Bloomberg plans a $50 million challenge to the NRA

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Bleh, wish he'd do this for other issues like minimum wage or clean energy.

Those aren't threats to billionaires or America's .0001%-friendly politics. Guns are.

(I didn't mean that to come out sounding quite so tea- and tinfoil-flavored, but I'm a pretty big cynic when it comes to billionaires in general and Bloomberg in particular. Given the resources he has access to, his attempts to better the public good seem quixotic at best.)

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

No one should have anywhere near $50 million anyway. To Bloomberg's defense, he isn't really doing anything different from the other politically-motivated  economic elites.

[Mechaman]

No one should have anywhere near $50 million anyway. To Bloomberg's defense, he isn't really doing anything different from the other politically-motivated  economic elites.

Which is trying to convince us that social issues are the only ones that exist, for obvious plutocratic reasons?

[AggregateDemand]

"All other gun crimes... are perpetrated by people who would not be stopped by universal background checks."

Care to give some type of citation for that sweeping statement?  All other gun crimes?  So you're telling me that you honestly think that background checks wouldn't stop one domestic violence gun crime or heat-of-the-moment gun crime?  I'd love to hear your rationale there.

It's in one of those long-winded 200 page FBI crime reports. I think it was something like 5% of all guns violence was perpetrated by firearms acquired at gun shows or online. How many of those people couldn't have bought legally was not listed. It's small potatoes regardless.

If you want to stop heat-of-the-moment crimes you need waiting periods, but that's a completely different discussion.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

"All other gun crimes... are perpetrated by people who would not be stopped by universal background checks."

Care to give some type of citation for that sweeping statement?  All other gun crimes?  So you're telling me that you honestly think that background checks wouldn't stop one domestic violence gun crime or heat-of-the-moment gun crime?  I'd love to hear your rationale there.

It's in one of those long-winded 200 page FBI crime reports. I think it was something like 5% of all guns violence was perpetrated by firearms acquired at gun shows or online. How many of those people couldn't have bought legally was not listed. It's small potatoes regardless.

If you want to stop heat-of-the-moment crimes you need waiting periods, but that's a completely different discussion.

I'm not talking about going out and buying a gun in the heat-of-the-moment (that's not really heat-of-the-moment most of the time).  I'm talking about someone (often domestic violence offenders) who have a gun accessible and use it.

And I'm not just talking about gun shows and online.  Let's enforce background checks on all private sales of guns.  Frankly, I don't think it matters if it's 5% or 50%.  You're pulling numbers out of thin air without any sources here.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Hi, I'm Smalltown Mcleglislator. You've proably seen the barrage of attack ads paid for NYC Mayor and his urban liberal elite. It's clear he doesn't understand how small town America relies on firearms ... Why can't he stick to his urban ...

etc. etc. etc.

Which is precisely why if you had read the article, you'd see that Bloomberg has realized the futility of the advertizing-only approach, and is trying to build up a grass-roots organization.  I doubt he'll have much success, but it should be more than his previous approach.

Is this just astroturfing?