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2012 NRA Board Candidates By Jon R. Wilcox
The following Candidates for the 2012 NRA Board of Director Elections have been researched and are suggested for your consideration as you cast your Spring 2012 ballot for the NRA Board. Ballot deadline is 25 March 2012.
The current leadership has won the last twelve elections of the NRA three year cycle. They clearly better understand the nature of politics in Washington, wherein victory demands finesse and incremental progress more than strident threats or brute actions. They have consistently maintained membership AFTER winning the White House in 2000, 2004 and the recent mid-term congressional elections in 2010. In each case the legislatures improved their pro-gun gains over the last election. During this time product liability reforms ending groundless lawsuits against gun manufacturers, CCW legislation (now including WI and IL) and Castle Doctrine have proceeded to adoption throughout the nation. You have outstanding proof of better management and a better vision for NRA.
Since the 11 September 2001 terror strike, NRA leadership has demonstrated courage by displaying the unquestioned patriotism of NRA and its membership, while standing firm against the simple-minded relinquishment of essential liberties to obtain a little temporary security. NRA has been credited by many with being the difference in this victory for freedom vs. statist social control. NRA is now seen by many as the oldest and largest civil rights organization on the face of the planet. It was NRA who led the charge to defeat the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Outrage, even going so far as to start their own broadcast network to get around the law while litigating against it. Further, they were so powerful in their court press that they got an exemption from the law - and still fought the law anyway.
Presented for your consideration are only those candidates about whom we have knowledge and experience. Choose the best managers who can take NRA to the vision you support. Note well, the NRA Board is not a legislature, but a policy making body. The day-to-day decisions are still made by staff and management. The best NRA Board of Directors is that one which contains the "fire-in-the-belly" commitment to Second Amendment values and a balance of all the other necessary elements to provide staff and management with the best guidance and direction:
1 - Experienced, knowledgeable competitive shooters, to advocate NRA's safety, training, and shooting programs
2 - Experienced, effective business, fund raising, and financial managers
3 - Experienced, effective political, legislative and media-savvy advocates
The key is being effective and participating in board work and meetings. Candidates should have demonstrated dedication to our issues and competition, experience in association and business management, sound political and business judgment (often
unpleasant and easily misunderstood choices), and statesmanlike behavior - both in internal NRA affairs and with those we wish to influence. You need not vote for the maximum number of candidates. We do not present a full 25 choices. We suggest you vote only for the best of which you know.
National stature and visibility, without active board participation, generally limits a candidate's effectiveness to good public relations potential, unless the board member is a sitting politician who pitches our legislation. We are choosing LEADERS here. Leadership is action, not position, so we suggest you take the long view and choose those with a demonstrated track record of action and effective leadership. Favor candidates who are true believers on our issue, incremental if necessary, but effective overall.
The NRA nominating committee this year nominated 29 persons from whom you may choose. Seven persons were nominated by petition, five of whom were also nominated by the nominating committee. This gives you 31 candidates from whom to choose. Vote for no more than 25 or you will void your ballot.
As a work in progress these past twenty years, I am happy to discuss your gleanings with you. The following list is one from which your picks should give no regret. Absent your independent knowledge of a candidate, I suggest you make your choices from this list.
CANDIDATES - 2012 NRA BOARD ELECTIONS - Alpha Order - no priority in listing.
* = Nominated by Petition. Others are by the nominating Committee.
All of our suggestions this year were nominated by the NRA Nominating Committee.
Scott L. Bach
William A. Bachenberg
Ronnie Barrett
Robert K. Brown
David G. Coy
Manuel Fernandez
Edie P. Fleeman
Joel Friedman
Tom Gaines
Steve Hornady
David A. Keene
Herbert A Lanford, Jr.
Carolyn D. Meadows
John F. Milius
Bill Miller
Grover Norquist
Bob Nosler
Wayne Anthony Ross
Don Saba
Ronald L. Schmeits
John C. Sigler
Robert Viden, Jr.
J.D. Williams
Jon R. Wilcox is a Wisconsin attorney in private practice in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He is a past president of Wisconsin Rifle & Pistol Association, WRPA, renamed Wisconsin Firearm Owners, Ranges, Clubs, and Educators, Wisconsin FORCE, in 2008. Jon is an estate planning, business, property, and family law attorney, who also does gun law. He is a benefactor member of the NRA, a charter member of the Heritage Society, co-chair of the Southeast Wisconsin Friends of NRA banquet committee, an NRA Field Support Team Volunteer, an NRA certified instructor and a member of the NRA Foundation Volunteer Network of Estate Planning.
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