Any sensible gun-control legislation will have to come from the Republican Party.

[kentuck]

The NRA has such a grip on the GOP that Democrats can get nothing passed so long as Republicans are tied to the gun crowd.

This is the best strategy for the Democratic Party. Just tell it like it is. It is futile to try to do anything about these crazy people with guns so long as the Republicans pay no political price for supporting them. Put the blame squarely in the lap of the Republicans.

How can people with criminal records purchase guns? Because Republicans refuse to do anything about it. Why is there no background check for the purchase of guns? How do people that are mentally unstable buy a gun? Because Republicans refuse to do anything about it?

And why do they refuse to do anything? Because they are fearful of the NRA? Unfortunately, nothing will ever be done so long as Republicans make excuses. The issue is really up to them.

[pipoman]

1. The first step is making sure it is reasonable...and constitutional

That second part is difficult for some to understand...

[Donald Ian Rankin]

11. The problem is that it has so little to do with the first part.

There's a very natural tendency to think "this legislation is so obviously a good idea, surely it must be constitutional".

But it doesn't work like that. The 2nd amendment really does say "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed"

It's an appalling piece of legislation, and should obviously be repealed, but there is zero chance of that happening.

And so any gun control legislation doesn't just have to be sanity-checked, it also has to be insanity checked, and many people are going to get that wrong.

[Duckhunter935]

2. He seems to have passed a background check.

So the part you posted about not requiring a background check to purchase a gun would be false. One is required to purchase from any dealer or store that has an FFL.

[kentuck]

3. Criminal indictments don't show up on background checks?

Do you have a link to explain that?

[Duckhunter935]

6. My guess it is

You have to found guilty of a crime. That innocent until proven guilty little thing we have.

[kentuck]

7. Got a link to that info?

??

[Duckhunter935]

9. Looks like if the punishment is over 1 year it should be included

http://leg.mt.gov/content/Committees/Interim/2013-2014/Law-and-Justice/Meetings/February-2014/Exhibits/FBI-feb2014-ljic-presentation.pdf

[karadax]

10. So he should have been in NICS system but wasn't

Under the current NICS system, buyers may be denied the purchase of a firearm for reasons such as being indicted or convicted of a felony, admitting to being addicted to a controlled substances, having been dishonorably discharged from the Armed Forces, being subject to a restraining order, as well as other regulations.

Since its implementation in 1998, 2.1 million background checks have been denied out of 118 million requests, or almost 2%.

The background system works provided the people that are supposed to input the data do it correctly. I hope this shooter didn't slip through the cracks because someone didn't put him into the system when they were supposed to. That would be negligence.

[Duckhunter935]

12. The system will work if the data is there

[NutmegYankee]

5. Requiring an application for a purchase permit likely would have stopped him

The far more thorough background check would have detected his drug charges and stopped him from buying a gun. He would not have been able to buy one in Connecticut.

[Cassidy1]

4. It will

never happen as long as Republicans exist. They have no interest in your safety. They act like we live in the old west.

[One_Life_To_Give]

8. Just as Trade Deals do better when backed by a Dem Admin

gun control will have a much better chance of passing when proposed by a R admin.

[beevul]

13. I noticed, that when "sensible" legislation is talked about...

I noticed, that when "sensible" legislation is talked about just lately, nobody seems to be talking about magazine capacity.

Are magazine restrictions, in the face of a mass shooting committed with a pistol of 104 year old design, which used 7 round magazines, actually sensible?

If so, whats the magic number now?