FoxNews Gun Poll
Right here. 91% favor universal background checks. I think if one gun proposal does go through, it will be that one. But no one’s going to follow that law. Also high up at 86% is enforcing existing laws. I was surprised at the low 50 percentile for a ban on modern rifles and regular capacity magazines.
January 21st, 2013 at 7:47 pm
Unfortunately, the only way “universal background checks” will work is with a universal registration scheme to go with it, and doubly unfortunately, politicians know that.
That said, they may still end up passing the background check as a pointless law that will assuage those who want them to DO SOMETHING, knowing that no one will bother with it.
January 21st, 2013 at 7:56 pm
If the gov’t is too busy to prosecute people that fail background checks, what’s the use of passing another law that they’ll be too busy to enforce?
January 21st, 2013 at 8:15 pm
Well, the point is to pass laws that have loopholes so you can campaign to close the loopholes. Eventually you get to arrest people (at your discretion) who are breaking laws for actions that actually harm no one and were formerly perfectly legal. Read the book, see the movie, listen to the podcast and then experience it in real life.
January 21st, 2013 at 8:20 pm
Linoge,
You’re correct. “Universal registration” sounds “common sense”, but how is it enforced? It will require registration which is an “assault” on the 4th and 5th Amendments of the Bill of Rights. It may be a “pointless law”, but it will criminalize gunowners and will further “arm” the Federal gov’t to pick and choose their selectd victims for UNLAWFUL arrest, prosecution, fines and detention.
January 21st, 2013 at 11:22 pm
I would wager that a great many of that 91% doesn’t have any idea what the politicians mean by “universal background checks.”
TS
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:38 am
I bet most of the people opposed to universal background checks refused to participate in the survey. I know I’d refuse. I don’t *think* the NRA is going to cave on this, and if they don’t cave I don’t *think* it will pass.
The 91% stat is pointless because NO ONE is going to say about a candidate “I agree with him on almost everything but he voted against closing the gun show loophole, so I’m going to vote against him.” Plenty of people WILL oppose a candidate solely on his gun votes.
If you think it’s going to pass without the support of the NRA, could you name a couple of Republican senators who are going to vote for it? I don’t think a single one will, but I can name a few Democrats who will oppose it. And remember, the gun banners will need 60 votes.
It’s far more important to oppose this law than the assault weapons ban or the magazine ban. This one is a de facto gun registry.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:40 am
“Plenty of people WILL oppose a candidate solely on his gun votes.” Sorry, I wasn’t very clear. I meant to say that plenty of pro-gun people will oppose a candidate for being anti-gun, even if that’s the only issue they disagree on. Why is there no edit button??
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:49 pm
Will they’re supposedly working to end the 60 vote filibsuter now…some reports are that Mitch McConnel is possibly working out a deal with Harry reid…THEN thye can more likely get gun control through the Senate.
As for “universal background checks” it would be more than closing the gun show loop hole since that would end private sales there. Universal background checks would have to involve registration (violation of 4th and 5th Amendments) to implement it. Or they could just pass a “feel good” law that you had to do it, but it would be more like not declaring all your income by cash for fed taxes…virtually no way to apprehend and enforce.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:54 pm
Will, you’re right re: your #7, even Bill Clinton is warning Dems re: dissing gun owners, one of main factors that cost Dems the Congress in ’94 after passing first AWB. That one was not so onnerous, since it excluded some weapons that were imported or manufactured prior to ’94. I bought an AK in 2003 during that law with standard capacity (30 rd ) mag which was not included in the ban because it’s muzzle break was not threaded, but welded on instead.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:01 pm
Ron W,
“You’re correct. “Universal registration” sounds “common sense”, but how is it enforced? It will require registration which is an “assault” on the 4th and 5th Amendments of the Bill of Rights.”
Make sure that any time you’re discussing this with someone on the fence that you tell them that the SCOTUS has already ruled that felons do NOT have to register their guns, since it would violate their 5th Amendment protections against self-incrimination.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:04 pm
“Universal Background Checks?” Does that mean the Cops get to Stop People near the Border and see if they are Illegal Aliens? Does that mean that ALL Suspects arrested for ANYTHING MUST hand over a DNA Sample to help with Cold Cases? Does that mean that ALL Medical Records MUST be made Public, so that the HIV Infected can be put into a Database and then published in the Local Paper? Does that mean that ALL Political Campaigns have to list where every Dollar comes from with 24 hours of receiving them, and they MUST list the name of the Person who sends it in? Does that mean that any “Confidential Informant” used by the Cops MUST be named, so as to allow the Defendant the Right to Confront Witnesses per the Sixth Amendment? Does that mean that the “No Fly List” process must be opened up so as to tell the Flyer why he/she is Grounded, and name those who prevented them from Flying in the First Place?
Hey, if they want to take away the RKBA, then EVERYONE ELSE gets their Rights Taken Away also.
Sauce for the Goose…
January 22nd, 2013 at 5:33 pm
Tam,
Great point…I did not know that! But gun owners may be exempted from that protection of criminal perps…we’re worse in the eyes of DHS. And so-called liberals aren’t very liberal when it comes to the civil rights of gun owners are they?
January 22nd, 2013 at 5:36 pm
I’ve heard it said that even the President’s “universal NICS check” proposal included exemptions for gifts and in-family transfers.
(Which is hilarious, considering that IIRC something like 40% of criminal gun users get their arms from “friends and family”, who will naturally never use NICS even if required.
“He stole it, totally” is hard to disprove when it hits trial.)
I wonder what problem they think this is solving?
(I do think they believe it would solve one, at least the rank-and-file proposing it… I just don’t know what it is.)
January 23rd, 2013 at 2:23 pm
Does this include a background check for the Prez and will we finally see his college transcripts? Oh no, he probably doesn’t actually own a gun…just surrounded by hired guns carrying full-autos with very hi-cap mags.