What's Next on Gun Control: Obama and the Loophole

[SecularMotion]

The next shoe to drop on gun control may come by mid-January, when President Barack Obama is expected to issue an executive order requiring everyone "in the business" of selling firearms to perform background checks.

Wait a second, you might be saying. Doesn't federal law already oblige gun retailers to do computerized criminal checks via the Federal Bureau of Investigation's data base? Yes and no.

Yes, when it comes to federally licensed dealers. But no, when you're talking about people who lack federal licenses and sell guns from their personal collections.

The problem is that an awful lot of firearms are sold in the latter fashion by individuals who aren't technically gun retailers but who sell weapons at weekend gun shows or from their homes. Forthcoming research by the Harvard School of Public Health estimates that 40 percent of all gun transfers occur without background checks (that's the so-called gun show loophole). Presumably the background-check gap permits some criminals and mentally disabled people to buy guns who otherwise might be stopped.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-28/what-s-next-on-gun-control-obama-and-the-loophole

[safeinOhio]

1. 2.1 million gun sales stopped by background checks in 20 years,

according to Washington Post.

Even most NRA members support checks on all sales. But, there are those hard core nuts that are against it.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

2. There are hardcore extremists in lots of groups

Anti-abortion nuts like the killer freak from Colorado are an example.
Jihad nuts are another example.

There are non-violent folks out there with hard core standards and ideas to which I'm willing to listen as some have valid objections and all are entitled to a POV.

I'm not nor have I ever been an NRA member. I have no objection to UBCs. I am against mandatory registration but I'm okay with voluntary registration.

[safeinOhio]

3. You against registration

for machine guns?

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

5. I didn't say that

Machine guns are already registered, why bring up machine guns?

[safeinOhio]

10. Just wondered as you said you were against registration.

But I see we agree.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

11. That's a good thing

More common ground.

[Eleanors38]

4. "...in the business." Wonder who defines that term?

[Hangingon]

6. BATF

[Eleanors38]

7. Boy, that'll hit the courts. And fast, too.

[Hangingon]

8. If the BATF were doing their job,

a great deal of the supposed "dealers would have been stopped.

[Eleanors38]

9. That would probably be the instant issue: Does BATF have jurisdiction under

the ICC. The other issue is politically charged: Can Obama do this by executive order. This will raise the hackles of every gun group in the country. I do note that POTUS is waiting till after the elections, but there is already stirring among gun groups over the methodology. I am curious as to how such an order will be enforced when Joe Shmo sells his Wingmater to Sally Smith. One person's kitchen table sale is another's gun show loophole.

[safeinOhio]

12. Sorry, but the bad guys

messed it up for everyone.

[Kang Colby]

13. No UBCs without repeal of...

portions of GCA '68 and pieces of the NFA.

[beevul]

14. They only want to compromise...

They only want to compromise when they aren't giving up anything.


Funny, but not 'funny ha ha'.

[Kang Colby]

15. I know..

I think it's misguided to be "ok" with UBCs without real compromise. UBCs are dangerous, because the controllers next move will be to expand the prohibited persons list to speeding tickets. Sounds ridiculous? NY state gun control advocates have proposed a law that would prohibit ammo purchases to 2x the gun's capacity every 90 days. So with a six shot revolver you could shoot it 12 times every 90 days.