So there is a freakout going on over the President's executive actions? These are the actions he can take as president without congressional approval. I was reading through them, and there isn't too much there that's controversial. Lets go through them one by one:
1. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal agencies to make relevant
data available to the federal background check system.
We DO want to make sure that violent felons cannot buy firearms, right?
2. Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from
making information available to the background check system.
The devil in this one is what constitutes "unnecessary legal barriers?" the administration will have to weigh the public safety interest against Fourth Amendment privacy rights, but both parties have shown at best, lip service when it comes to spying on citizens over the past 12 years. I find this one potentially troubling.
3. Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check
system.
Communication between various agencies and governments is a good thing. Someone might have a disqualifying conviction on one state, that another state isn't able to access.
4. Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals prohibited
from having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the
cracks.
Bookkeeping and review. Hardly controversial.
5. Propose rulemaking to give law enforcement the ability to run a full
background check on an individual before returning a seized gun.
This just makes sense. We don't want to return firearms to disqualified felons.
6. Publish a letter from ATF to federally licensed gun dealers providing
guidance on how to run background checks for private sellers.
Education and instruction. Hardly controversial.
7. Launch a national safe and responsible gun ownership campaign.
We want gun owners to handle their weapons safely and responsibly, right?
8. Review safety standards for gun locks and gun safes (Consumer Product Safety
Commission).
A study. If it makes new locks and safes more secure, why would anyone object?
9. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal law enforcement to trace
guns recovered in criminal investigations.
This is just common sense. Many police departments already do this.
10. Release a DOJ report analyzing information on lost and stolen guns and make
it widely available to law enforcement.
This would have the two fold effect of reuniting stolen property with its owners, and identifying straw purchasers.
11. Nominate an ATF director.
Pretty good idea to have someone in charge of a federal agency.
12. Provide law enforcement, first responders, and school officials with proper
training for active shooter situations.
Knowledge is power. I recently went through this type of training, and it was a real eye opener. Its becoming more widespread, prioritizing it certainly couldn't hurt.
13. Maximize enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime.
How is this controversial? We do want to prevent gun violence, right? And we do want to prosecute criminals, correct?
14. Issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to
research the causes and prevention of gun violence.
This will require funding, funding that the NRA's allies in congress keep cutting. Why? Beats me. I'd think we'd WANT to know what causes, and how to prevent violence.
15. Direct the Attorney General to issue a report on the availability and most
effective use of new gun safety technologies and challenge the private sector to
develop innovative technologies.
Essentially, Eric Holder has to do a book report. And the Administration commits an act of tyranny by asking the private sector to invent things.
16. Clarify that the Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors asking their
patients about guns in their homes.
Doctors can ask patients questions that patients aren't obligated to answer?? Fascism!
17. Release a letter to health-care providers clarifying that no federal law
prohibits them from reporting threats of violence to law-enforcement
authorities.
Health care providers are allowed to report criminal acts to law enforcement?? The nerve!
18. Provide incentives for schools to hire school resource officers.
Hmmm..something the NRA wants as well.
19. Develop model emergency-response plans for schools, houses of worship and
institutions of higher education.
Again, just plain old common sense.
20. Release a letter to state health officials clarifying the scope of
mental-health services that Medicaid plans must cover.
Another educational initiative. This is what's covered. Make sure you're covering it.
21. Finalize regulations clarifying essential health benefits and parity
requirements within ACA exchanges.
This relates to mental health care.
22. Commit to finalizing mental-health-parity regulations.
See above.
23. Launch a national dialogue led by Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan on mental
health.
Cabinet officials will talk to people.
Out of all of these executive actions, to me, the only controversial one is number 2, due to constitutional privacy provisions. I'm concerned that politicians see the 4th Amendment as an unnecessary legal barrier.
As to an "assault weapons ban" I still see that as a "Scary looking weapons ban." Limiting magazine capacity might have legs, because I hope most gun owners wouldn't need more than 10 rounds (seven in NY) to defend their home from criminals, and magazines can be swapped out pretty quickly. That said, criminalizing a firearm because of its construction seems silly. Long arms have a barrel, stock, sights, trigger, and sometimes grips or a bayonet lug. The style of that particular layout really doesn't matter much.
As I babbled earlier, I still think an insurance requirement is the way to go.