What will the anti-gun lobby get?

President Obama has released photographs of his awkward effort to deal with a fifty year old government owned shotgun from the Eisenhower era at Camp David.    They evidently found this antique in a locker up there.  Wilmington Joe Biden, the VP, went down to Richmond, Virginia last week to lobby for stricter federal gun control law.  The flunky corporate media have not broadcast the result of that expedition, so, it is likely that it was a flop.

People like Axelrod are now admitting that the reason for a high homicide rate in Chicago is that there are 150,000 "youth" gang members in the city.  New York City has 15,000 gang members and a much lower homicide rate. 

The Virginia Tech, Aurora, Colorado and Newtown killers were madmen who were not identified or reported by the mental health community to the background check network.  In the case of the Newtown killer, he, evidently, had not been treated at all.

These facts and the lack of leverage in Congress for strict federal gun control are slowly soaking into the minds of those who want more gun law.

What is actually going to happen is that there may be legislation to:

- Require background checks for all private gun sales in the US.  This is the so called "gun show loophole."  This change in law would require all those selling firearms at a show be registered with the show, i.e., have a booth.  This will keep people from selling guns in the parking lot without a federal firearms sales license.  On-line background checks are now possible from the show by licensed dealers registered for the show and are made at shows in Virginia.  The new law will contain an exception for "family" transfers as does the NY State law.  If there is not such an exception the bill will not pass.  The bill will contain a requirement for the destruction of the record of the check for those who "pass" the check.  Will the ATF actually destroy such records?  That is an open question.

- There may be a ban on magazines with a large capacity.  This will be meaningless.  There are millions of such magazines now in private hands.

What is not going to happen?

- There will not be federal law requiring mental health agencies, mental health providers, counselors, schools and the like to provide inputs to the background check network.  That will not happen because many of the same people who want stronger gun law do not want their children, friends or relatives to have a searchable federal record that suggests mental illness, even if government itself advises such treatment.  pl

Comments

[turcopolier]

EA

I don't have problem with federal law against "gun traffickers" if by that you mean those who make a business of smuggling guns from one state to another.

On the other hand, do you favor a family exemption for gun transfers without background checks? What about the ability to allow someone to fire one of your weapons on a range or hunting trip? pl

[Edward Amame]

Yes that is exactly what I mean by gun trafficking.

I believe that any background check piece of legislation would have to include such an exemption to pass congress.

I don't own a gun, but have gone shooting with a friend at a range near his house in Rockland County. I use his one of his shotguns. Please don't ask me what kind. All I know is my shoulder hurts for hours afterwards. Anyway we just shoot at the range, but I guess the issue gets more complicated if I were to to do something other than shoot at clay pigeons with it.

[turcopolier]

EA

"I guess the issue gets more complicated if I were to to do something other than shoot at clay pigeons with it." Why? Because you are humane? I have not hunted in 40 years because it came to sicken me, but I respect all my hunter friends. I killed too many men for the US, or caused them to die to look at animals dead at my hands when I was not hungry. Try to respect us non New Yorkers. pl

[Edward Amame]

Sorry Col Lang, I was very unclear. I wasn't referring to hunting, I have nothing particularly against hunting. I was referring to doing something illegal with the borrowed gun.

[Tyler]

Lol whut? USC 922(r)5. Otherwise what was the methodology behind Fast and Furious being designed to prosecute straw purchasers for the Mexican Cartels? Oh because there is definately straw purchase laws on the books, federal and state, that punish these things. More anti-gun pap from a fantasy island liberal.

I noticed you dodged my comment about Holder- are they going to prosecute him for gun running to the Mexican Cartels? The stuff, y'know, ended with a dead BPA Brian Terry?

[Tyler]

I'm sorry Pima went full silliness with that Baja Arizona nonsense a few years ago. Some absolutely beautiful places in that county, but I would move to Gila, Yavapai, or Cococino in a heartbeat if I could find a posting. If you want, we'll share a beer when you get back to this side of the country- I brew my own.

