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For decades, professional politicians have cowered in fear of the NRA, but now millions of people are no longer frightened by the organization's financial might and ability to influence elections. Instead, they participate in politics online as part of their daily routine. But who are the people in charge of the organization? It's easy to see why the NRA is a target for critics and how much money it makes for members of Congress.

While the NRA aims to educate the public about gun control and the right to own firearms, its political arm has been extraordinarily influential for years. Political arms of the NRA pour millions into Republican campaigns, and they target candidates who advocate tighter gun laws. However, the NRA is not the only lobbying organization. And the NRA does more than influence elections. It even has an op-ed section that writes editorials for conservative publications, and they are notorious for spreading anti-gun propaganda.

Some NRA leaders have made themselves targets of the gun lobby. The notorious Wayne LaPierre sparked outrage after the 2012 Newtown school shooting when he argued that more guns should guard schools and that more restrictions on assault weapons were unnecessary. The NRA's meeting with LaPierre drew the ire of gun safety advocates. Houston mayor Sylvester Turner criticized the NRA's convention, claiming that it showed "poor taste."

Wayne LaPierre is the NRA's chief executive. He has a habit of disappearing during times of high stress. In the summer of 1998, he was absent from his wedding ceremony. Why did he go missing on his wedding day? This is one of the many questions he answers in his research on American life. The NRA is a lobbying organization that has an influence over government policy.

In 2018, NRA's political power declined as more members turned anti-gun, and the NRA turned harder-line. It argued that guns are intrinsically tied to patriotism and that efforts to restrict access to guns were a "plot to seize firearms." Trump, meanwhile, is the NRA's 'former president.' Despite the NRA's recent rebuke of gun control, Trump spoke at the Houston annual event convention in Houston three days after the Uvalde school shooting. Donald Trump rejects gun regulations and calls for a school safety overhaul. Trump's suggestion that school buildings should have just one entrance echoes calls from US Sen. Ted Cruz earlier this week. School and safety experts say that such a measure is unrealistic, as many schools have thousands of individuals who could take hours to go in and out of buildings. As a result, a single entrance could also pose a fire hazard. Older schools would also need to spend significant money renovating their buildings to meet such a standard.

Its infighting and lawsuits have hampered the organization's budget and reputation in Washington. However, it has also opened the door for more extreme groups to gain traction.

Although the NRA is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit social welfare organization, it's not required to disclose its donors. However, a large portion of its funding comes from membership dues. Some significant contributors to the NRA include the "Ring of Freedom" donors. Some NRA magazines also feature prominent advertisers, such as Springfield Armory. The NRA ILA lobbies Congress regularly and files quarterly reports to Congress.

The NRA has been under fire after many mass shootings in the United States. However, it's worth remembering that despite the NRA's savvy marketing, many of these gun-related tragedies were not committed by NRA members. The NRA is a powerful political force, and millions of dollars are funneled to their political campaigns. Many Republican politicians are intimidated by the NRA's tactics to position themselves as an authority.