Some statistics:
According to the BATFE, in 1999 (latest number available) there were about 215 million privately owned guns. The NRA estimates that half of all American households (total US population is 294 million) have at least one gun owner. That translates to approx 147,000,000 people who own a gun.
Approximately 122 million people voted in the last Presidential election.
Currently there are approximately 4,300,000 NRA members. That's less than 5% of the estimated number of gun owners.
By contrast, the AARP is estimated to have approximately 35,000,000 members.
I have a recurring dream. That 1/2 of all gun owners, or roughly 70,000,000 people join the NRA and, as a block, sign a pledge to vote only for pro-2nd Amendment candidates. In my dream, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Carolyn McCarthy, Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer and all the other Democrat (and even some Republican) anti-gunners are seen literally on their knees in TV ads begging for votes to get re-elected.
I can only dream about this, but politics is a numbers game folks. Every one of us should encourage our friends who are not NRA members to join. I'll even take it a step further. Every gun club or shooting range in the US should REQUIRE that anyone joining or using the facilities be a NRA member. If I owned a club or range I can guarantee you that I'd make it a requirement - I'd even pay 1/2 the first year's dues.
I also believe that the NRA should change its dues structure. If AARP can charge $8-10.00 per year, NRA should be able to lower it's dues from the current $35.00. If they did, I'm convinced that membership would go up.
Gene Batchelar
Wheaton, IL