Everyone is talking as if the National Rifle Association is so powerful, it can’t be stopped; that it can prevent the will of the vast majority of Americans–85 percent in some cases–who are demanding common sense changes to our laws on guns.

Here’s how toothless this tiger really is: In the November election, as the NRA was screaming the reelection of President Obama would mean the end to America as we know it, the NRA spent $11 million on candidates it favored. It noted how incredibly important this election was to advance their cause, and urged each of its members to get out in force to vote their way.

Know what their return on investment was? 99 percent of the money they spent went to candidates and issues that LOST THE ELECTION. Their “win” rate was 0.82 percent. It is the most pitiful of all the special interest groups in spending a fortune and losing everything.

So I’m wondering why everyone is so cowering under the thumb of the NRA. They have clearly lost touch with their own members, as well as most of America.

About time, too, since they’ve been such a two-faced organization. You know what the NRA says: if we have stricter gun laws, the criminals will STILL get the guns and decent, law-abiding people will be in danger. Then explain to me why the NRA has GUARANTEED that criminals get their hands on guns!

Over 40 percent of the gun sales in this nation are private or at gun shows–NONE of which require a background check. The other sales are from federally-licensed dealers, where every purchase must include a background check (although the NRA has tried to soften that up, too.) So guess where the criminals go to get their guns? Certainly not at a licensed dealer. Of course not. They don’t want a background check. So they go to private dealers or gun shows. So the reality is that the NRA is responsible for criminals having easy acess to guns–all to the detriment of the American people.

I was thrilled with President Obama’s announcement yesterday on his “common sense” safety measures on guns. And how it spotlighted what we must do to curb this gun-crazy mania that has left so many defenseless, innocents dead.

The tide has definitely turned in America. We are going to have new laws. We are going to fight back against the paranoia of the NRA.