The enabler at TRSA

[Renegade]

Bottom line up front, the time for TSRA playing footsie under the table with the opposition is over and done.
I will reserve judgement until we see if Mike Cox is another fudd elitist, like Alice was,
but I do sincerely encourage the new lobbyist for TSRA to bring his "A" game next session, and leave the fudd tradition in the dust bin where it belongs;
to be clear -- the individual right to possess and use firearms for self defense is what is at stake now, endless lame excuses for more "compromise" are no longer going to work anymore, like they used to.

We can all see that the 2018 session was a chit show, the crowning achievement of 25 years of RINO control,
more antigun bills were filed in the 2018 session than ever before in the history of TX, the RINO speaker Bonnen openly working to deny the conservative platform, working with democrat leadership to screw over the conservative base.

This November, the consequences of RINOs enabling that overt misrepresentation is expected to be severe, and rightly so.
Redistricting is bringing at least three new district reps incoming, all hard left democrats, hand picked, with no competition in sight.
The house is being handed over to democrat control, quite possibly also gaining majority in the senate as well.

The 2018 session push for gun control was a test run, a probe to determine where the gaps are for the decisive 2020 push, where the weakest links are to exploit (and there are many).
In the 2020 session we can expect easily twice as many anti gun bills as in 2018, simultaneously in BOTH chambers this time, a tidal wave of more antigun measures in one session than all of Texas history combined.
All relevant committees in both chambers are going to be chaired by militant progressive democrats, or else RINOs sympathetic to the progressive agenda, and they are going to use every cheap/dirty trick they have at their disposal to push their bills through, with the help of their pals Bonnen and the LT gov.
Imposing decisive gun control is going to be their top legislative priority, for the purposes of getting revenge for 25 years of having to wait to grab power.

That means that gun control is certain to pass in 2020,
only a question of how much, how bad,
that also means that TSRA is necessarily going to be a key part of that outcome.

The TSRA of 2019 is not ready to deal with any of that, not even close.

The opposition is motivated, determined, well funded, tech savvy, and they are down there every day demanding that they get their way, and are willing to do whatever it takes to win.
The commie mommies are still pissed that she lost, and they are out for revenge, and they smell the blood in the water, they will not be denied.

So, is TSRA ready for that? Or not?
What is the plan to deal effectively with what is coming in the 2020 session?
Is TSRA going to commit the substantial resources now necessary to be relevant? to manage the defensive situation?
or not?
Is TSRA ready to make the painful changes that are required to adapt, to be relevant in the outcome that is on the table now?

Let's start with messaging:


yep, Mike does a great job there.
Looks really neat and tidy-- for say, back in 1998.

and completely irrelevant in 2020.
No one, on either faction, wants to listen to another old white man drone on about "guns again"; that is a pure non starter, that message may have worked once upon a time, but the opposition have adapted, overcome.


You TSRA guys are going to have to face the way things are today, and do a complete marketing/image restart, 100% from the ground up, you have to get it right,
you are going to need considerable help, and you do not have much time left to get it done.

Best first post by a new member since forever.

 

[Renegade]

Exactly, and that fudd elitism is The Problem,
always has been The Problem,
and will continue to be The Problem
unless a course correction and reversal is made on that, and in time to matter.

Alice Tripp is openly hostile to grass roots pro-freedom activists,
it remains to be seen if Mike Cox will continue that elitist policy, or not.

I fully expect that Cox is as much of a fudd as Tripp,
but I would really like to be wrong on that one.

polished messaging, optics, image, are not just important, they are urgent, must-have, either you can deliver the optics, or else go home.

another old white guy lecturing about "the guns again" is not going to cut it anymore, with few notable exceptions.
so here is what we will need to deliver in order to prevail next session

Kirsten Joy Weiss

Armed and Feminine

here is the possible "old white man" exception, situationally applicable --
Gov. Abbott greets Stephen Willeford in Sutherland Springs



yes, 2019/2021-- but with the bills being crafted the previous fall.
Waiting till jan 2021 to engage on this is too late.
Waiting till jan 2020 to engage on this is also too late.


