Trump’s effects on the world are becoming clearer every day.
Photo by Michael Saechang/Flickr.
THE GOOD NEWS:
Gun sales are tanking under Trump, so the NRA is desperate to find new ways to make its supporters paranoid.
Gun manufacturers can always depend on paranoia to encourage people to stockpile firearms and ammo. During the Obama administration, the gun industry saw the total economic impact of firearms and ammunition grow from $19.1 billion in 2008 to $49.3 billion by 2015. Gun sales were up again in 2016 after the National Rifle Association preyed on fears that Hillary Clinton would leave the American public “defenseless.”
The NRA spent over $30 million during 2016 to support the election of Donald Trump — although he hasn’t always been a supporter of the organization. In 2000, he took a shot at the NRA in his book “The America We Deserve,” criticizing Republicans who “walk the NRA line” and “refuse even limited restrictions” on firearms.
“I generally oppose gun control, but I support the ban on assault weapons and I also support a slightly longer waiting period to purchase a gun,” Trump wrote.
After rebranding himself a Republican sometime around 2009, Trump changed his tune on guns. But now that the NRA has Trump’s undying loyalty, gun sales have plummeted. Reports show that gun giant Smith & Wesson (now named American Outdoor Brands) has seen a 40% decline in net sales since Trump became president.
A big reason for the decline in gun and ammunition sales seems to be that the industry has lost its political boogeyman (and boogeywoman). With Obama and Clinton out of the picture, the NRA is trying to instill fear in its supporters over the news media and the “ violent left” via its new outlet, NRATV.
All this has led to an ad featuring a guy smashing a television set playing mean clips about Trump. Interestingly, although he advocates for an organization that thinks it’s totally fine to arm people on terrorist watch lists, he still wears his protective goggles.
Safety first, right?
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