Guns: A deal Trump can do
What is the goal:
- To reduce gun homicides in the USA
What is not part of the goal:
- Gun suicides (gun suicides account for about two thirds of all gun deaths in the USA)
- Unintentional gun deaths (a small proportion of total gun deaths)
- Gun deaths from undetermined causes (a small proportion of total gun deaths)
- Justifiable gun homicides
Even though gun suicides make up the majority of gun deaths each year - when compared to other countries, it appears people in other countries where guns are not as available find another way to commit suicide. The overall rate of suicide across countries is about the same.
The basics
Laws have to be enforced
- It is pointless passing news laws and regulations if laws and regulations are not enforced.
Governments must do their job
- Government departments and agencies at all levels (local, state, federal) have to do their job and be held accountable if they do not.
Life is more precious then some civil liberties
- Privacy laws like HIPPA that stand in the way of the transparency necessary to identify and treat threats need to be relaxed.
- Family & Friends need to be able to commit individuals they believe are a threat (this would help drug addicts as well) and medical professionals need to be allowed an extended period of time to properly evaluate the individuals. The individual saying they are no longer threatening themselves or others is not a good enough reason to release the individual.
Drug companies need to be held to account
- There are some drugs - either while they are being taken or once they stop being taken - increase violent and suicidal tendencies. Patients should not be allowed to possess guns while they are taking these drugs and for a specified period after they stop taking the drugs. The patients agreement to this should be a condition of prescription.
There is a second amendment to constitution
It seems unlikely the constitution could be changed to remove the second amendment, so any changes must fall within what the Supreme Court would regard as "reasonable restrictions".
Changes must apply to existing guns owned - not just new gun sales
There are 300 million guns in the USA today - they cannot be quarantined off from any changes
Suggested changes
Background Checks
- Pass the bi-partisan Fix NICS act that is sitting in the Senate and is supported by the NRA
- Doctors who prescribe drugs that increase violent or suicidal tendancies either while the drugs are being taken or when the patient is taken off the drug must add that information to the background check database.
- Drug Addicts must be added to the background check database because often the illegal drugs they buy are spiked with other drugs/substances that can cause violent actions.
- People expelled or suspended from schools or colleges must be added to the background check database and blocked from owning guns for a period of 5 years after they leave that school/college.
- People who police are called on more then once in the past 12 months should be added to the background check database.
Gun ownership requirements
- Must be at least 21 years of age
- Must pass background check every 3 years
- Must be licensed
- Guns must be stored in gun safe when not being used
Schools
Parklands Fl had 3,000 kids and 1 armed officer. That is the size of a small town and needs better protection. Here are a few ideas that might make a shooter think twice without increasing costs alot:
- Police patrols to do a walk through the school a few times a day just like they would a downtown area
- Base an officer at the school where he could do paperwork etc when he is not called out on other duties
Conclusion
As important as the suggested changes are the enforcement of laws and the government doing its job. In Parklands Fl for example:
- FBI ignored to tips - one very specific
- Police called to shooter house 30 times in prior years - this should prompt action and addition to background check database
- School expelled shooter - again should be added to background check
- Shooter had taken prescribed drugs - needs to be a waiting period after people come off certain drugs
Some states have laws preventing people owning guns, but have a very very small force to collect them or make sure they are turned in.
I hope this is a positive contribution to the gun discussion.
What do you think?
Great Start by Rick Scott Gov Fl:
Alot of good ideas, but i have a problem with “People expelled or suspended from schools or colleges must be added to the background check database and blocked from owning guns for a period of 5 years after they leave that school/college.” young people can be suspended or expelled, particularly suspended for any number of menial reasons, cheating on a test, drinking in dorms, missing classes etc. In many cases a the reason for a student’s suspension is not at all indicative of any kind of danger, so to take away a constitutional right for as long as five years as a result of said suspension, seems kinda like overreach
Maybe college is different from the school waiting period - but there should be a waiting period.
No waiting period for freedom. And the sun won't set on my rights.
