Calling a Second amendment advocate a threat to national security is probably not the best way for Democrats to broaden their appeal  to attract the kinds of regular folks who abandoned them in the last presidential election. But that is what a Democratic congresswoman from New York has done:

A U.S. House member called the National Rifle Association and one of its chief spokeswomen a threat to national security.

Rep. Kathleen Rice, New York Democrat, appeared to be responding to NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch noting that Philando Castile was in possession of marijuana when police shot the motorist dead. According to her next tweet five minutes later, that makes the NRA a “domestic security threat.”

“I’m just going to say it. #NRA & @DLoesch are quickly becoming domestic security threats under President Trump. We can’t ignore that,” Ms. Rice said.

At the time of the tweet Ms. Loesch was appearing on Fox News Channel, and when host Mark Steyn told her of Ms. Rice accusation, a surprised Ms. Loesch called it disappointing that a House member would call defense of the Second Amendment a threat.

Patrick Bernhardt tweets:

Wait…for real? I'm a paying member of the NRA and that makes me a domestic security threat? Wow. Stunningly myopic from elected official

More twitter response here.

The Philando Castile shooting included disturbing elements. Castile had a license to carry a firearm and it appears that the police officer who killed him may have done so in a panic upon being informed that Castile has a gun.

Called upon to defend Castile, the NRA declined, citing marijuana in Castile's possession at the time of his death.

I have no idea how Ms. Rice equates this with being a threat to national security, but I can imagine that she hasn't made any new friends for her party.

Rice's brand of rhetoric is what's taken for granted today, as you know if you live in a trendy neighborhood like mine and see breathtakingly vulgar anti-Trump and Pence stickers every time you go out for a cup of coffee.