[Tyler]

Sir,

The problem is that universal gun background checks means universal gun registration, something everyone on the Left is too disingeneous to admit.

[turcopolier]

tyler

Universal checks? The left is not going to agree to anything other the purist form of what they want and that wil kill it. pl

[Fred]

Can adults with PTSD still be parents? Certainly there's been plenty of murder suicides. Gonna round up the kids and take them away from Mom (Dad) to 'keep them safe'?

[Tyler]

Sir,

Agreed- you only have to look at the true believers here to see that. I think we're getting to the point where the coastal elites -really- believe everyone wants to be a New Yorker and overplay their hand shortly afterwards.

[Edward Amame]

There is no federal firearm trafficking statute.

http://www.examiner.com/article/senators-kirk-helps-write-first-law-against-gun-trafficking

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/a-bipartisan-planon-gun-trafficking-87220.html?hp=r5

From DOJ Inspector General Glenn Fine’s report on ATF’s implementation of Project Gunrunner:

"Because there is no federal firearms trafficking statute, ATF must use a wide variety of other statutes to combat firearms trafficking. However, cases brought under these statutes are difficult to prove and do not carry stringent penalties - particularly for straw purchasers of guns. As a result, we found that [U.S. Attorneys offices] are less likely to accept and prosecute Project Gunrunner cases. And when these cases are prosecuted and convictions obtained, Federal Sentencing Guidelines categorize straw-purchasing­ related offenses as lesser crimes."

[no one]

Tyler, not so much that the elites believe that everyone "wants" to be a New Yorker". More that whether they want it or not they "should" be a New Yorker.

They - us - are to be gelded, domesticated, institutionalized and made politically correct for our own good. Or is it for their own good? Either way, it is to be a forced conversion.

[Tyler]

As I said below, its a two fold deal: pre-emptively disarm your young, discontented males (the nexus of any resistance/rebellion), as well as make them dependent on the State and more favorable towards other Nanny Gov't projects.

[Tyler]

So they can go after you for it, its just you say they need another Big Government, From the Top Law to do so because "its easier that way, trust us" instead of using the statutes under USC 8 922. Sounds a lot like the same rationale that got us waterboarding, Gitmo, and drone strikes on US s via executive fiat. "Trust us, we're experts!"

Besides, I don't think AG Holder wants a gun trafficking law considering he trafficked arms to the Mexican Cartels, a salient fact you seem loathe to acknowledge.

[Tyler]

Mind you this is the same Gillibrand who ran to the right of her opponent on illegal immigration during her election and then turned into an amnesty enabler the moment she was sworn in, so she is hardly trustworthy.

[Tyler]

We're basically considered ATMs to pay for grand global social engineering projects and reparations for those oppressed by all the privilege we have.

As I noted in another thread, I'm waiting for when I'll need my anti-drone burqa after we're all considered nominal citizens for not getting on board the traing to the Glorious Progressive Future.

On the other hand, I think a lot of our nominal "elites" will be part of the "Occupy" movement coming to the lamp post or firing line near you.

[no one]

Alright Tyler, if i ever get out of here we'll get together and have that beer. I'm always up for good beer and good company - even they have to be enjoyed in anti-drone suits.

[elkern]

What the hell does that last paragraph mean? Are you ready to shoot everybody who disagrees with you?

Seriously, what do you mean by that?

[Tyler]

It means I think our "elites" are going to overreach when they realise they can't turn the country into fantasy island progressive-topia through the usual means and then things get interesting.

[Tyler]

Seriously, the same bastards who just published their justifications for sky executions of US Citizens without TRIAL are now using every disingeneous tactic in the book to try and convince the public to let itself be disarmed "for the children" and your worried about what "occupy a lamp post" means?

Do you see why maybe I don't have a rosy outlook on where this all ends?

[John Minnerath]

"Is such a weapon even practical for anyone but the Arnies of the world to wield,"

No military uses that caliber :)
It's pretty potent.
Next week I'm getting a new S&W XVR 460.
A dealer in town got a few in.
Look that one up.