The opposition is working on their game NOW,
the commie mommies demand action are recruiting hard, the are using the beginning of the school year to garner followers.

either they win, or we do,

so let's win -- and by "we" I mean pro-freedom activists, not fudd elitists.

It would be helpful if TSRA got on board with that,
and with the major changes that will be required to step up to the challenges at hand.

Best second post by a new member since forever.

 

[roadrunner]

I wonder how long it will take for the TSRA/NRA to have Mike Cox take down the youtube video.

 

[popper]

Tsra has been Hohum in congress the last 2 sessions. Listened to her testimony, yawn. Gun range shut down due to a suspected stray bullet. Yawn. Only thing that counts is big city le bosses and Dems.

 

[45tex]

that is what it is. That's why I'll financially support ANY candidate that is pro-2nd

That is what the NRA said about supporting Stinking Harry Reid. It's a sellout argument

 

[45tex]

I'd have to say it goes beyond a single person. The general perception is certainly not helped - but there's been a lack of attention to some things that IS being addressed. Some of it is little things - such as our recent website changes, and updating how things are done. For example, our latest gun raffle is actually available via the web/e-commerce. No filling out tickets manually and mailing them in - you can get them online. We're working towards making that a more common thing.....it'll make life easier for all, I think.

The personnel issues....well, IMO they ARE different - but it's not as easy as telling someone to go away - you have to be prepared to replace them with a person that fits within the mission goals and job profile - but it will happen. That's really all I can say about that at this time.

Serious stuff being discussed and the TSRA guy jumps in with... OOH lookey here, we got guns to give away and look how easy they are to buy in for. Honestly sir, I feel pandered to and treated like a child. We know you don't own the club but don't think Texans are so addled the conversation will stop. The top needs to be chopped down at the NRA and the TSRA. Even if you give away 100 guns the "we have been had" feeling remains

Edit, I know it appears now that one top has been chopped but my comment stands based on where I was reading when I commented. ty

 

[TexasRedneck]

No matter what I might say, you want to turn it around. Interesting - you SHOULD feel like a child - you're certainly acting like one. No one wants the conversation to stop - but can we at least do so like adults? I've been pretty clear in my thoughts as to where the TSRA needs to go - but I also realize it doesn't happen overnight, much as I might wish it could.
By the same token, strides HAVE been made - and will continue to be.

 

[TexasRedneck]

I wonder how long it will take for the TSRA/NRA to have Mike Cox take down the youtube video.

Why would they want it taken down? The man doesn't like to open carry, and states why. That has nothing to do with CC - and he doesn't state that OC shouldn't be allowed - only that he doesn't. Or isn't he allowed that opinion?

I've talked with Mike at length - and will continue to do so. I've never heard him opine against CC in any way, and we've debated OC several times. I respect his choice, he respects mine. Not much more to be said, IMO.

 

[45tex]

No matter what I might say, you want to turn it around. Interesting - you SHOULD feel like a child - you're certainly acting like one. No one wants the conversation to stop - but can we at least do so like adults? I've been pretty clear in my thoughts as to where the TSRA needs to go - but I also realize it doesn't happen overnight, much as I might wish it could.
By the same token, strides HAVE been made - and will continue to be.

Read your own post.
"For example, our latest gun raffle is actually available via the web/e-commerce. No filling out tickets manually and mailing them in - you can get them online."

 

[TexasRedneck]

Read your own post.
"For example, our latest gun raffle is actually available via the web/e-commerce. No filling out tickets manually and mailing them in - you can get them online."

Yeah - giving an example of small steps towards making things more modern. There's other things in the works - and as they're ready to go, they'll be rolled out to the membership. It's like anything else - you have to start somewhere, and if we're going to stub our toe, it's easier to recover from this than some mainstream change that's being worked on.