Slate posts this useful map to show how much money members of the U.S. House got from the gun-industry lobby in 2012. Rep. Kristi Noem got $18,235 from gun advocates to help her keep occupying South Dakota's lone House seat.
According to the OpenSecrets.org data from which Slate creates that map, Rep. Noem's gun-lobby haul was the ninth highest of all House members in the 2012 election cycle. Here are the gun lobby's House favorites in the last election:
| Candidate | Amount |
|---|---|
| Boehner, John (R-OH) | $48,575 |
| Rehberg, Denny (R-MT) | $43,029 |
| West, Allen (R-FL) | $38,351 |
| Bachmann, Michele (R-MN) | $28,822 |
| Paul, Ron (R) | $21,700 |
| Coffman, Mike (R-CO) | $20,200 |
| Quayle, Ben (R-AZ) | $19,600 |
| Hartzler, Vicky (R-MO) | $19,000 |
| Noem, Kristi (R-SD) | $18,235 |
| Berg, Rick (R-ND) | $16,950 |
Rep. Noem has a ways to go to catch up with her master, Senator John Thune. He's second on OpenSecret.org's list of members of Congress receiving gun money since 1990. His $142,205 tops all of his colleagues except for Arizona's John McCain, whose Presidential run in 2008 raised his total gun-lobby take to $543,386. Even without being up for re-election last year, Thune made the top ten list of Senators receiving gun bucks in 2012:
| Candidate | Amount |
|---|---|
| Brown, Scott (R-MA) | $30,275 |
| Heller, Dean (R-NV) | $26,900 |
| Barrasso, John A (R-WY) | $23,258 |
| Thune, John (R-SD) | $15,900 |
| McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) | $13,500 |
| Rubio, Marco (R-FL) | $12,350 |
| Hatch, Orrin G (R-UT) | $11,500 |
| Manchin, Joe (D-WV) | $9,750 |
| Wicker, Roger (R-MS) | $9,450 |
| Roberts, Pat (R-KS) | $9,250 |
And where's Senator Tim Johnson? Since 1990, he's received $19,000 from the gun lobby. Looking just at cycles when Johnson has been on the ballot, he received $4,500 in 2008, $1,500 in 2002 (gun groups gave Thune $22,205 that year to back his unsuccessful attempt to unseat Johnson), $3,000 in 1992, and $3,500 in 1990.
Every time this subject comes up a parliamentary democracy looks better and better. President Jefferson is spinning in his grave.
How President Reagan helped ban weapons of mass murder:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/how-ronald-reagan-passed-the-assault-weapon-ban
I think gun owners should be required to have insurance policies for each gun they own, with hefty premiums and then tax the devil out of ammo.
Good eye, Ms. Joan, those enactments are being considered in our scrum: expect that application to those weapons on Sen. Feinstein's list.
No Democrates receive money from the gun Lobby?
Unrelated but related.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/01/24/no-shots-fired-home-intruders-decide-not-to-stick-around-after-seeing-their-victim-holding-an-ar-15/
At least it is heartening to know that the gun lobby is forced to spend some of their financial resources in a state which they should have in the bag.
Michele Bachmann now subject of ethics probe. Noem next?
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/03/25/exclusive-congressional-ethics-probe-adds-to-bachmann-s-political-woes.html