It is the New Year and a sample of the challenges gun owners will face has already reared its ugly head.  The problem is SB337, a bill Governor Rauner has said he would veto but he may not get the chance.  SB337 could survive the 100th General Assembly even though it is not supposed to.  The reason for this is a flaw in the Illinois Constitution.  The term used is sine die which means all legislation will die upon adjournment of the General Assembly.  That is normally how it works.  The Illinois Constitution provides the new Governor will be sworn in on the 2nd Monday of January and the General Assembly will be sworn in on the 2nd Wednesday of January.  The problem is that this New Year’s fell on Tuesday which means the General Assembly will be sworn in first.  Normally, that is not a big deal but this year it is.

The New Year is almost here and the ISRA is preparing for 2019.  I am sure I don’t need to remind you that 2019 is going to be a challenging year, to say the least.  If some of your friends need reminding, let them know right away and recruit them into the fight.

The end of the year is fast approaching but there is still time to make a tax-deductible donation to the Illinois Rifle Association’s Legal Assistance Committee.

There is no question that unbridled illegal immigration is a threat to our Second Amendment Rights, as well as many other facets of the United States we know and love.  The left, of course, doesn’t see it that way and is on a constant quest to tear the United States apart.  Flooding the country with illegal immigrants is a sure way to do that.  The left-wing news media, left-wing organizations and left-wing politicians place constant attacks on the idea of The Wall, while saying there are other ways of securing the border.  Those other ways include such things as drones, more personnel, warning systems and on and on.  So, if they are willing to fund those things, why not The Wall?

By now all ISRA members should have received their annual membership drive packet.  It is very important that every ISRA member try to recruit one or more new members.  Last weekend, I attended the Pekin Gun Show.  One of the excuses people use to not join the ISRA is that they are not interested in politics.  

It’s time to start thinking about Christmas gifts for shooters.  Of course, the top item would be an ISRA membership for everyone you know.  If they are already an ISRA member, that’s okay, you can just extend their membership or better yet, upgrade it to a higher level.  Watch your mail for a special offer coming your way soon.