ILA GRASSROOTS ALERT: Vol. 19, No. 41 10/12/2012

25 Days Until Election Day-What (More!) Can You Do?

In 25 days we will go to the polls in what will almost surely be the most important election of our lifetimes. Other than voting on Election Day (or voting early or via absentee ballot), what more should gun owners do? The answer is very simple--volunteer to work on pro-gun candidates' campaigns to turn out supportive voters on Election Day, November 6.

While we know NRA members and gun owners are reliable voters, the same can't be said for others. With that said, our pro-gun candidates are going to have to rely on gun owners' activism to ensure that voters who support them are contacted and actually go and vote on November 6. Voting on Election Day is the ultimate form of volunteerism. But turning out supportive voters won't happen by accident. Here are some activities with which you can assist that can spell the difference between victory and defeat on Election Day:

Watch the Latest Grassroots News Minute

Watch NRA's Endorsement of Romney & Ryan

People Are Driving Less! Ban Guns, Magazines and Privacy!

These days, not too much time passes without Josh Sugarmann, formerly of the National Coalition to Ban Handguns, blurting out some nonsense on the Huffington Post website. Not too much time at all. Usually just enough for him to photocopy a bunch of ads from The Shotgun News, slap them together with a few paragraphs of inflammatory rhetoric that he has used a dozen times before, call the half-asked effort a "study," and run down to the bank to deposit another six-figure check from the Joyce Foundation.

However, in his latest Huffington screed, Sugarmann says that in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia combined, the total number of motor vehicle accident deaths has fallen below the aggregate of firearm suicides, murders, self-defense homicides and accidents. "That's according to a new analysis by my organization, the Violence Policy Center," he says. (Translation: Sugarmann had one of his miniscule "organization's" go-fers spend five minutes on the internet downloading the numbers from the CDC's Wisqars website.)

Illinois: Cook County Proposal Would Force Law-abiding Citizens to Pay "Violence Tax" on Legal Purchases of Guns and Ammunition

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle recently announced plans to penalize, through taxation, the sale of guns and ammunition sold in the City of Chicago and its suburbs. This penalty is set to be proposed to the Cook County Board of Commissioners next week. Proposals such as this are frequently sold to the public as a way to reduce crime and increase tax revenue. However, this is nothing more than a politically motivated stunt to impose a punitive tax on a targeted group of law-abiding citizens who seek to exercise a constitutionally guaranteed right. This proposed plan would subject purchases of any firearm or ammunition to an additional tax above and beyond the rate at which other goods and services in this area are taxed. There is no evidence to suggest those who would pay this tax are misusing firearms and causing violence in Cook County. This penalty would only negatively affect law-abiding gun owners, and in this time of economic trouble would severely harm legitimate business owners inside Cook County as people look to avoid the penalties by purchasing guns and ammunition elsewhere.

Absentee Voting: Bank Your Vote- Assist on Election Day!

With more states than ever allowing early and absentee voting, it is critical that those pro-gun voters who think there may even be a chance they won't be able to vote in person on November 6th, ensure they vote via absentee ballot. By banking your vote prior to November 6th, not only will you avoid potentially long lines, but you will also be freed up to assist with the Election Day activities of pro-gun candidates in your area!

In the past, voters could only vote absentee under limited circumstances. Now, more than 70% of the states offer "no excuses" absentee ballots, allowing voters to receive an absentee ballot without having to offer a justification for them not being able to vote in person on Election Day.

Here's What You've Been Missing on Facebook

If you aren’t following the NRA on Facebook or Twitter, you're missing out! Over the past few weeks we have featured user-submitted hunting “gallery” photo album, showcased some of the creative ways people are using their “Defend Freedom! Defeat Obama!” sticky notes, and, of course, broke the latest Second Amendment news to you as it happens. If you aren’t active on the NRA’s page, start getting active now because we have a couple new things you will want to like and share:

We have a new app on our Facebook page that allows you to add an NRA badge to your profile picture. You can choose from four designs that overlay your current profile picture – or any other photo you want to use. You can also add one of these badges to your Twitter avatar.

In addition, we frequently run “NRA Giveaway” contests on our Facebook page. Right now we are giving away a bunch of great gear from our friends at Magpul!

To check these out and more, just click "Read More" below.

NRA-PVF Candidate Grades & Endorsements!

This year's elections may well be the most important in your voting lifetime! The stakes are enormously high, and you need to be fully informed. For up-to-the-minute campaign information, and to see what you can do to help elect pro-Second Amendment candidates, visit the NRA-Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) website, www.NRAPVF.org.

This official NRA campaign site will serve as your one-stop campaign reference guide this election season. The site is loaded with all of the critical information you'll need to make informed decisions on Election Day, November 6. Included on the site are news stories, articles from NRA's magazines, NRA-PVF press releases, and, starting October 1st, a complete listing of NRA-PVF candidate grades and endorsements!

Must-See "GunBanObama" Website Now Live!

As we enter the home stretch of this year's critically important election, two things are certain: First, the winner of the election will have a profound effect on your Second Amendment rights, and second, it's crucial that you know where the candidates stand on the Second Amendment so that you can make the right choice.

To take a closer look at where Obama stands on issues related to the Second Amendment, please be sure to visit another NRA-PVF website--GunBanObama.com. This website is a comprehensive resource for the facts on Barack Obama's anti-Second Amendment stance.

Put Your Support on Display. Order Your NRA-ILA Yard Signs Today!

It has been estimated that well-placed campaign signs can account for four percentage points on Election Day. Think back to the 2000 presidential election, where 537 votes in Florida separated George W. Bush from Al Gore, and four percentage points seems like a landslide!

While you are focused like a laser beam on the November 6 election, some gun owners may not be aware of what's at stake for the future of the Second Amendment on Election Day.

Go All In! Work Locally with Your NRA-ILA Campaign Field Representative

Your NRA-ILA Campaign Field Representative (CFR) is an NRA-ILA staff person who will be living in your area, coordinating our volunteer activities with one goal in mind--ensuring pro-Second Amendment voters turn out to "Vote Freedom First!" on Election Day. Your CFR will be recruiting volunteers to: register voters, make phone calls, knock on doors, generate letters to the editor, distribute candidate information, attend events and turn out the pro-gun vote on Election Day. Please contact your CFR today to find out how you can assist in ensuring pro-freedom lawmakers are elected to office.