A Canadian take on the subject

[gejohnston]

5. True, but

As he explains it, the mechanics of the AR should not require a restricted PAL like handguns. The RCMP could simply make all semi-autos restricted.
Canada has basically four licenses
Minors permit, which allows kids 12-18 year-olds to possess and buy ammo for unrestricted firearms
unrestricted PALs are for most rifles and shotguns, including SBRs and SBS (not semi-auto). A "mares leg" is unrestricted
restricted PALs for handguns, ARs and semi-auto rifles and shotguns with less than 18-inch barrel
A prohibited PAL is for grandfathered banned weapons, like a pre 1977 machine gun. From what I can find, machine guns were as tightly regulated as handguns until then.

While I agree the party would do better in red states, (I remember when Wyoming always sent a senator from each party. Of course, that was before the RR went infected the system), but tweaking gun laws won't do anything about the problem. Nothing the Republicans propose will either. Our violence problem is most likely a wealth inequality/crumbling infrastructure/political corruption/drug gang problem. The GINI coefficient. As this psych prof explains it well