so yes it is time to start talking about the gun crisis.

The fraction of shooting victims that die has been going down, in part due to improvements in emergency medicine.

The fact of the matter is to carry a handgun at all is an iffy situation if you do not have a CCL. Is it illegal to take it to the range to shoot? Prolly not, if I leave it in my trunk over the weekend after that? Why bother, just get the CCL. My handgun has not been fired in, hell I'm not even sure ... maybe 5 years. The last time one of weapons was out of the cabinet was to go shoot trap, which is a blast, and that was well over a year ago.

I am the majority of gun owners, I have some guns, shoot them every once in a while, look at them or think about them rarely.

...another civil war?

and more guns? What exactly are you promoting?

...I was just asking a question. Since you bring it up, what are you promoting?

although i do fear creating an underground world centered around guns

plenty of folk already believe that obama is out to take thier toys away--witness the spike in gun and ammo sales right after each of his elections.

efforts to control this will make the crazy and not so crazy gun types feel like they are members of the french resistance during world war 2

reform must come from the right--as in the nra or the tea party thugs
they have to police thier own

You had me on 1 - 3. Good suggestions.

But you're not suggesting people who can afford expensive guns would never shoot up a school?

Wasn't looking at the economic component. But it's worth a study.

I clearly said that there should be inexpensive weapons. Single shot (bolt action rifles), pump shotguns, wheel handguns.

Yea, that AR needs to be pricey. The reason there are to many guns is because they are cheap. There are semi-auto weapons for sale for $250, if you want to make a real difference, that has to change.

I am not suggesting anything about class. I am saying that it is time to do something. I threw out what I would consider to be rules that I would bitch about being extreme, but I could live with them.

The commoners... not so much.

Bleh....

I have to agree with you on this point.

Not like the rich already have an advantage. Want to buy that Glock? It's a $700 gun. Want to buy that Sig? Another $1k. No reason only the wealthy should be able to afford these types of weapons. I think the government should help the "commoners" buy more powerful weapons.

Below poverty level? You should be able to own the most powerful weapon that money can buy, just like that rich guy. Hell, maybe you need three of them. Maybe a subsidy on ammunition as well, what ... you get 5K rounds a year? Hollow point? Hell yea, 10K rounds of those. Let's make guns cheaper so everyone can afford to have 10 of them.

I thought about this all wrong, and I am a gun owner. Let's make guns more affordable to the masses, hell you should be able to buy them with SNAP dollars at walmart. Maybe a refundable tax credit, have kids and make below a certain amount? Uncle Sam gives you a weapon instead of a tax refund.

I can not believe I did not think of this, the solution is to make guns more accessible, to everyone. Hell, Red Box should rent them by the hour outside of Kroger.

FFS.

Sadly, your strawman was so weak, s/he never even made it into the ring.

Because I didn't say anything like that.

Care to try again?

Otherwise, see post #5.

some I don't agree with, but mostly some very good ideas.

1. (registration) - I'm not clear on just what benefit accrued from registration. Is there a significant increase in the ability of law enforcement to solve crimes (any LEO types out there that can answer?)? I don't think registration can act as a crime preventative...but I'm willing to listen to cogent arguments to that effect.

2. (permit required to carry) - I'm all for that. Most states have such programs, and must have reasonable requirements for obaining a permit (although if it were practical, I'd prefer to see a basic competency test...).

3. (severe penalties) - Until convinced of the benefits of registration, I'll have to pass on the former, but I'm definitely n favor of stiff penalties for un-permitted carry. Since it's a given that people with criminal records will not obtain such permits (since the application process would catch them), this would provide grounds to lock such persons up.

4. (increasing expense) - I'm very dubious about plans that impact poor people disproportionately.

5. (proper security requirements) - All for it, and I advocate this strongly all the time. Securing your weapons is a basic requirement for any gun owner, and failure to do so should be punished severely. Theft is not the only method by which criminals unlawfully obtain guns, but it's a big one.

Thank you for posting something productive amid all the hysteria.

I am not about to imply that I know the solution. I'm just a blue collar guy who goes to work everyday and lives my life to the best of my ability. I put forth some ideas that, as a gun owner, would perhaps help to curtail the epidemic of gun violence in this country.

As you can see, any idea no matter how it is put forth is meant with extreme hostility. There will be no gun reform until we can have a dialog that does not include these elements.

Registration is one way of helping to make legal gun owners different from illegal gun owners. The laws have to change or this will just be the last event, followed by the next event.

Disarms the poor who arguably have a higher need for self defense than the well to do living in secure buildings and communities.

It also treats single shot weapons the same as ARs.

You might want to revise your vision

I already said that different weapons of differnt degrees of firepower should have progressive registration costs.

The single shot weapons should have a completely different cost to own then a semi-auto.

And, I have a news flash for you, the rich already have alot nicer guns than you and I. But, I am pretty sure the 1% is not running around killing people with guns, they are fucking us in a much different way.

Except I would ban gun shows completely.

Say I don't renew my gun registration by the required time. What happens then?

Does the government come to my house and confiscate private property? Do they enter my house in order to do so? If they do, am I financially compensated for the loss of private property? Do they arrest me on the street, or issue an arrest warrant for me so that it pops up if I get pulled over for speeding?

Of all your suggestions, this is the one I could see a good legal team having a field day with in front of the Supreme Court.

Turn you over to collections vultures as the fines accrue.

Then, once a year, an amnesty day -- sort of like they do with parking tickets -- where you can get off the hook for the fines by forfeiting the weapon in question.

Going to have to agree here.

Want to own a weapon? You have to prove that weapon is still in your possession, and being kept securely. If not, surrender it with no penalty.

Ownership of the weapon has to come with responsibilty. Even that old ass 30-30 that grandpa gave you.

An excellent place to start.