Privacy laws are in place for a reason. They are also largely irrelevant because due process is the concern, not the lack of information. The court system must be involved in the restriction of rights. And it is. A person that has been judged unfit or involuntarily committed to an institution is barred from owning firearms. For life. This is a reporting issue, it shouldn't be an excuse to erode privacy and due process rights.
Safe storage laws are also both unenforceable and ineffective, particularly within your paramaters of reducing gun homicides and not negligent discharges. Not to mention, SCOTUS has declared them unconstitutional. If someone is the victim of a crime, say having their gun stolen, safe storage laws actively and literally blame the victim.
Now, don't get me wrong. I support safe storage. I support the free trigger lock campaign, I support local sheriffs offering free trigger locks, and I support tax breaks, or ideally credits, for purchasing safe storage equipment. Safes are expensive, particularly effective ones. The "gun safes" you see at stores literally legally aren't safes. They're "residential security containers" and are only slightly more secure than a $20 lockbox from Walmart.
As for medication, yes there are side effects. I would support actual scientific study connecting specific medications to specific events of violent behavior and going from there. A little picture saying "these dudes were on drugs" isn't a good enough reason to villify something that helps millions of people.
Any illegal drug use and any abuse of legal drugs already bars purchasing a firearm. Good luck identifying and restricting someone that smoked weed before they went to the gun store.
We already have background checks for every purchase through a dealer. Mandatory renewal simply burdens the existing system. And how do you enforce it?
Licensing is a massive system with very little return. The people willing to obey that are the least likely to cause an issue, let alone that it's a poll tax and a literacy test rolled into one on a Constitutional right.
Focus on the cause of violence, not the already restricted tool that also happens to be specifically protected by the Constitution. Reworking drug laws, violent offender sentencing and release, and domestic violence convicts prohibited possessor enforcement addresses about 97% of the basic motive for gun homicides. You're trying to solve 1% of the issue with solutions that impact 100% of lawful gun owners instead of with solutions that address the actual criminals responsible for almost all gun homicides.
Very well said. I’m a big fan of your policital articles an blogs so far. Keep up the great and interesting work. Cheers mate.
I am glad you like them.
I genuinely think Trump has an opportunity to make a big difference here and he seems to be moving forward.
I would like to see him talk more about the "drug" issue as I think that has been under represented in the public discussions so far.
I would too. I know the guy is not your typical president so to speak, but last time I checked he wasnt a career politician, vs ALL who lost against him. Just shows the dire stress typical Americans were feeling. The left can cry all they want, but the bottom line is job growth, not only minority unemployment at an all time low, as a whole its better. Under his first year the Markets saw record highs and this tax plan that Pelosi called peanuts.......that, that right there is the perfect example of elititists runnning a country of mostly hard working good people. I understand that it maybe not net 1000.00's of dollars for us individuals, but you know what, anything above what Im making is a raise, point blank. Even 20 bucks. And that would be 20 bucks more than Americans saw under the last 2 terms. Pretty damn good example of the disconnect between government and the typical citizen, of how politicians actually think and believe the bullshit that comes out of their mouth.
I know a lot of people to whom $10 extra a week would make a big difference.
And it looks like most will get more then that.
Fingers crossed.
Exactly, thanks goodness for a president that cares about the average American as well as the poverty stricken ones. Plus cater to those who sit on the obese cheeks eating cheese puffs and collecting welfare. We will get double on the child tax credit next year in 2019 tax filings as well I believe, either double or triple. Cant remember if its from 1K to 2000 or 3000 .
I think it's absolutely silly to think we need more laws. NO. The FBI, the drug companies, the media and the gov't in general don't care about mass shootings. They love them. We need armed, private security at school and we need to prepare for mass shootings. Thanks to big pharma and the deep state, mass shootings will become more regular as they have been already. No more gun free zones for these globalist scum to slaughter us like cattle in.
Just saw armed staff being discussed at Trump's meeting with the families today.
Some were strongly in favor, others not.
At the very least it is being considered.
Don't ask for more government, worst case scenario, you get it.
Yeah I know what you mean.
I would love to see a solution that works and does not involve more govt.
But I am not sure what that would look like.