In 2015 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — ATF, a federal law enforcement agency — wanted to ban the sale of so-called “green-tip” bullets. The agency determined that these bullets are armor-piercing and are capable of penetrating the kind of bulletproof vests used by police.

The bullets are manufactured by the Remington Outdoor Group, the parent company of several arms manufacturers. Fearing the loss of a profitable product, Remington employed the National Rifle Association to put a stop to the ban.

In a short period of time, the ATF received about 80,000 comments about the proposed ban. The vast majority opposed the ban. The ban was scrapped. Green-tip bullets remain a legal product for anyone to buy.

This example says a lot about what the NRA really is. The organization advertises itself as the protector of freedom and the Constitution (at least that small portion of it we call the Second Amendment). In reality the NRA is a successful lobby well-funded by the majority of gun manufacturers, not just Remington Outdoor Group. They don’t care about the Second Amendment or anybody’s individual rights. They are paid to protect the right of gun makers to sell as many guns as they can to as many people as they can.

When mass shootings occur, the NRA and its (mostly) Republican allies offer only “thoughts and prayers” for the loss of human life. I think green-tip bullets should be banned. I’ll offer thoughts and prayers for the loss of Remington’s profits.