Another mass shooting in the US and no gun control: here’s why the NRA is so powerful

Why is the National Rifle Association so powerful? Here’s a clue: it’s not (just) about the money.

The vast majority of Americans support gun control, and yet Congress has failed to toughen laws even in the wake of a series of mass shootings. With the NRA pouring money into political races at record levels it is an easy argument to make that the gun lobby has bought Washington – but that fails to paint a full picture.

So far this year, the NRA has spent US$4.1 million on lobbying – more than the US$3.1 million it spent in all of 2016. That is real money, but for comparison, the dairy industry has spent US$4.4 million in the same period, according to the Centre for Responsive Politics (CRP). The National Association of Realtors, one of the biggest spenders, has paid out US$32.2 million lobbying on housing issues. The US Chamber of Commerce, the largest spender of all, has spent US$104 million.

The NRA’s influence does not stem solely from lobbying. Thanks to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, the spigot is now wide open for “independent expenditures” allowing groups and individuals to back – or attack – candidates, as long as those campaigns are not made in cooperation with, or at the request of, a candidate.

The NRA bet big on 2016’s presidential election, making independent expenditures worth US$53.4 million. And the cash seemed to have been well spent. The NRA poured US$14.4 million into supporting 44 candidates who won and US$34.4 million opposing 19 candidates who lost, according to CRP. Its only big loss was in Nevada, for the seat vacated by the Democratic minority leader, Harry Reid.