U.S. Gun Control: Stakeholders Analysis
Apply the procedures for argumentation analysis (located in Chapter 8) to display contending positions and underlying assumptions for the content of Review Question 8.
Gun control is a complex and contentious issue in the United States. The debate is unending and there is no easy solution, especially not one that would appeal to all stakeholders. Gun control is debated constantly in the media and political forums, particularly in the wake of every mass shooting. Most gun violence in the country is done using legally purchased weapons. The right to purchase and bear arms is constitutional, protected fully under the Second Amendment.
The New York Time article: “Is This the Moment for Gun Control? A Gridlocked Congress Is under Pressure”, analyzes how the recent Parkland school shooting has changed the political climate, claiming that Congress can no longer remain on the sidelines when it comes to gun control. This is because some the victims of gun control have spoken up on the issue and some Republican politicians are willing to allow some reform on gun control policies, for example Representative Brian Mast, who is in support of banning assault weapons. The underlying assumption is that Congress can no longer be inactive on the issue. However, if the past is any indication, the political climate after any mass shooting is usually rife on gun control measures yet little is done on this front.
In the Newsweek article, “Here’s why the NRA is so powerful and why gun control advocates have reason for hope”, the National Rifle Association is portrayed as a powerful political force whose influence on public policies is nearly omnipotent. This comes across as an exaggeration but it is in fact observable. The organization is well organized, well-funded, and supported by a majority of the American public. The NRAs monetary influence is used to lobby congress to support their issues. In the last year, the organization spent about 4.1 million dollars on lobbying alone. The NRA also invests in elections by backing political candidates and fueling their campaigns, enabling the organization to become a political powerhouse influencing public policy.
Rate the assumptions and plot them according to their plausibility and importance. (Refer to Figure 3.16, “Distribution of warrant by plausibility and importance.”) Determine which arguments are the most plausible. Provide a rationale for your views.
The two articles take a different approach when it comes to analyzing issue of gun control. The first explains the shortcomings of Congress when it comes to gun control while the second analyzes why the NRA, is capable of influencing congress. The argument that Congress is likely to result to gun reform (marked Y) is of high importance as gun reform cannot be achieved without federal and state legislative action and this would limit the instances of gun violence. However, the issue is not easily achievable due to the Second Amendment and the NRA which is opposed to federal gun control. The assumption that the NRA is a powerful political force (marked X) is plausible and of high importance due to the political influence yielded by the organization. The most plausible argument made in favor of this is that “Not only does the NRA outspend gun control groups but it’s also simply better at mobilizing its base (it boasts a membership of 5 million) against candidates it deems a threat…” This articulates why the organization is so powerful. It has grassroots supports and has the monetary influence to lobby in favor of its agenda.
Apply the procedures for stakeholder analysis presented in Box 3.0 “Conducting a Stakeholder Analysis” to generate a list of stakeholders who affect or are affected by problems in the issue area chosen for analysis.
There are several stakeholders in the gun control debate. These include:
The American Public: The American public is divided on gun control with the majority in favor of some gun reform policies, such as background checks, and restrictions on sales. Opinions differ depending on various factors, for example whether and individual is a gun owner or not, or a Republican or Democrat (Moore, 2015). The public is a stakeholder even though opinions fall on either side of the gun control debate. Currently, public sentiment is against the NRA and in favor of preventing gun violence and in turn companies are cutting ties with the NRA and gun manufacturers.
Opponents: NRA, gun manufacturers
The National Rifle Association: The NRA is in opposition to gun reform as this would go against the freedoms represented by the Second Amendment. Any policies that are in favor of gun control are viewed as oppressive by the organization. These views are shared by the GOA and NSSF (Steidley & Colen, 2017).
Proponents: Gun Owners of America, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Congress
Opponents: The Brady Campaign
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: According to the Brady Campaign, gun lobby organizations such as the NRA, Gun Owners of America (GOA), and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), lobby and contribute to politician’s campaigns in order to influence Congress. The Brady Campaign opposes this in an effort to protect the American public from gun violence (Steidley & Colen, 2017).
