General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I am F*CK*NG PISSED. Michigan Gun Laws Written by the Mob?!?!? [View all]OneTenthofOnePercent
(6,268 posts)I just think that people who say AWB bans will change anything are stupid. Assault style rifles comprise a VERY small portion of all crime (< 3%) and a minority of mass shootings (25%). Do people "need them"? No. But crime statistics show they aren't at the core of Americas gun problem. People that want to start a political war to try and ban those things are simply not smart. There's tons of better things we can get in the great gun debate and incur much less political damage and backlash.
We need to focus on efforts to try and keep guns out of criminals hands. I think 100% background checks would be fine. Mandatory sentencing for gun-crimes that CAN'T be plea bargained away (alot of gun charges never see the courtroom in exchange for other pleas). I think a decentralized or some other form of comprehensive gun registry would be fine. We need to tighten up NICS checks and the state/agency reporting requirements so they are more comprehensive - an incomplete NICS database is ineffective. We should ACTUALLY prosecute prohibited persons who attempt to buy guns (less than 1% were prosecuted last year). We can end the stupid drug wars and stop the guns-for-drugs trade swamping the southern border. We need to push safe-storage programs, laws and incentives to make unauthorized access to guns for children, criminals and mentally incompetent people more difficult.
I'm about as hard-core gun nut as there is, and I do support a number of measures. What I don't support is legislation that is set up for failure, has high political costs, and lacks logical assessment.