| I find the questions that were asked *very* ambiguous, so you have to read the
questions carefully.
That said, this is in some ways very telling.
Roak
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Keystone Firearms Coalition
NRA Board of Directors Candidate Survey Results as of March 25, 1997
(Candidates listed sequentially by promptness of response)
The Keystone Firearms Coalition is pleased to present the results of our
NRA Board of Directors Candidate Survey. We present the answers to the
questions in our survey in tabular format. The questions are reproduced
below the table for your convenience, together with any notes that we have
made. We are not ``rating'' the NRA Board candidates, nor are we endorsing
any. We are merely presenting the candidates' views about questions that we
believe are important. You are heartily encouraged to vote for the
candidates whose views most closely align with your own.
We give our heartfelt thanks and respect to those candidates who took
the time to respond to our questionnaire. We will continue to tally
responses until March 31, 1997. The final version of this page will be
distributed on April 2, 1997. Ballots must be received by Deloitte & Touche
by April 13, 1997 in order to be counted. Remember: vote for no more than 26
candidates or else your ballot will be voided and discarded!
Question Numbers and Responses
Candidate 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Date
Ross, Wayne D A D D D A A A A A D A D (03/05)
Williams, Phillip A D D D A D A A A A A A A (03/08)
Viden, Robert L. D A D D A D A A A A A A D (03/10)
Johnson, Tom ``T.J.'' Wrote essay answers1 (03/11)
Ross, Albert A D A A A A A A A A A A A (03/11)
Rubega, Al D D A D D A A A A A A A A (03/11)
Jones, David C. A A D D D A A A A A A A A (03/12)
Knox, Neal D A A A U2 U A A A D A A D (03/12)
Ramm, James D. D D A A D A A A A A A A A (03/12)
Stump, Wayne D D A A D A A A A A A A A (03/12)
Veazie, Robert J. A A D D A D A A A A A A A (03/12)
Caplan, David I. D D D A D A A A A A A A A (03/13)
Carone, Richard A A D D D A A A A A A A A (03/13)
Baer, Robert G. D A D D D A A A A A A A A (03/14)
Slavonic, Michael D D A A D A A A A A A A D (03/16)
Miller, Bill Formally declined to participate (03/17)
Clark, Weldon H. D D A U D A A A A D D D A (03/20)
Reynolds, Edie Wrote essay answers1 (03/20)
Key: A = Agree; D = Disagree U = Undecided; Date = Date response received
Notes:
1. We appreciate the effort Mssrs. Johnson and Reynolds put into their
responses, but we did not want to attempt to distill definite answers
to our questions out of their essays. We feared that if we did, Mssrs.
Johnson and Reynolds might feel that we had misinterpreted their
answers, and we don't want that kind of disagreement to occur. Our
questionnaire was constructed to attempt to avoid just that kind of
misinterpretation.
2. Mr. Knox checked both boxes for questions 5 and 6 and wrote down a
short explanation of his answers. We appreciate his disagreement with
the questions, but if questions 5 and 6 ever actually came up for a
vote, voting both ways is not an option (although one could abstain).
These questions were devised not to trick anyone, but specifically to
pin down just where a candidate stands. We felt, therefore, that the
fairest way to characterize his answer was ``undecided.''
Please make Keystone Firearms Coalition aware of any errors at
adbco@netaxs.com.
Please cross-post to appropriate lists!
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Keystone Firearms Coalition
NRA Board of Directors Candidate's Questionnaire
The questions below will not be used to formulate a ``rating'' of the
candidate. The questions and candidates' answers will be widely distributed,
so that grassroots NRA voters will be able to see how closely Board
candidates agree with their positions. Therefore, there is no need to try to
guess the ``right'' answer being sought. You must answer all of the
questions. Please be candid; those NRA members who agree with your position
will reward you with their votes.
PART I: BACKGROUND CHECKS AND THE BRADY LAW
There are several viewpoints within the firearms rights community
regarding background checks, waiting periods, and the Brady Law. The
following four questions address some of those viewpoints. You must answer
all four questions, however, please review all four questions before
answering any of them.
1. Whether or not I support the Brady Law, I think that some type of
background check system for the purchase of firearms is justified to keep
criminals from obtaining guns through legal channels. I will vote to direct
the Executive Vice President and Institute for Legislative Action staff to
act accordingly.
Agree________ Disagree________
2. I oppose ``instant background checks'' on principle. However, I believe,
given our present political situation, it may sometimes be necessary for the
NRA to support them for political or tactical reasons. I will vote to direct
the Executive Vice President and Institute for Legislative Action staff to
act accordingly.
Agree________ Disagree________
3. I oppose ``instant background checks,'' and believe the NRA should not
support them, even for political or tactical reasons. I will vote to direct
the Executive Vice President and Institute for Legislative Action staff to
act accordingly.
Agree________ Disagree________
4. I will vote to direct the Executive Vice President and the Executive
Director of the Institute for Legislative Action to cease and desist from
any and all efforts to pass Brady ``instant checks'' at the state and
federal levels.
Agree________ Disagree________
PART II: CONCEALED CARRY LAWS
The ideal for many firearms rights activists is for all states to adopt
laws regarding the carrying of concealed weapons similar to those of
Vermont, where any citizen of good character may carry a firearm without
obtaining a permit or undergoing any process of prior approval. The
following three questions address some opinions regarding the adoption of
concealed carry laws by other states. Again, you must answer all of the
following three questions, but please read all of them before answering any
of them.
