http://www.nytimes.com/...
Michael R. Bloomberg, making his first major political investment since leaving office, plans to spend $50 million this year building a nationwide grass-roots network to motivate voters who feel strongly about curbing gun violence, an organization he hopes can eventually outmuscle the National Rifle Association.
Mr. Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York, said gun control advocates need to learn from the N.R.A. and punish those politicians who fail to support their agenda — even Democrats whose positions otherwise align with his own.
The strategy will focus not on sweeping federal restrictions to ban certain weapons, but instead will seek to expand the background check system for gun buyers both at the state and national levels.
The $50 million could be significant: In recent years, the N.R.A. has spent only $20 million annually on political activities. The political groups affiliated with the billionaire Koch brothers, who are seeking to help Republicans take over the Senate, have spent about $30 million in the last six months.
The group will zero in on 15 target states, from places like Colorado and Washington State, where gun control initiatives have advanced recently, to territory that is likely to be more hostile like Texas, Montana and Indiana. They have set a goal of signing up one million new supporters this year on top of the 1.5 million they already have.
Previous efforts by Mr. Bloomberg to push gun control have touched off tensions with national Democratic leaders, because he has run negative ads against incumbent Democrats whom he views as insufficiently supportive of gun control. The Democratic leaders argue that Mr. Bloomberg threatens to hand control of the Senate to Republicans, which they say would doom any hope of passing gun control legislation.
In fact, depending on the intensity of the campaign, this could cost us Georgia, Louisiana, Kentucky, Montana, North Carolina and Arkansas. I know many of you are saying that the GOP can't be anymore motivated. I agree, but there a lot of gun loving Dems in these states. Ask Bill Clinton and the late Tom Foley! Some of our fellow Democrats will temporarily leave us over this issue. Especially coming from the former Mayor of NYC.
You know how we like to make fun of the Kochs? Well Bloomberg could easily be made their equivalent on an issue that is much easier to understand. On policy, he is on the right side. But his timing and history on this issue is horrible.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
As of now, I think we hold the Senate 51-49. Why stir the hornets nest over an issue that does not bring Dems to the polls?