this post was submitted on 08 Jun 2026
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If I understand correctly it was mainly gun manufacturers that helped boost the NRA and helped fund their lobbying the government. Apparently later on Russia had been found to be funneling money into US politics via the NRA as well. Major groups like this are rarely grassroots.
Edit: I just noticed the community this is so feel free to execute me or whatever the punishment is for just being some uneducated guy not posting sources, maybe the iron maiden or something? lol
In-a-gadda-da-vida, baby.
We're a little laxer than the equivalent on The Old Place. Sources are required only when the facts are in dispute.
... but a good flogging will set you straight!
Pretty much this. Back in the seventies the group was moatly about education, and teaching gun safety and marksmanship. The manufacturers got involved directly for the sake of sales, but then turned it around to be a populist face for a lobbying group. Turns out you can influence a lot of politicians if you can show the ability to direct voter decisions. Russia got involved after Wayne lapierre took over, but then the leadership got greedy and backstabby. I think membership has tanked these days because it's really nothing more than an industry lobbying group now.