Guns Again

In all of the discussions that are taking place regarding guns there is one factor that is constant.  That is guns.  The NRA says the problem is the “good guys” need guns to protect themselves from the “bad guys” who have guns.  If neither good guys or bad guys have guns there would no longer be a problem.  Without guns there would be no shootings.  Another recent argument from the right revolves around the lack of proper treatment for people with mental health issues but does not consider keeping guns out of the hands of people with mental health issues a topic for discussion.  This brings things back to square one...if there were no guns, there would be no people with mental health issues with guns.  The cliché, guns don’t kill people, people with guns kill people still returns us to the only factor present in all of the arguments which is guns.  So, here is a suggestion.  First, all gun sales should be taxed at 100% of the cost of the gun and sales of ammunition should also be taxed at 100% of the costs of the ammunition.  The revenue from that tax should be used only for purposes of providing more facilities and resources for people with mental health issues.  Second, each and every gun should be registered to an owner.  If the original owner wished to sell a gun, the registration of that particular weapon would have to be transferred to the new owner in a manner similar to the title on a motor vehicle or boat.  Third, in order to own a gun, an individual should have to have liability insurance in a minimum amount of $100,000.00 which would pay the costs of any damage caused by that particular gun.  Fourth, in order to purchase the necessary liability insurance, a potential gun owner would have to pass a medical/mental health exam showing that person is sufficiently mentally and physically competent.  Fifth, a gun purchaser would have to have a license to own a firearm and in order to acquire that license would have to have training and pass an examination showing the ability to responsibly own a dangerous weapon.  This license could be included in the licensing process presently required to hunt.  There would be an individual responsible for each and every gun manufactured or imported into the United States.  Every weapon would first be registered to the manufacturer or importer.  That registration would be transferred to the retailer purchasing weapons from the manufacturer or importer.  The retailer would then transfer the registration of weapons to the purchaser.  Each transaction would be recorded and a record of each transfer of title to a particular weapon could be maintained in a data base in a similar manner as is done with automobiles by companies like carfax.  The costs of maintaining this information would be passed on to the purchaser at each stage of purchase by a fee added to the cost of the weapon. If a weapon is lost or stolen the registered owner would retain liability for that weapon until such time as that loss is reported and the registration of that weapon is changed.  The ownership of unregistered weapons would be criminalized and punishable by both a fine and an inability to ever legally own a weapon in the future. Finally, for any weapon that may be moved or carried from the original registered address after being purchased, a license to carry that weapon (again could also be part of a hunting license) would be required.  While these procedures would be cumbersome, inconvenient, and a nuisance, they would be no more an inconvenience that what one goes through to travel on an airplane.  This would, however, help prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands and if the penalty for owning an unregistered weapon is stiff enough, would deter those who should not possess guns from having them.