The Onion’s Tips For Passing Gun Control Legislation

[aikoaiko]

58. There is a point of agreement between the NRA and those who want more restrictions

We all, well mostly, agree that some people cannot be trusted with firearms. The interest of the NRA is to make sure that those who can be trusted (trusted enough) can still access firearms and that there is due process for disqualifying people. Due process is a tough. I'm not ready to post my idea on DU yet, but I'm thinking through a mechanism where people could identify someone as dangerous, and that could temporarily prevent them from acquiring a firearm through a NICS check until vetted (a la Jersey). But they would have to be notified of being on the list and have a fair mechanism of getting off the list. Just an idea I've been working with.

The NRA and Democrats once worked together on improving the info being collected and used by NICS.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nra-democrats-team-up-to-pass-gun-bill/

After 52 years in Congress, John Dingell knows it sometimes takes a "rather curious alliance," such as between the National Rifle Association and the House's most fervent gun control advocate, to move legislation.

That's what took place Wednesday when the House, by voice vote, passed a gun control bill that Rep. Dingell, D-Mich., helped broker between the NRA and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y.

With the NRA on board, the bill, which fixes flaws in the national gun background check system that allowed the Virginia Tech shooter to buy guns despite his mental health problems, has a good chance of becoming the first major gun control law in more than a decade.

Once you take bans off the table (and registration, too), and we focus on legitimate means of disqualifying people from owning guns, things can improve. I think several of the mass murder shooters could have been denied their firearms.

And incremental improvement is the way to go. Try for too much and the pushback could deny any improvement.