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[happyslug]

18. To make any changes you look for allies and divide the opposition

I hate to say this you are acting like many lefties, rather than look for allies, you hold yourself to an absolute that can not be obtain for you attack potential allies rather then try to recruit them. Governments are ruled by coalitions even the US Governments, we form these coalitions in the form of political parties. Thus to get any change you have to form coalitions with people you may not like. FDR's New Deal Coalitions joined Labor with the segregationist south and than new Democratic inner city machines (who recruited ethics and African Americans). Thus you had people who hated each other in the same party, but they wanted to restrict wall-street, help the unemployed, get people to work, improve income to Rural Farmers AND urban workers.

Yes, the New Deal Coalition had elements inside it that would and did break it apart, but it also achieved almost all of the New Deal and other progressive legislature between 1930 and 1980. Where the coalition failed was where the GOP could and did the divide the Coalition. The NRA does this constantly as to Gun Control by making a solid effort to mix pistols with other gun control law. You have to keep them apart and constantly keep them apart, make sure that any propose law clearly state that the reason for the law is to reduce murder and that Long Arms are rarely involved in such crimes. It is a them you have to keep up and be constant about, NOT demand something that can NOT happen without the support of others.

Ask yourself who among the NRA supporters will you try to convert? That is a way to divide opposition to gun control, but showing you oppose INEFFECTIVE laws that sound good, but has no affect on crime, while supporting laws that will do some good. You have to look for allies that you can live with, and at the same time divide the opposition. So far in this group I have just seen people who want to exclude anyone who is NOT 100% for what they say, and that is no way to get the law changed. You have to work with people you may even dislike to get the law changed. Do not opt for the perfect law, when it is impossible to achieve, while dismissing laws that can be passed because they are NOT perfect. The NRA does NOT do that, and anyone opposing them have to adopt the same tactics.