501(c)(4)

[mottlet]

Sportsmen's groups have been talking about having c4s and PACS for decades. A few even tried it. Biggest reason it doesn't work is...sportsmen.

 

[Sioux33]

It's unfair to say that because it didn't work in the past, that it won't work today. The landscape's changed and we've never seen an all out political assault like we're seeing now. Look at Randy's following, it's extraordinary. You can't tell me the same type of folks that voluntarily tax themselves thru Pittman-Robertson would think twice about donating to something to protect hunting for future generations. We've heard a lot of talk about playing the long game and with the publicity and attention over SB 143, MOGA may have just kicked one hell of a hornet's nest.

 

[shoots-straight]

Sportsmen's groups have been talking about having c4s and PACS for decades. A few even tried it. Biggest reason it doesn't work is...sportsmen.

Boy and howdy! We "Montana Sportsmen's Alliance PAC formed from the disastrous 2013 legislative session. We had a lot of local support and members. "BEN LAMB" was one of the founders of the group. Land Tawny, Ron Moody, Tim Aldrich, John Gibson, Joe Perry, John Borgreen, Ingamar (Vito Quatraro) and many many more of our 10% ers of the active sportsman from Montana, it was a good thing to form. We have gathered other great men and woman from across the state to work on behalf of the Resident sportsman here many on Hunt talk in one form or another. We vet candidates as to who will be sportsman friendly. The problem is the voters don't look at our list and vote in their best interests. We formed a non profit group as well as a PAC. We were on the hit list for "Green Decoys" so we knew we were over the target. We need people to act and be active. The Montana vote this year was a real kick right in the groin area. All the work we have done, did, went out the window in one fell swoop. Maybe the pendulum will swing again our way. Only sportsman's action can make that happen. We only deal with Montana Politics, but your states can do the same. https://www.montanasportsmenalliance.com/

 

[mottlet]

The problem is the voters don't look at our list and vote in their best interests. We formed a non profit group as well as a PAC. We were on the hit list for "Green Decoys" so we knew we were over the target. We need people to act and be active.

Guess that's what I was driving at, I suppose.

 

[shoots-straight]

Those in our state legislatures know that some day we might just organize and follow through. They know we would be one of the biggest forces to ever confront the political spectrum and they lay awake at night hoping that we never wake up ourselves.

 

[Mattyboy402]

That is a big challenge we face. A lot of us are brainstorming on how we can do exactly that.

Is there a list of senator contact info and municipal leader, chamber contacts and such easily accessible on this site on a thread ? Trying to figure out immediate avenues to push back on these actions taking place in many legislative arenas.

 

[Mattyboy402]

It’s probably more appropriate for “us”, the collective, to go the PAC route, given most of the issues of substance to us involve political action and campaigns. Like @Ben Sellers mentioned, I think most of us would be comfortable making monetary contributions that aren’t tax deductible if those dollars went toward causes about which we feel strongly.

That said, it will/would be critical to ensure any future group maintains a tailored agenda so as to not encounter “mission creep,” I.e. venturing into issues outside of the public land hunting and wildlife conservation realm.

You have stated this fantastically.
I HOPE everyone reads this post!

 

[Trial153]

Good luck disentangling any lobbying from the gun control faction that seem to domatate all things outdoors on the sportmans front. Seems that regardless of how narrow the scope the issue is this become the litmus test.

 

[Mattyboy402]

Good deal! I was hoping there was something in the works. We need to be able to fight with both hands. Your SB134 podcast struck a chord with me. Personally, if a cause is worth donating to, I could care less whether it is a tax deduction.

Bingo! Let’s get it going !

 

[brocksw]

That is a big challenge we face. A lot of us are brainstorming on how we can do exactly that.

Is the thought trending towards starting a new group or using the infrastructure and platform of an existing group?

 

[brocksw]

Good luck disentangling any lobbying from the gun control faction that seem to domatate all things outdoors on the sportmans front. Seems that regardless of how narrow the scope the issue is this become the litmus test.

I see this dynamic as a challenge too. The fractions and partisan alignments seem to work themselves out in a way where it's advantageous for certain industries and their bought politicians to get hunters to vote against themselves in the name of other issues.

Since citizens united 10 years ago, the game has changed for 501c4s. Part of me wishes we could undo citizens united rather than jump into the game with the rest of swamp....but maybe that's a naive and idealistic opinion.