The importance of local involvement when it comes to Second Amendment rights cannot be too strongly stressed, yet it seems to have been abandoned since so much activity is involved in The Big Picture.
As to forming a PAC...the idea behind the Task Force, primarily, is to encourage exchange of 2A information with the goal of becoming more active in the 2A movement, both as individuals and as a network.
There are lobbyists, lobbyist organizations and activist organizations that desire to become lobbyist organizations, and while that's all very well and good and necessary, it is also important to keep those of us on the homefront aware and active. Putting our mouths where our money is, if you will.
Money is honey, but it can only do so much if we are not willing to work first on actually doing something ourselves to preserve and restore our rights, like educating ourselves, learning as much as we can, and taking it upon ourselves as individuals and groups to make the safeguarding of our liberty our own personal responsibility.
Lack of lobbyists and money don't seem to be major problems at this time in the 2A movement. An apathetic grassroots is. I'm hoping that, as grassroots activists, we can educate people on all sides and inspire more people on our side to not just give money, but as much of themselves as their work-a-day lives will allow.
We need to nail down that strength in numbers on this issue cannot be measured merely in dollars. That's what I think the present concentration of Free Republic Second Amendment Task Force will focus upon.
As to the law library...marktwain mentioned that as well. That would be an awesome resource, but looks like it would take a LOT of manpower. That's something we could coordinate within FRSATF. Let's see what can be done.
Lack of lobbyists and money don't seem to be major problems at this time in the 2A movement
LOL. I shouldn't laugh, but that's the not the case here in my state. I'm the treasurer of MCRGO-PAC, and we do not have a lot of money there right now. We have a great lobbyist, but money is tight, especially compared to the ASD(Anti Self-Defense) lobby which has the deep pockets of Andrew McKelvey, the media, these Foundations, etc.
Now back to the apathetic grassroots. How did MCRGO make it from it's foundation of 8 people? What can Free Republic Network offer that MCRGO, the NRA, SAF, SAS, or the Liberty Belles can't offer? What can FRN do better? Several will state that "I'm already a member of _________"
My first answer to that is NEWS. When an ASD report or a pro-2a report comes out, it gets posted on FR real quick usually. Not much gets passed most of us. This will be quicker than from the newsletters you get from the other groups. Also, what comes out in Michigan won't reach the other areas as much. With FR, a Michigan, or California report is important with this task force, since ideas can come from them, both for helping, and for what to defend in your state.
The 2nd answer is networking. How many posters and lurkers go on FR? That coincides with the first one.
I also think, and this goes similar to PACS. We need a good system of grades for reps. From the president, to the senate, to the house, to governors, state senators, state reps, county boards, county commish, mayors, judges(Can't forget them at all), all the way down to school board and dogcatcher.
I like the NRA, and I'm a member of it and will be for life. I think the NRA is the best org out there. But WTF is the NRA doing giving ASD'er Fred Upton a C? Or unreliable Spence Abraham an A? Or Bill McCollum an A? I don't like GOA's system either after the way they screwed us over in Michigan. Neither one is good enough. Let's make our grading system the best. That will take a lot of work, but I think we can do that. All we need for that is time and a computer. No money is needed. It is also a quick reference election time to decide if the incumbent is ASD or pro-2a. Strict votes and statements, and in the case of judges, decisions, can be the best guides on this.