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Author Topic: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?  (Read 8089 times)

Offline Dallasbeek

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Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« on: December 18, 2018, 06:10:52 pm »
I?ve read a couple of places that NRA officials have said the NRA may have to stop publishing its magazines, and maybe take other steps to avoid bankruptcy.  I?ve scoured the NRA website and found no alarms.  Has anyone seen anything that would support this claim, or is it total fake news garbage put out by MSM and its friends ruling NYC, Chicago, etc?

Or another possibility could be that Wayne LaPierre or somebody is trying to scare members into contributing more to things like the NRA-ILA.  If that were the case, I think it?s a dumb move. 
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline gww

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2018, 07:19:39 pm »
I think Oliver North is now president of the nra.
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2018, 07:46:25 pm »
I can see them not publishing the magazines.  They went to the online option a long time ago.  I don't have the magazines delivered because I just don't want stuff piling up around here.  print and mailing are expensive so online only makes some sense.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2018, 08:42:16 pm »
I can see them not publishing the magazines.  They went to the online option a long time ago.  I don't have the magazines delivered because I just don't want stuff piling up around here.  print and mailing are expensive so online only makes some sense.

I guess that's the direction (on the internet) everything is headed.  I'm just old-fashioned.  I like paper.  Kids today can't read or write cursive, but they can punch tiny keys so fast it makes my head spin.  Three-year-old kids can show you how to operate your new smart phone, no matter what brand or operating system.  Ever feel like a dinosaur?
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2018, 08:48:58 pm »
I think Oliver North is now president of the nra.
Cheers
gww

You are correct, but Wayne LaPierre is executive vice-president and seemsbto be the real power in the executive suite.  He's held that post a long time, while presidents come and go.  He provides continuity, just as Harlan Carter did before him.
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2018, 09:03:17 am »
Magazines are folding as are/have the newspapers.  That's a technology change, and it has financial repercussions.  I went to the online version for the same reason Kathy did.  The magazines pile up faster than I have time to read them, and it seems all gun magazines have gone to talking about AR15s all the time, which I have no interest in, or some new cartridge that doesn't do anything any better than some older cartridge.  I'd rather go shooting than to read about shooting...
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Offline CoolBees

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2018, 02:20:20 pm »
... I'd rather go shooting than to read about shooting...

So true.

But the dark underbelly of the Online world is that every click leaves a trail with timestamps. This means that somewhere "someone" (currently a computer) knows everything each person has read on the Internet and a profile of every human is then created. Psychological and political profiles via Internet surfing and purchasing habits - are just too easy to achieve today.

The opportunity for "someone" (some group or political party?) to eventually abuse this information is too high imho. ...

... I've worked my entire career in the semiconductor industry. ... just sayin'
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2018, 02:26:29 pm »
Quote
The opportunity for "someone" (some group or political party?) to eventually abuse this information is too high imho. ...

That horse is pretty far out of the barn I think.   :wink:
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2018, 02:57:42 pm »

That horse is pretty far out of the barn I think.   :wink:

It's my opinion/observation. I certainly hope history proves me wrong.
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Offline CoolBees

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #9 on: December 19, 2018, 03:06:33 pm »
I didn't mean to derail the thread.

Closer to topic - if the NRA IS in financial trouble, it wouldn't surprise me. ...

As a Budding 2nd ammendment enthusiast in the 80's, the NRA scammed me. It's something they should never have done, and I never forgave them. I've kept a memento of that experience ever since.

Sadly, about 3 yrs ago, they sent me a mailer offering the Exact. Same. Scam.

I'm sure I'm not the only one that they alienated that way. I wish they hadn't done that.
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #10 on: December 19, 2018, 03:20:00 pm »
Quote
I didn't mean to derail the thread.

You didn't.  Not to worry.  Threads tend to wander.

What did they do?  I get stuff from them all the time and most goes in the trash as long as I know my membership is current. 
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #11 on: December 19, 2018, 03:27:25 pm »
I didn't mean to derail the thread.

Closer to topic - if the NRA IS in financial trouble, it wouldn't surprise me. ...

As a Budding 2nd ammendment enthusiast in the 80's, the NRA scammed me. It's something they should never have done, and I never forgave them. I've kept a memento of that experience ever since.

Sadly, about 3 yrs ago, they sent me a mailer offering the Exact. Same. Scam.

I'm sure I'm not the only one that they alienated that way. I wish they hadn't done that.


Don?t worry about derailing the topic.  Maybe your experience could help explain why the NRA is having financial difficulties, if it is.  I don?t know how you were scammed, and that?s the first I?ve heard that complaint about the organization.  But if enough people felt that way, it would be a bad sign. 

I?ve been a life member of the NRA since the mid 1970s and a benefactor for about five years, so obviously I have good feelings about the organization.  I?ve known some members of the board of directors for 40 to 50 years and believe they?ve always acted in the best interest of the members.  Still, there are rogues in any organization and unprincipled activity can always take place without the knowledge of a board or officers ? or with their knowledge as far as that goes.  Sorry for your being scammed.  That means one less member to support the goals of the NRA.
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #12 on: December 19, 2018, 04:04:34 pm »
Ok.

I applied for an NRA raffle offering as top prize, a new pump shotgun. A few weeks later I was notified that I had won the top prize, my very own shotgun! I was SO excited!

There were forms to fill out (which dealer would you like your shotgun sent to, etc) and "would you like to donate some of your VERY HARD EARNED money to us?". Of course I would! In those days $20 was a lot of money to me - and I gave it happily.

