Today we are going to discuss one of the politics of gun control. We will discuss the current state and federal gun control laws, some new gun control proposals coming from the Democratic candidates for President, and the ever-changing gun control positions of President Trump. We also discuss how Republican candidates and incumbents could communicate their more effectively. 

Segment 1: David, Courtney and Ryan’s Backgrounds

Segment 2: Current Rules and Regulations

• 1994 – Federal Background Check Requirement
  • Requires all licensed gun sellers to perform a background check on a purchaser at the time of sale.
    • Unlicensed sellers do not have to run a background check at this time.
    • 22% of US gun owners acquired their most recent firearm without a background check. According to Giffords Law Center to prevent gun violence.
• State Laws-
  • 22 states require some sort of background check/permit laws

• • 12 States with Universal background checks- Background checks for ALL sales and TRANSFERS on all classes of firearms, no matter if licensed or unlicensed. 
    • CA, CO, CT, DE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, OR, RI, VT, WA and (DC)

• • Two states require background checks for handguns only, but not long guns like rifles or shotguns.
    • MD, PA
  • Three states require a permit to purchase any firearm issued after a background check. 
    • HI, IL, MA

• • Only one state requires a permit and unlicensed sellers to conduct the transaction through a licensed dealer. 
    • NJ

• • Four states require a permit for HANDGUNS only, you do not have to get one for long guns. 
    • IA, MI, NE, NC

• What Background Checks Look for and Stop People From Purchasing a Gun
  • Convicted of a crime that carried a sentence of more than one year, or a misdemeanor that carried a sentence of over two years
  • Are a fugitive (i.e. there's a felony or misdemeanor warrant for your arrest)
  • Are a drug addict
  • Are diagnosed mentally ill, which can include being involuntarily committed, found not guilty by reason of insanity, or found unfit to stand trial
  • Reside in the US illegally
  • Are dishonorably discharged from the military
  • Had a restraining ordered issued against you (i.e. found guilty of harassing, stalking, or threatening a partner or the child of your partner)
  • Were convicted of domestic violence (i.e. convicted of using or threatening to use a deadly weapon against a spouse, former spouse, parent, guardian of the victim, etc.)
  • Have renounced your US citizenship

• Current Legislation in Congress:
  • H.R. 8 – To require a background check on every and all firearm sales.
  • H.R. 1112 – Would also extend background checks, but also extend the waiting period for delivery of guns.

• • • …and this would do the same in closing that private sale loophole but also extend the waiting period for the delivery of guns when the FBI is having trouble conducting a background check. Under current law, that gun has to be delivered within 72 hours. The proposal that passed the House would extend that to 10 days.

• • Both bills have passed the House, but Senator McConnell has not brought them to the Senate floor.

Segment 3: Where do the Democratic Presidential Candidates Stand on Gun Control?

• What Candidates are going the furthest?
  • Beto O’Rourke – Mandatory Buyback Program on Assault Rifles
  • Cory Booker – Gun Licensing as a Solution
    • Applicants would submit fingerprints, provide basic background info, provide documentation they completed a gun safety course.
    • Limiting individual purchases of firearms to one per month, placing ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
  • Voluntary buyback program-
    • Buttigieg, Bullock, Castro, O’Rourke, Ryan and Yang
  • Harris would take executive action to pass universal background checks and assault rifle bans.
  • Biden - starting with universal background checks and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Plans to defeat NRA.
  • Warren – Too moderate on guns, in a democratic primary sense of course?

• The New York Times asked almost all Democratic Primary candidates (excluding Biden) the question “In an ideal world, would anyone own handguns?” Check out their answers here.

• Should they be more aggressive?

• • In an article on Vox.com, German Lopez discusses why Democrats have not made progress on gun control and how there should be a Medicare-for-all type deal ending gun violence. The article is called, “Democrats have been discussing the same ideas on guns for 25 years. It’s time to change that.”

Segment 4: Current Polling on Gun Control

• August 2019 CNN Poll – 1001n – National Sample
  • G1. Do you favor or oppose stricter gun control laws?
    • 60% Total Favor (41% Strongly) – 35% Total Oppose (21% Strongly Oppose)

• July 2019 CNN Poll – 1000n – National Sample
  • “Please tell me whether you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose each of the following gun polices: Allowing (a family member/the police) to seek a court order to temporarily take away guns if they feel a gun owner may harm themselves or others.”
    • 77% support family
    • 70% support police 

• Republican Main Street Partnership Survey of Suburban Women – 530n – 200 interviews in 5 CD’s
  • COCD06, KSCD03, NCCD09, PACD01, VACD10
    • 72 percent said they think gun laws should be stricter, compared to four percent who said they should be less strict and 23 percent who said they should be kept as they are now.
    • 55 percent said they think stricter gun laws would help prevent gun violence.
    • 90 percent support requiring universal background checks for gun purchases at gun shows or other private sales, which would require all gun owners to file with a national firearms registry.
    • 88 percent said they would support requiring a 48-hour waiting period between the purchase of a firearm and when the buyer can take possession of that gun.
    • 84 percent back a national red flag law that would permit law enforcement to temporarily retain firearms from a person who may present a danger to others or themselves.
    • 76 percent said they would ban the purchase and use of semi-automatic assault-style weapons like the AK-47 and the AR-15.
    • 72 percent would support banning the sale and possession of high-capacity or extended ammunition magazines, which allow guns to shoot more than 10 bullets before needing to be reloaded.

Segment 5: Colorado Gun Ownership and Concealed Carry Statistics

• The following information is from an article from Colorado Public Radio called “What the Numbers Tell Us About Guns In Colorado” by Ben Markus (March 2018)
• Colorado gun sales have increased substantially since President Obama became President in 2008.
  • 26% increase in 2008 compared to 2% average annual increase in sales during President George W Bush two terms in office.</li