There are a lot of Second Amendment groups. .<\/p>\n
Some – the NRA, the GOA, the Second Amendment Foundation – are big national groups that’ve been fighting the good fight for decades.<\/p>\n
Others\u00a0are laser-focused on state-level Second Amendment issues.<\/p>\n
Others?<\/p>\n
———-<\/p>\n
Gun control is a big issue these days.<\/p>\n
Oh, not with most of the American people, it isn’t. \u00a0In fact, that’s the big problem gun-grabber groups are finding; while many Americans claim to support gun control, it’s not that big a deal to the vast majority. \u00a0In the meantime, Second Amendment Rights supporters consider the issue one of their short list of issues for which they donate time, passion and, occasionally, money.<\/p>\n
It’s more accurate to say the left\u00a0wants\u00a0<\/em>to make gun control a big issue among the 30% of the American people who might be inveigled to support it. \u00a0And they’re willing to pay big bucks.<\/p>\n The left? \u00a0They’ve got money. \u00a0The Joyce Foundation and Michael Bloomberg are pouring tens of millions into the issue, largely supporting astroturf groups and buying friendly media coverage around the country (as they’ve done with ProtectMN, Moms Want Action, the\u00a0MinnPost<\/em>\u00a0and MPR here in Minnesota).<\/p>\n And when there’s money, there’s consultants. \u00a0“ProtectMN” has hired Richard Carlbom, the guy who ran Public Relations for the Gay Marriage campaign. \u00a0It’s not that Carlbom is necessarily a big anti-gunner; nobody I know has run into him in re the issue. \u00a0But he’s got a consulting company, and he’s looking to burnish his (well-earned) reputation as a messaging Hessian…<\/p>\n …and there’s just\u00a0so freaking much money\u00a0<\/em>being poured into Minnesota to support stifling liberty, he’d be stupid not to try to grab a piece while he can.<\/p>\n Money brings them out of the woodwork.<\/p>\n ———-<\/p>\n There’s not nearly as much money being tossed around Minnesota on the other side, the Human Rights side. But it’s out there. A lot of Minnesotans, concerned about the extremist Metrocrat gun grab agenda that surfaced this past session, are starting to vote with their pocketbooks, as well as their feet and their, well, votes.<\/p>\n Every pro-second-amendment group is courting members very aggressively.<\/p>\n That’s where the story starts.<\/p>\n ———-<\/p>\n A few weeks ago, Minnesotans active in Second Amendment issues got this package. \u00a0It was led off by a cover letter from Glenn Gruenhagen, a Minnesota state Representative \u00a0– who, I stress right now and up front, is one of the absolute best in the Legislature on gun rights, and is utterly solid on the gun rights issue.\u00a0 Gruenhagen is one of the good guys.\u00a0<\/p>\n The entire package – with the recipient’s name redacted – is shown below:<\/p>\n