UGLY: Update from Todd Vandermyde.

Todd Vandermyde posted this over at Illinois Carry.

I'll try top keep this short but its gonna ramble a bit. 

So you're upset by Trump. Fine. Don't forget that Bush gave us the import ban and started us down this road. And if you think Hillary was a better option, you're folling yourself. We can only deal with the choices that we have infront of us. And Trump was a better choice. 

We are now seeing very broad bills in Illinois about "ghost" guns and other things. they are going to try and bring back the lethal violence protection orders BS along with semi-auto bans and others. It is going to be a knock down drag out fight. Having been doing this for a while it has a feel of Colombine all over again. The mentality of many is that we just need to do something — anything. 

And most are not looking at what laws we have here in Illinois and stacking them up against the fact pattern of what took place in Florida. We you look at those two sets of facts, it is highly unlikely that it would have happened here. 

That being said, their is still an appitite to do something — anything. Last Fall ISRA got together and trimmed down langauge on bumpstocks. What they did actaully helped and alloowed us to work against the bill by showing how broad it was and how poorly written it was. 

Their actions did a lot of good and saved us from a lot worse. Remember this no legislator here is going to defend machineguns. And everyone knew that bumpstocks were a work around and would cause us problems some day. Well that day has come. 

Now some say don't give an inch. Thats fine in theory, but this is Illinois, two steps away from Commie California. 

We have chicago dems runiing both chambers. we have large democratic majorities in both chambers. You saw what they did to us even when we had a court order directing them to pass a carry law. So understand the playing field we are on. 

I no longer work for NRA, so my role is a bit different. FFL-IL is a pro 2A organization and any bill that effects the ability to deliver firearms to our customers we will oppose. and bill that impacts our customers ability to aquire firearms we will oppose. 

Right now we are doing triage as a group, ISRA, NRA, FFL-IL, GSL, IC and the like. And that means you save what you can and work on that. 

To me, the tannerite bills are not a hill to die on. You can try to say no to everything but its not going to get us far. Similar to bump stocks. We beat back all the trigger mod stuff because we could show how broad it was. I can't spell out all the votes and strategy as we all know the other side lurks here and lets face it, I've had a better handle on this game than they ever did. 

But we are in Illinois. the national mood after Florida is against us. And NRA's strategy is to hide and play ostrich until they think it blows over. essentially they have ceded the field to the otherside and we are left as smaller groups to get our messgae out or as individuals on social media haveing never ending debates with people who barely know which end of the barrel the bullet comes out of. 

Add to that we can't even get endorsements for A rated candidates out of HQ when we have a primary less than 30 days away. And I will tell you that HQ doesn't know how to handle Illinois any longer. the guys running state and local have never lobbied a bill start to finish, nor overrode a veto of a governor. They have no clue what this fight looks like from the ground where I am standing. 

Add to that they moved out Shannon, and now shes not even gonna be around to help give advice about Illinois, not that those guys would take it. 

So quit whining about bump stocks or Trump or whatever it is. We are going to have to pull ourselves up by our own boot straps, make our own arguements and make way more noise than the unimored masses on the other side. 

I've done 3 interviews in the last 24 hours. I have much more freedom to get "our side" of the story out since NRA isn't. 

There is also a state rep who is trolling my FB page and sending that stuff out to reporters trying to make hay out of my commnets to some of you in explaining what is going on.

Leaders don't just make nice speeches. And take the high road when things are easy. They have the responsibility to tell the truth when things are bad and to take positions when its not the most popular thing to do. Its not cheering you on, its looking you in the eye, telling you what you don't want to hear, and then getting you to buy in to a plan to succeed. Its not ceding the field to the otherside, its meeting them on the battlefield of ideas head on. 

We are working on a plan. I know not what shape it is going to take or how it will play out. the fact that the House is not in this week helps. But it is going to get worse and look pretty dim at moments before it gets better. 

My role is different today than it was before. Doens't mean I'm leaving the battlefield. And I don't profess to have all the ideas or answers. But I will give my best. I still live here with my family, and have to look all of you in the eye at the end of the day.