5. I believe that it is always a net gain for firearms rights when a state
or municipality provides for citizens to carry firearms legally if they
could not do so before. I believe this is true even when stringent licensing
requirements are imposed, such as training or fingerprinting requirements. I
believe that it is politically and tactically advantageous for the NRA to
support concealed carry laws, even if those laws place stringent, expensive,
or distasteful requirements on applicants. I will vote to direct the
Executive Vice President and Institute for Legislative Action staff to act
accordingly.
Agree________ Disagree________
6. I believe that passing ``something'' can, in many situations, be worse
for advancing firearms rights than passing nothing. I oppose things like
fingerprinting requirements, training requirements, and registration of
applicants as conditions for obtaining concealed carry permits. The
Institute for Legislative Action should not accept such concessions. I will
vote to direct the Executive Vice President and Institute for Legislative
Action staff to act accordingly.
Agree________ Disagree________
7. Often two or more pieces of concealed carry legislation will be
introduced at the same time. I believe the Institute for Legislative Action
should always support that legislation which places the least restrictions
on gun owners and that most closely approximates Vermont's example for
recognizing the citizens' right to carry concealed firearms. I believe the
Institute for Legislative Action should support the least restrictive
legislation, even when more restrictive legislation appears to have the
better chance of passing, and ILA should apprise NRA members of the
positions of legislators on each version of legislation. I will vote to
direct the Executive Vice President and Institute for Legislative Action
staff to act accordingly.
Agree________ Disagree________
PART III: POLITICAL CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRES AND ENDORSEMENTS
The following four questions concern questionnaire results, candidate
grades, and endorsements. You must answer all of the questions, but again,
please read them all before answering any of them.
8. The Executive Director and staff of the Institute for Legislative Action
hold to a policy that witholds crucial political candidate information to
the NRA's grassroots membership at election time. The answers to the NRA
questionnaire given by candidates are kept secret from grassroots members
and supporters. I believe this policy is wrong because it allows politicians
to hide anti-gun positions while getting high grades, public endorsements,
and cash from the NRA Political Victory Fund. I believe this shows
politicians that NRA will not hold them accountable and will reward them for
voting against or otherwise opposing the Second Amendment. I will vote to
direct the Executive Vice President and Institute for Legislative Action
staff to carry out a policy of fully informing and trusting the grassroots
NRA membership.
Agree________ Disagree________
9. The grading system for candidates for elective office is a mystery to
many NRA members. Members assume that grades are earned based strictly upon
the answers to questionnaires and upon incumbents voting records. I believe
that the grading system should be completely objective and should be
disclosed to the membership. I will vote to direct the Executive Vice
President and Institute for Legislative Action to disclose to the membership
and to award grades solely on the basis of an objective grading system based
solely on voting records and questionnaire results.
Agree________ Disagree________
10. I believe that no candidate should have his or her grade inflated merely
because the other candidate may be ``worse'' in terms of support for an
individual's right to keep and bear arms. I will vote to direct the
Executive Vice President and Institute for Legislative Action to desist from
the practice of inflating the grade of any candidate above that which he or
she deserves based upon an objective grading system.
Agree________ Disagree________
11. I believe that no incumbent who has voted, during his or her term
immediately preceding an election, for a gun control measure -- even as an
amendment to a larger, unrelated bill -- deserves an A-rating, public
endorsement, or cash from the NRA Political Victory Fund for his next
election. I will vote to direct the Executive Vice President and the
Institute for Legislative Action to withhold A-ratings, public endorsements,
and cash from the NRA Political Victory Fund from any and all incumbents who
vote for such gun control measures.
Agree________ Disagree________
PART IV: SUPPORT FOR ANTI-GUN LEGISLATION
12. The Executive Director and Staff appear to have a policy of not fighting
any anti-gun legislation that they are not ``guaranteed'' to win. Anti-gun
bills have been allowed to pass with only token resistance, and sometimes
with active Institute for Legislative Action support. Politicians appear to
take advantage of this by bluffing Institute for Legislative Action
lobbyists into believing certain legislation will pass no matter what is
done. As a result, the Institute for Legislative Action refuses to mobilize
the grassroots membership, accepts trivial pro-gun amendments as
``victories,'' and defeat comes without a fight. I believe this is wrong,
and I will vote to direct the Executive Vice President and Institute for
Legislative Action staff to cease and desist this practice.
Agree________ Disagree________
PART V: INVOLVEMENT WITH ISSUES UNRELATED TO FIREARMS OR HUNTING RIGHTS
13. For years, the NRA has taken an active role in addressing criminal
justice issues, even when those issues held no direct relationship to
firearms rights. Institute for Legislative Action political candidate
questionnaires often contain as many questions relating to criminal justice
issues as to firearms rights, and anti-gun candidates have received high
ratings and NRA awards for their positions on criminal justice issues.
Recent international events have demonstrated that even countries with
inherently low crime rates, such as the United Kingdom and Australia, will
experience demands for increasingly severe firearms restrictions, and that
low crime rates provide no protections for gun owners' rights. In light of
these things and the increased need for the NRA to focus and marshal its
resources, I believe the NRA should cease involvement in criminal justice
issues not related to firearms crimes. I will vote to direct the Executive
Vice President and Institute for Legislative Action staff to act
accordingly.
Agree________ Disagree________
PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THESE RESULTS WIDELY!
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