Guns and Crazy Update

Timothy Egan says that Wayne LaPierre is the “Kim Jong-un of American politics.” LaPierre’s job is to say things so crazy that it makes other crazy people seem reasonable.

Remarkably, yesterday Democratic leaders in the Senate actually defeated a filibuster so that gun control can be debated. However, the Manchin-Toomey bill to be debated has been called a toothless wonder that doesn’t come anywhere near providing universal background checks.

The bill would require background checks for any sale that “occurs at a gun show or event” or “pursuant to an advertisement” on the Internet or in a publication. Yet no other private sales require a check. Transfers among family members are explicitly excluded, as are sales between friends or acquaintances (who presumably won’t meet at a gun show or pursuant to an advertisement.) Yet we know that the vast majority of criminals obtain their guns from friends and family members.

Well, closing the loophole for gun shows and internet sales is better than nothing. A start. Wayne LaPierre continues to warn America that closing the gun show loophole will lead to registration which will lead to confiscation which will lead to black helicopters landing on your roof. Be afraid.

See also Mark Follman, New Research Confirms Gun Rampages Are Rising—and Armed Civilians Don’t Stop Them