NRA Endorses Baron Hill for IN-9 WHAT IS GOING ON?

[IUGradStudent]

I was shocked to find that the NRA has endorsed Baron Hill for IN-9. This is insane, with a good Republican (Sodrel) who could have been endorsed in a very close election. Granted, Hill has only a 36% rating from the Brady Campaign, but our solid Republican representatives all are down in the single digits (with Pence leading the way with a 0% rating -- way to go Mike!).

GOA gave Hill a D- in their 2007 rating, but apparently the NRA thought he was good for an A in 2008.

I've always been in the "NRA is one of the good guys" camp, but this really chaps my hide. The Sodrel-Hill race will be darn close, and it would be great to get Mike back in DC.

 

[4sarge]

Unbelievable

 

[NateIU10]

Wow...just wow...

 

[Bill of Rights]

NRA= Negotiate Rights Away

 

[SavageEagle]

So what's so great about Hill? I always thought Sodrel was a greedy bastard IMHO. Not really sure which one is the better choice really.

 

[Bigum1969]

I don't get it? Hill's party wants to take our guns. Ridiculous.

 

[CarmelHP]

I always thought Sodrel was a greedy bastard IMHO. Not really sure which one is the better choice really.

Basing this on what exactly?

 

[SavageEagle]

Like I said I'm not real clear on these guys, but I seem to recall an episode a couple years ago about how sodrel was getting a lot of money for something and something else. I can't remember the whole story but it was a big stink. There was also something about him and the unions... Hell I can't remember. I'll ahve to do some searching in the archives and see what I can find.

Again I don't know much about these guys so.... blah.

 

[rhino]

Getting a lot of money is not a bad thing unless you did something bad to get it. Mike Sodrel works hard for his money and the fact that he makes a lot means he should be praised for being good at it, not pilloried for being a "greedy bastard."

Labeling a successful businessman "greedy" is a classic smear tactic from the pseudo-liberal socialist-statist left.

 

[SavageEagle]

It was a shady deal on how he got the money. God I wish I could remember when this happened, it would make my research much easier. I praise anyone who can come up from nothing and earn their millions honestly. Mike Sodrel did a good job of that. But there was some shady deal about cutting his work force while he got some kind of kick-back or something. I know it was a shady deal and I wouldn't have said what I said if there wasn't a reason for it.

Trust me I'm not smearing the guy let alone am I some liberalist socialist leftist pigist freakist!

 

[Bigum1969]

It was a shady deal on how he got the money. God I wish I could remember when this happened, it would make my research much easier. I praise anyone who can come up from nothing and earn their millions honestly. Mike Sodrel did a good job of that. But there was some shady deal about cutting his work force while he got some kind of kick-back or something. I know it was a shady deal and I wouldn't have said what I said if there wasn't a reason for it.

Trust me I'm not smearing the guy let alone am I some liberalist socialist leftist pigist freakist!

Sounds like something that would've come from a union...

 

[bwframe]

I got the notice from the NRA and thought WTF.
Kinda adds fuel to the GOA fire.

 

[NateIU10]

I got the notice from the NRA and thought WTF.
Kinda adds fuel to the GOA fire.

That's what I thought too. I've never gotten a GOA monthly newsletter and thought to myself "WTF is wrong with these people?" but the more I hear about the NRA makes me kind of glad I never had the money to join.

 

[CarmelHP]

Trust me I'm not smearing the guy let alone am I some liberalist socialist leftist pigist freakist!

You are smearing him, how do you know if it's even the same guy you're thinking of if you can't remember details. I've known Mike Sodrel for 8 years and worked in DC for him during his term in Congress and I don't know what you're talking about. (Mike carries a Sig 226 by the way so you can bash him for that.) Baron Hill, however, suddenly showed up with an extra $200K on his personal financial disclosure to the House this year with no explanation. The amounts exceeds the total salary reported by he and his wife and he shows no assets sold. Now, that's documented and very strange.

The Hoosierpundit: Baron's in the Money

 

[rhino]

NRA is also supporting Brad Ellsworth (D) for re-election. He's the guy who got in because Hostettler gave up, but didn't let someone else run in his place who would actually try. Now we're stuck with another D for their caucus.

 

[IUGradStudent]

Well, I emailed the regional NRA guy and here is what he said:

I also ran into this and you are not the first to say that to me. Here is the NRA position

1. NRA is a bipartisan group ... This was a surprise to me.
2. NRA policy is to support the incumbent no matter the party ... Unfortunately.
3. NRA endorsed Sodrell when he was the incumbent.

Although I don't agree with the policy they do stay consistent and that is important when 2 candidates have the same gun rights rating. When they lobby them the candidate needs to know the NRA is good to its word.
Thanks for the concern and I hope I addressed your concern. Feel free to call me we can talk.

Seems like a nice guy. Anyway.

First off, the NRA does not support all incumbents -- they're not supporting Dennis Kucinich, nor should they.

That aside, here's what seems to be the logic of the thing: if there are some moderate incumbents, let's scratch their back (by endorsing them) and hope that they'll scratch ours back (by not voting for an assault weapons ban, etc).

I'm still not happy. Anyone here think Hill's going to side with the NRA against Obama/Pelosi/Reid? When AWB 2.0 comes on the table next year is he really going to vote against it? When a nation-wide handgun ban comes on the table is he going to vote against it? When a normal-capacity magazine ban comes on the table is he going to vote against it? I have no confidence that will happen.

If the NRA is going to do this kind of stuff, they need to have clear litmus votes for the legislators. Vote against X, Y, or Z and we won't endorse you. Refuse to vote for A, B, or C, and we won't endorse you. With that caveat I could get behind this strategy, but without that we're just helping keep bad guys like Hill in office and good guys like Sodrel out of office.

 

[bwframe]

That aside, here's what seems to be the logic of the thing: if there are some moderate incumbents, let's scratch their back (by endorsing them) and hope that they'll scratch ours back (by not voting for an assault weapons ban, etc).

I'm with you, I don't agree with their idea. But it is good to see they do have reasoning.
Maybe the unsaid part of the plan is to assume that (in this case anyway) NRA members are smart enough to know that they need to vote for the Republican. The fail safe being the endorsement, to use as a lobbying tool down the road if necessary.

 

[rhino]

I think it's important that when you disagree with something NRA does that you let them know IN WRITING (not e-mail). For all its faults, NRA is the biggest and strongest lobbying tool we have or are likely to have in the future. We stand a far better chance of creating change in NRA by expressing our opinions as members than we do of directly affecting the actions of elected officials.