Proponents: The American public
Opponents: National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Congress
Congress: The House of Representatives usually up for reelection every two years and part funding for some politician’s campaigns comes from the NRA and gun manufacturer lobby. This is done through the NRA Political Victory Fund (Moore, 2015). The NRA, therefore, exercises some measure of influence on these politicians.
Proponents: National Rifle Association, Gun Manufacturers
Gun Manufacturers: Gun control reform has an effect on their bottom line hence gun manufacturers and hence are aligned with organizations such as the NRA and GOA.
Opponents: The Brady Campaign against Gun Violence
Proponents: National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America
Gun Owners of America: This is a membership based organization that rallies against laws that may limit an individual’s second amendment’s rights, such as the gun confiscation (GOA).
Proponents: Congress
Cumulative Frequency Distribution
The graph levels off meaning that the stakeholders mentioned are the key influencers of gun control policy. The National Rifle Association is mentioned in almost all articles on gun violence or gun reform. This is because the organization is centered on the ensuring that second amendments rights are not infringed upon. The organization does, however, educate and train people on the proper use of weapons (Steidley & Colen, 2017). Recent gun violence cases have turned public sentiment against the NRA. The public can be viewed as a stakeholder on both sides of the debate. With gun owners and activists rallying against laws that violate their second amendment rights and gun control activists rallying for reform to curb gun violence in the country. Other key stakeholders, are the campaigns against violence and gun owner membership groups.
There is no easy one-size-fits-all solution to gun control in the United States. The problem posed by gun violence is urgent and complex, and the debate on gun control is unlikely to come to an amicable end. A solution can only be reached through compromise from the various stakeholders.
Apply the procedures for argumentation analysis (located in Chapter 8) to display contending positions and underlying assumptions for the content of Review Question 8.
Gun control is a complex and contentious issue in the United States. The debate is unending and there is no easy solution, especially not one that would appeal to all stakeholders. Gun control is debated constantly in the media and political forums, particularly in the wake of every mass shooting. Most gun violence in the country is done using legally purchased weapons. The right to purchase and bear arms is constitutional, protected fully under the Second Amendment.
The New York Time article: “Is This the Moment for Gun Control? A Gridlocked Congress Is under Pressure”, analyzes how the recent Parkland school shooting has changed the political climate, claiming that Congress can no longer remain on the sidelines when it comes to gun control. This is because some the victims of gun control have spoken up on the issue and some Republican politicians are willing to allow some reform on gun control policies, for example Representative Brian Mast, who is in support of banning assault weapons. The underlying assumption is that Congress can no longer be inactive on the issue. However, if the past is any indication, the political climate after any mass shooting is usually rife on gun control measures yet little is done on this front.
In the Newsweek article, “Here’s why the NRA is so powerful and why gun control advocates have reason for hope”, the National Rifle Association is portrayed as a powerful political force whose influence on public policies is nearly omnipotent. This comes across as an exaggeration but it is in fact observable. The organization is well organized, well-funded, and supported by a majority of the American public. The NRAs monetary influence is used to lobby congress to support their issues. In the last year, the organization spent about 4.1 million dollars on lobbying alone. The NRA also invests in elections by backing political candidates and fueling their campaigns, enabling the organization to become a political powerhouse influencing public policy.
Rate the assumptions and plot them according to their plausibility and importance. (Refer to Figure 3.16, “Distribution of warrant by plausibility and importance.”) Determine which arguments are the most plausible. Provide a rationale for your views.
The two articles take a different approach when it comes to analyzing issue of gun control. The first explains the shortcomings of Congress when it comes to gun control while the second analyzes why the NRA, is capable of influencing congress. The argument that Congress is likely to result to gun reform (marked Y) is of high importance as gun reform cannot be achieved without federal and state legislative action and this would limit the instances of gun violence. However, the issue is not easily achievable due to the Second Amendment and the NRA which is opposed to federal gun control. The assumption that the NRA is a powerful political force (marked X) is plausible and of high importance due to the political influence yielded by the organization. The most plausible argument made in favor of this is that “Not only does the NRA outspend gun control groups but it’s also simply better at mobilizing its base (it boasts a membership of 5 million) against candidates it deems a threat…” This articulates why the organization is so powerful. It has grassroots supports and has the monetary influence to lobby in favor of its agenda.
