Universal background checks for gun purchases are an attempt to address a legitimate problem: It really is easy for criminals to get guns, and it really is hard to prosecute those who sell guns to criminals. While licensed gun dealers are required to perform background checks and maintain records, private citizens may sell their guns without so much as asking a question. To prosecute a citizen for an illegal sale, the government must prove that the citizen knowingly gave a gun to a criminal or bought a gun for the sole purpose of transferring it to another party. In surveys, a large percentage of criminals report procuring guns through friends, family, and other private sources, yet these suppliers rarely face charges.
But the fact that the problem is real does not mean this proposed solution would be helpful. Universal checks might be an inherently unworkable idea. And a universal-check policy capable of passing the current Congress will certainly not do much good. It is time for legislators to direct their efforts elsewhere.
Read the article: The National Review
Costs, benefits, and background checks
Friday, April 5, 2013
Monday, September 23, 2024
It’s no secret that Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris doesn’t respect the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Monday, September 16, 2024
During the September 10 presidential debate, President Donald Trump correctly highlighted Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s support for gun confiscation. A visibly defensive Harris claimed, “We're not taking anybody's guns away. So stop with the ...
Monday, September 23, 2024
Presidential candidate Kamala Harris has been ludicrously touting her supposed “pro-gun” credentials, part of her overall strategy to appear more moderate to critical swing state voters just long enough to get elected.
Monday, September 23, 2024
It seems the anti-gun community lives by the mantra of quantity over quality, as yet another organization has been formed that is designed to promote infringing on the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
Monday, September 23, 2024
Today, the NRA filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to grant certiorari in a challenge to Maryland’s “assault weapons” ban.