More paperwork. Then a survey. Then some more paperwork. Somewhere along the line in the paperwork trail, "you shotgun" changed to "your prize". All of this took around 9 months (if memory serves me correctly) to complete the back-and-forth. (I moved from Arizona to Montana during this time - addresses and info had to be changed, etc)

Finally a letter came saying " your 'prize' has been shipped". I was so excited, as were all of my buddies! It was awesome! We were all going to get to enjoy MY new shotgun courtesy of the NRA! ...

... My "prize" finally came in - a pack of Target Stickers.

I can't describe the shock.

Here's the problem: the USA was founded on a set of principles, some of which are Honesty, Integrity, and the Value of each Individual. Our founding fathers understood that there is another-would-be Tyrant born every day, so they handed us the 2nd Amendment to be used to protect those important principles. The NRA claims to be defending (protecting?) The 2nd Ammendment. ...

... you can't use Dishonesty and Deceit, to defend Honesty and Integrity - your credibility vaporizes when you do that.

If they had said, "Sorry you didn't win the Shotgun, better luck next time. Here's a pack of Target Stickers as consulation. Would you like to donate to our Cause?" ... I'd be a lifetime member today, as would my children.

3+/- yrs ago they offered me the same raffle - the format hadn't even changed ...

I've kept the pack of Target Stickers at the top of my loading bench ever since, to remind me of the importance of Honesty.
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #13 on: December 19, 2018, 05:07:53 pm »
>But the dark underbelly of the Online world is that every click leaves a trail with timestamps.

True.

>Then some more paperwork. Somewhere along the line in the paperwork trail, "you shotgun" changed to "your prize"

Sounds like Publisher's clearinghouse.  I haven't experienced that from the NRA.  My interactions have always been honest on their part, though they like to harass for more money all the time.   I finally got them to stop that.
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Offline Kathyp

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #14 on: December 19, 2018, 05:17:32 pm »
Quote
Sounds like Publisher's clearinghouse.  I haven't experienced that from the NRA.  My interactions have always been honest on their part, though they like to harass for more money all the time.   I finally got them to stop that.

Yeah, I got them to quit calling me.  I have always gotten what they advertised.  Never a contest, but I get stuff when I renew my membership.  Got a nice barn knife last time.

I wonder if the contests are done by a 3rd party.  Not an excuse, but it would be interesting to know.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #15 on: December 19, 2018, 05:42:16 pm »
... I wonder if the contests are done by a 3rd party.  Not an excuse, but it would be interesting to know.

Good point.

Also, I've no doubt that I missed something in the fine print along the way. But it sure left a sour taste in my mouth. It was a Very poorly done marketing campaign - at best.

I am glad to hear that others have had good experiences with them.
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #16 on: December 19, 2018, 06:34:27 pm »
... I wonder if the contests are done by a 3rd party.  Not an excuse, but it would be interesting to know.

Good point.

Also, I've no doubt that I missed something in the fine print along the way. But it sure left a sour taste in my mouth. It was a Very poorly done marketing campaign - at best.

I am glad to hear that others have had good experiences with them.

Almost certainly.  You know the staff at the NRA doesn't sift through tons of entries and all that stuff.  Of course, as with all such arrangements they're called "partners" and the principal has little control over them.  But the principal should be aware of what is going on and should insist on everything being on the square, since it's the reputation of the principal that suffers when somebody feels cheated.  I hope you expressed your feelings to someone at the NRA about this and didn't just steam in private (with your friends).  You'd be surprised what a call or email can accomplish.
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Offline CoolBees

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #17 on: December 19, 2018, 07:24:21 pm »
...  I hope you expressed your feelings to someone at the NRA about this and didn't just steam in private (with your friends).  You'd be surprised what a call or email can accomplish.

DallasBeek - you raise a good point - we did steam in private. All of us were P*****!.

Cell phones and email (for the common man) hadn't been invented yet when this happened. Phone calls were long distance and expensive. We'd no idea who to call or contact. And we were young.

... and then the years rolled by. My, how the world has changed in our lifetime.

Today, connecting with people at any level is easy.

I guess I owe it to them (or to myself) to at least open a conversation about it. I was really suprised as I wrote the story today, how Mad I still am about it! :) ... Thats unusual for me..

Too funny - Thank you and Cheers!
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Offline Dallasbeek

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #18 on: December 20, 2018, 12:33:06 am »
You are so right about the changes in our lifetimes ?- just the past 20 years, even!  They did have 800 numbers, but you?re right about not knowing who to talk to.  Today you can look up a company or organization on the internet and find the names of all the officials.  Back then, you could maybe go to the library and get the info, but who knew?  I don?t know if it would help to talk to somebody now, but it might help you not to be angry anymore.
"Liberty lives in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no laws, no court can save it." - Judge Learned Hand, 1944

Offline Acebird

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Re: Is NRA in financial jeopardy?
« Reply #19 on: December 20, 2018, 08:06:09 am »

... you can't use Dishonesty and Deceit, to defend Honesty and Integrity - your credibility vaporizes when you do that.


Wow!  That is a revelation.  Makes you wonder why there are so many supporters.
I got another one for you.  You cannot divorce greed, and corruption from a government when there is power and money involved.  We suffer greatly because of it.  The only thing we have in our favor is democracy and it is being eroded every day.  There are members of the NRA who believe that the second amendment is our ace in a hole.  They are living a fantasy.  Nothing will save us from an eroding democracy but the will to stop it.  Rigging elections and preventing citizens their right to vote will kill a democracy.
How ironic that Putin is supporting the NRA when fire arms are not allowed in Russia.  And how ironic that the members of the NRA are welcoming the support from Putin, the epitome of greed and corruption.
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