there are still bills pending for magazine size, background checks for all sales, and gun trafficking -- all of which are supported by a majority of Americans. i couldn't care less about assault weapon bans as long as we expand background checks. while we're at it, may as well start requiring gun shops to actually keep track of inventory, and prosecute those shops who sell guns to criminals, especially if those guns go on to commit actual crimes.
there is still plenty more to do, so pushing for a ban that is unpopular and doesn't do a whole lot to stop the violence is counter productive.
Magazine size is irrelevant & the federal background check system needs to be reworked so that it actually functions as intended in a timely manner. I just wish that people would loose the rhetoric and and have rational discussions on the topic. BTW, federally licensed gun shops rarely sell to ineligible buyers, and most of the sellers at gun shows are federally licensed dealers, and absolutely keep track of inventory and sales. The penalties if they do not are extreme.
"Mr gun dealer, we found this weapon at a murder"
"I sold it last month."
"Who did you sell it to?"
"Uhhh, I don't recall."
"You have the right to remain silent..."
..and assault weapons have been all but banned since the late 30s.
I personally disagree with the majority of the current gun laws because I feel that they violate the Constitution. I think that if we want to curtail gun rights then the correct thing is to amend the Constitution to allow it, but none of the gun control crowd seem to have the courage of their convictions to try and do it the right way.
there are actually a handful of rogue dealers which something on the order of 40% or more of guns pass through on their way to crimes. and there are no federal requirements for dealers to keep an inventory of guns sold. i'm sure there are laws for prosecuting dealers who sell to criminals, but they are rarely enforced. or at least, rarely make the news when/if they are. the kids at columbine got their guns through a dealer who sold it to a friend who was 18. there are shops who sell to gangs and other criminals throughout the country, but the ATF can't prosecute them for various reasons. if anything at all comes from the passage of new legislation, i would be perfectly happy if these dealers were shut down for good.
"That's the trouble with political jokes in this country... they get elected!" -- Dave Lippman