This one is a doozy, which is more in the category of “Unhinged Tools”, or at least “Barking Moonbats”, rather than under the “Constitution” and “2nd Amendment” categories. Here’s Rep. John Delaney, Democrat of Maryland’s 6th district
Congressman: 97% of Americans Want One Kind of Gun Control. Here’s Why Congress Hasn’t Acted
As the nation has mourned the 14 students and three staff members killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida and marched on their behalf, a remarkable national consensus formed around the need for gun safety legislation. In a recent poll conducted by Quinnipiac University, an astonishing 97% of those surveyed said that they support requiring background checks for all gun buyers. More broadly, a Politico/Morning Consult poll found that 68% support stricter gun laws.
I’ll write it again: I have no problem with requiring a background check for every gun purchase, including private ones, and including transfers. Want to give your adult son or daughter a gun? How about getting a gun for the wife? Yeah, there needs to be a background check. Just bought one last week? Background check. Have a concealed carry permit? Background check for new firearm. Things can change. Someone who had been legally allowed could have something show up in their record. Heck, I’ll go a step further, in that there should be a permit system for purchasing ammunition. Once a year you need to renew it, much like a fishing license. This would greatly reduce the number of people legally purchasing ammo to use with their illegally possessed, possibly stolen, firearm. It would have to be very tightly written legislation, to avoid the impulses of gun grabbers to deny people who shouldn’t be denied.
Despite such broad support and public mobilization, it looks like Congress and the President will do nothing to address the issue. There is no indication Republican leadership in the House of Representatives will even bring legislation that creates universal background checks forward for a vote, let alone consider other commonsense measures that are also widely supported. Across the country, people are rightly asking how this is possible. In addition to being the right thing to do, wouldn’t it make good political sense to implement policies that nearly everyone wants?
Well, really, the problem is that if you give the gun grabbers something, they will want more and more and more. And might even take advantage of legislation that most of us agree with and use it to deny law abiding citizens their 2nd Amendment Rights. It really is that simple. Give Democrats an inch, they’ll want lots and lots more inches. Pass universal background checks, and they’ll say “this is a great starting point” and demand more.
That’s not Delaney’s idea, though. Are you ready? Put the beverage down
One of the defining characteristics of American democracy in the last decade has been the loss of the House of Representatives as a responsible legislative body that reflects the will of the people. This has happened because of gerrymandering. And that’s a big part of why my colleagues and I can’t get anything done.
