U.S. Withdraws From Arms Treaty; NRA In Crisis

If you didn't think the National Rifle Rampage Association pulls the strings of every Rethuglican, politician from unhinged con man Donald "Not Exonerated" Trump on down, you'd be mistaken. Even though they're allegedly facing some financial hard times, they still exercise disproportionate clout over the Rethuglican / New Confederate / Kids-In-Cages Party. The latest example of their control was unveiled at the NRA's convention yesterday by Trump, where he announced the U.S. would be withdrawing from the United Nations' Arms Trade Treaty that regulates $70 billion in arms sales to prevent them falling into the hands of human rights abusers internationally. It's purely an economic matter for the NRA, which fronts for the gun manufacturing industry. The U.S. is the world's leading exporter of arms, so the industry would stand to lose billions in weapons sales to countries on the U.N.'s human rights watch list.

By his action, Trump accomplishes two goals: solidify support among the NRA dead-enders, and erase another achievement of President Obama who signed on to the treaty. Abby Maxman, President of Oxfam America, a human rights organization, reacted to Trump's decision saying,

“The United States will now lock arms with Iran, North Korea and Syria as non-signatories to this historic treaty whose sole purpose is to protect innocent people from deadly weapons."

That's some fine company we're joining. As with the Paris Climate Accord, Trump has chosen to undermine our support for vital issues in order to appeal to his violent white nationalist base, to reward the gun manufacturers and corrupt donors to his campaign, and to try to diminish President Obama's legacy.

BONUS: It looks like an internal NRA power struggle is claiming its first, well-deserved victim: lying, terrorist gun-runner Ollie North. Sad! Let's go to the video tape:

Here is Richard Childress reading a letter from Oliver North where he says he has been forced out of the NRA and then says the NRA has engaged in financial improprieties. pic.twitter.com/tAukwXVjZx

— Timothy Johnson (@timothywjohnson) April 27, 2019

More here. Good times! It's true that everything Trump touches dies.

BONUS II:

When you hear ollie north is out at the NRA. pic.twitter.com/1TPdJ6znlC

— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) April 27, 2019

(photo: The would-be dictator showing one of his ubiquitous, treaty-shredding "Executive Orders" to the NRA crowd. Scott Olson/Getty Images)