We can free space for them in prison by freeing all nonviolent pot convicts.

I have absolutely no problem with the policy initiatives mentioned as long as due process is followed, though.

When I worked domestic violence I had several cases of men (and one woman) with protective orders against them either trying to buy guns or using a straw buyer to get one.

Even trying to buy a gun when you have an order against you is a federal felony.

I tried to get the BATFE to go after them- in every single case, even the straw buyer I had a confession from, they didn't.

It's insanity. Here is a guy with a order for protection against him. He is trying to buy a gun. He commits a felony telling a lie about his eligibility on the form. They refuse to even follow up- so he walks out to pursue whatever means to his end.

They don't even call whatever jurisdiction issued the order and say "hey, this guy just tried to buy a gun, heads up". Only way I found out was I was proactive and updated lists of people in my county at local gun shops so in case NICS didn't get updated in time they would still deny them, and they reported denials from the list to me.

It's meaningless to pass laws that are not enforced.

Lethal and potentially lethal violence, regardless if it's a gun, other weapon of bare hands, rarely occurs on the spur of the moment. These crimes are years in the making. It's a progression. Depending on locality anywhere from 70% to 90% of killers have prior criminal histories. Domestic abusers are abusers for years before they become deadly.

States and municipalities that are not getting data on protective orders into NICS in a timely fashion need to get off their ass and do it.

But we need to back that up with locking up people with orders against them who then try and buy a gun.

I absolutely agree.

problem can be traced right back to the influence of the NRA and the right-wing gun lobby. In many states (especially in the South) Sheriffs and other police officials are elected, and are afraid of enforcing "gun grabber" laws because of the NRA. In other areas, police officials have flat out stated that they will not enforce gun control regulations, and even threaten to arrest federal officers if they attempt to enforce gun regulations in these local jurisdictions.

The answer lies in electing people who have not been purchased or intimidated, and who will not accept bribes OR threats from the right-wing gun lobby and their lobbying arm -- the NRA.

The laws I am quoting are Federal laws.

Local agencies don't have authority to prosecute straw buyers or prosecute for perjury on the 4473.

In fact a lot of local agencies would love to be able to enforce these laws. It's typically the same troublemakers they know from other cases, and anything they can throw at them is good.

A good solution would be a change in the law authorizing local agencies to arrest and push these charges, but in my experience US Attorneys are usually not interested in them- they want the big cases that make headlines and build careers.

I have written on here before about how I took fully developed cases to the Feds- even when it was a slam dunk with a videotaped confession it evidently wasn't worth their time.

...and has been that way for years, beginning long before the present administration
took office.

Obama has a couple of years left in office, cracking down on those two groups
would be a good way of furthering his stated goals in re gun control-not
to mention being a good idea in general.

...buyers, as described by Lee-Lee?