Are Cheaper Hearing Aids a Threat to Hunters?

ABC News is reporting that a gun rights group is organizing opposition to a proposal to lower the cost of hearing aids. A bipartisan group of senators introduced the measure, that is unnamed in the very short article we’re seeing.  It says the bill would allow hearing aids intended to compensate for mild to moderate hearing impairment to be sold over the counter, rather than by prescription.

So on the surface it seems like cheaper, more easily available hearing aids would be a good thing, for people to be able to better afford hearing aids. But the opposition group, Gun Owners of America, says the legislation could negatively affect hunters who buy hearing enhancement devices as a way to better track game.

We don’t really see how cheaper, over the counter hearing aids affect hunters in any real way. This article is a smokescreen for gun groups who are worried about suppressors being affected legally somehow. Senator Charles Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, supports the measure and says it won’t affect hunting tools in any way. Grassley is a right wing guy and he’ll have to answer to the NRA for any support he gives to something that is anti-gun, so we think there’s more to this story that the Gun Owners of America aren’t copping to. We think the real reason they’re “afraid” is that by making hearing aids more easily available the gun group is afraid that people won’t buy as many suppressors. What do you think this story is really about?