Wednesday, January 30, 2013

A gun control "compromise"

Use of scare quotes is intentional to highlight that I use the term in the unapproved, political manner, not in the Correct™ manner.  The Correct™ manner is that gun owners give up less than gun banners would like.  The manner that I use it is that gun owners give up something that they like and gun banners also give up something that they like.

You know, compromise.

It seems that a movement is gathering steam on Capitol Hill to require background checks for all gun sales.  The NRA* (spit) and GOP (spit) are looking to climb in bed with the Democrats (spit spit) to screw gun owners (again).  Well, OK then.  How's this:

1. Universal background checks for all firearms purchases.

2. A current valid Concealed Carry license is considered to completely satisfy the requirement for a background check.  After all, they did a background check and finger printed you, right?  Why do you need another one?  This will be at gun shows, for private transactions, and everywhere - just take a scan of the CCW card and you've covered yourself.  Simples.  Sure, this puts the onus on the government to revoke a CCW if the holder commits a felony, etc.  Shut up and do your damn jobs, bureaucrats.

3. All States are required to recognize CCW licenses granted by all other States for out of State visitors, just as they are required to recognize drivers granted by all other States for out of State visitors.  To discourage malicious prosecution, CCW holders prosecuted by a different State will be (upon acquittal) granted treble Attorney fees.

4. If you have a valid CCW, you can buy a gun in any of the 50 States or US Territories.  If you remain in that State longer than 15 days you are subject to all pertinent State laws (e.g. "Safe" storage, etc.).  But if you're at your Uncle's funeral in Worcester, you should be able to buy (and carry) a heater to protect yourself.  Interstate Commerce Clause FTW.

5. There will be no requirement for any background check for transfers between family members (including First Cousins - if you can't marry them "because they're family" then you can give them a gun "because they're family").

6. Any State requiring any sort of firearm registration will lose all Federal Highway funds.  If we can do it for the drinking age, we can do it for gun registration.  Yeah it's big government anti-federalist nanny state abuse.  It's my kind of  big government anti-federalist nanny state abuse.  Suck it, Progs.

Now I don't much like this idea, but it has the distinct advantage of giving us something that we like in the compromise (use of CCW for validation, universal recognition, incentives against stupid prosecution, hands off the family, no registration).

Of course, such a "compromise" would never be portrayed as a Compromise™ because it requires gun banners to actually, you know, compromise.  As such, there's no political upside for such as the NRA (spit), the GOP (spit), or the Democrats (spit spit).  And it is therefore instructive as to which institutions are on our side in this Cold Civil War.

* The NRA denies this, sort of.  Whether you believe them is dependent on whether you believe them, I guess.  Me, I'll believe them when they say that they're scoring any vote on universal background checks.

UPDATE 9 February 2013 22:58: Welcome visitors from IMAO, and thanks for the kind words, Harvey.  While you're here, there's a lot more on gun control, freedom, and general statist pricks.  Plus some range reports.  Feel free to look around and scratch where it itches.  We're not very formal here.

7 comments:

Dave said...

You forgot repeal of the Hughes Amendment.

JD Rush said...

And NICS checks being good for a tax stamp.

Richard said...

> To discourage malicious prosecution, CCW holders prosecuted by a different State will be (upon acquittal) granted treble Attorney fees.

Said fees to come out of the prosecuting attorney's budget and not a special appropriation or insurance fund.

FightinBluHen51 said...

Good ideas all, but it should force every state, MD, Cali, NY, NJ included, to issue their citizens permits on a shall issue basis.

Beyond that...no good.

Anonymous said...

Include:

1) Full repeal of NFA '34;
2) Full repeal of GCA '68
3) Full repeal of Hughes Amendment
4) Constitutional open carry without requiring CCW (see: Virginia, Commonwealth of)
5) Felony-length jail terms and lifetime discharge from employment with any government entity for police and government employees who use their authority to abuse permit holders (acquittal of CCW holder on charges results in automatic 3-year jail term for arresting officer)
6) Suppressors become hardware store items, no paperwork.
7) No restrictions on where a CCW holder, or Constitutional open-carrier, may carry within the borders of the US, its territories and protectorates. None. Zero.
8) No "manufactured" restrictions on obtaining a CCW - the Constitution says "shall not be infringed," so no infringements: fingerprints, photo, background check, done. No fee, and good for life.

Get 'em to agree to your list, and mine, and we'll talk. Until then, it's just Fantasy Island.

Cargosquid said...

How about this? They want universal background checks? OK.

When you reach the legal age of ownership, your background is checked. If you are clean...you get one type of ID. If you are found to be a prohibited person, another obvious ID. If you become a prohibited person, you ID is changed.

When you buy a gun.... you show ID.

Done.

NO FFL, no third party, no registration.

The Packetman said...

What Dave said, but I'd also add a change to the NFA tax schedule:

SBR's back to $5.00

Suppressors down to $5.00