Apply the procedures for stakeholder analysis presented in Box 3.0 “Conducting a Stakeholder Analysis” to generate a list of stakeholders who affect or are affected by problems in the issue area chosen for analysis.
There are several stakeholders in the gun control debate. These include:
The American Public: The American public is divided on gun control with the majority in favor of some gun reform policies, such as background checks, and restrictions on sales. Opinions differ depending on various factors, for example whether and individual is a gun owner or not, or a Republican or Democrat (Moore, 2015). The public is a stakeholder even though opinions fall on either side of the gun control debate. Currently, public sentiment is against the NRA and in favor of preventing gun violence and in turn companies are cutting ties with the NRA and gun manufacturers.
Opponents: NRA, gun manufacturers
The National Rifle Association: The NRA is in opposition to gun reform as this would go against the freedoms represented by the Second Amendment. Any policies that are in favor of gun control are viewed as oppressive by the organization. These views are shared by the GOA and NSSF (Steidley & Colen, 2017).
Proponents: Gun Owners of America, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Congress
Opponents: The Brady Campaign
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: According to the Brady Campaign, gun lobby organizations such as the NRA, Gun Owners of America (GOA), and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), lobby and contribute to politician’s campaigns in order to influence Congress. The Brady Campaign opposes this in an effort to protect the American public from gun violence (Steidley & Colen, 2017).
Proponents: The American public
Opponents: National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Congress
Congress: The House of Representatives usually up for reelection every two years and part funding for some politician’s campaigns comes from the NRA and gun manufacturer lobby. This is done through the NRA Political Victory Fund (Moore, 2015). The NRA, therefore, exercises some measure of influence on these politicians.
Proponents: National Rifle Association, Gun Manufacturers
Gun Manufacturers: Gun control reform has an effect on their bottom line hence gun manufacturers and hence are aligned with organizations such as the NRA and GOA.
Opponents: The Brady Campaign against Gun Violence
Proponents: National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America
Gun Owners of America: This is a membership based organization that rallies against laws that may limit an individual’s second amendment’s rights, such as the gun confiscation (GOA).
Proponents: Congress
Cumulative Frequency Distribution
The graph levels off meaning that the stakeholders mentioned are the key influencers of gun control policy. The National Rifle Association is mentioned in almost all articles on gun violence or gun reform. This is because the organization is centered on the ensuring that second amendments rights are not infringed upon. The organization does, however, educate and train people on the proper use of weapons (Steidley & Colen, 2017). Recent gun violence cases have turned public sentiment against the NRA. The public can be viewed as a stakeholder on both sides of the debate. With gun owners and activists rallying against laws that violate their second amendment rights and gun control activists rallying for reform to curb gun violence in the country. Other key stakeholders, are the campaigns against violence and gun owner membership groups.
There is no easy one-size-fits-all solution to gun control in the United States. The problem posed by gun violence is urgent and complex, and the debate on gun control is unlikely to come to an amicable end. A solution can only be reached through compromise from the various stakeholders.
References
Moore, J. M. (2015). The Influence of External Factors (Lobbyists) Regarding Major Policy Decisions on Gun Rights and How they Affect Public Impressions Regarding Federal Government.
Stolberg, Sheryl Gay, Martin, Jonathan and Kaplan, Thomas. (2018, February 18). Is This the Moment for Gun Control? A Gridlocked Congress Is Under Pressure. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/25/us/politics/gun-control-congress-governors.html
Steidley, T., & Colen, C. G. (2017). Framing the gun control debate: press releases and framing strategies of the National Rifle Association and the Brady Campaign. Social Science Quarterly, 98(2), 608-627.
Reuters Staff. (2018, February 26) U.S. companies snub NRA after Florida high school shooting. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-gun-boycott-factbox/u-s-companies-snub-nra-after-florida-high-school-shooting-idUSKCN1GA1A2
Sit, Ryan. (2018, February 22). Here’s why the NRA is so powerful and why gun control advocates have reason for hope. Retrieved from http://www.newsweek.com/nra-gun-control-parkland-florida-school-shooting-campaign-donations-813940