Another Dire Republican Lable - GOP ie "Guns Over People"

In the process of becoming an extremist special interest group in support of unbridled gun ownership, the National Rifle Association has exerted undue influence over predominantly Republican politicians, to the extent that they're creating another negative label for the GOP. 

While GOP is supposed to stand for "Grand Old Party", the NRA influence is changing the acronym to mean "Guns Over People".

When did the National Rifle Association become an extremist special interest group? At one time, the NRA was an advocate for responsible gun ownership. Today, the group appears to challenge every attempt at common sense gun ownership.
In 1934, the NRA established a political wing, called the Legislative Affairs Division. In 1968, its leaders testified before Congress during passage of the National Firearms Act: the first major example of federal gun control legislation. The NRA was supportive of the act, and of the 1968 Gun Control Act, which between them created a licensing and tax system for the private ownership of firearms.

But everything changed at the NRA's annual meeting in 1977 in Cinncinnati OH. In Cincinnati, a Texas marksman named Harlon Carter headed a group of dissident hard-liners, passionate about their Second Amendment rights, who took control of the organisation from its more traditional leaders.

Ever since this takeover, the NRA has put guns over people. Second Amendment rights to bear arms are more important than the public health of innocent people, who die preventable deaths by gun violence. In their crusade to protect gun rights, the NRA has influenced the GOP to join their crusade, to put guns over people.

The NRA even cruelly crossed the ethical line by including disgusting veiled threats about President Obama's family in a relentless quest to convince lawmakers and right wing zealots to protect guns over people. In a negative advocacy ad, the NRA claim is made that the President and his daughters have the protection of gun carrying armed guards, so ordinary people should have access to the same.  In this convoluted reasoning, the NRA ignores the cause of gun violence. Without guns, there would be no need for armed guards in any situation. This correlation between guns and violence are abhorrent to the NRA because it threatens Second Amendment Rights. In putting guns over people, the NRA supports Second Amendment rights, regardless of how the public health is negatively impacted by those who abuse this privilege by hoarding arsenals of guns and assault weapons.

Today, President Obama signed a series of executive actions to exert some common sense controls over gun and ammunition ownership.  Signing the orders was a brave act, but I doubt anyone expected the NRA to put the President's family at risk.  

In anticipation of the difficulties expected against passing an assault weapons ban by Congress, because of the NRA influence, the President has called on all Americans to demand a plan to pressure legislators to curb gun violence.  

Americans must repel the unreasonable Second Amendment arguments made by paranoid zealots and demand an end to the public health hazards caused by gun violence.  

Republicans are already lacking cohesive leadership, but now the label of "guns over people" could become the party brand.  It's impossible to see Republicans changing their party position on right wing extremist issues, but individuals are breaking away.  General Colin Powell raised serious questions about the "Dark Vein" in the Republican Party.  Others, like former Congressman Joe Scarborough, now host of  MSNBC's "Morning Joe" says he's changing his opinion about unbridled Second Amendment Rights.  Scarborough even says the GOP will loose the House of Representatives unless the party passes gun control legislation.

As more Republicans put "guns over people", they will loose the confidence of Americans who cannot abide the growing tide of national gun violence, just because the NRA supports a paranoid opinion about Second Amendment Rights.