My take on Obama's executive orders on gun rights.

A picture of my CZ-75 PO-7. 

I have a few reactions to Obama's executive orders on gun rights. As a supporter of gun rights I am not happy about it, and if you are looking for someone who isn't biased, look elsewhere. Instead of my normal format I am going directly to the source. Instead of the media I am going to base my comments on the White House press release, which can be found here. I'll break it down, point by point. 

I did not watch Obama's speech. I had attempted to but I had to turn it off because I was so disgusted. For one I don't think Barack Obama cares one bit about the deaths caused by mass shootings. His tears were not genuine, and even if by some small chance they were, it still shows incredible weakness from the man that is supposed to be the leader of the free world. I will be so happy when he is out of office. 

Anyways, here are my reactions to what Obama has proposed:

1. Expansion of background checks through the following:

a. Making sure that anyone who sells guns as a "business" has to use background checks and get a licence. -This basically ends private sales for firearms. No way this survives. Way too vague, and could be interpreted as anyone who sells any firearms whatsoever. 

b. Requiring background checks for legal trusts, corporation or other legal entity. -As far as I am aware nobody has ever used this loophole to get a firearm they used in a crime. Completely stupid.

c. Expansion of background check system including 24/7 checks and more FBI agents for processing purposes. -Actually not a terrible idea. Hopefully this will mean that people will be able to sell firearms 24/7, which could be useful in states where there isn't a waiting period for buying guns. Probably not what Obama intended though. 

2. Larger focus on gun violence:

a. Federal prosecutors are encouraged to enforce gun laws. -I can't analyze this one without knowing what the Attorney General told these federal prosecutors. It sounds like they want to go after illegal gun sellers and people who bypass the background check system. Again, I need more information.    

b. 200 more ATF agents. -ATF is an organization based on regulating things that are legal (with the exception of explosives). They should be broken up, not expanded. 

c. $4 million for tracking illegal online firearm sales. -I haven't been convinced that online sales are a problem. 

d. New ATF rule saying that gun sellers have to report stolen or lost weapons. -Not too horrible but it is very open for abuse. 

e. More outreach for domestic abuse. -Has very little to do with gun violence in any case.

3. Mental health care:

a. $500 million for mental health care. -On the face of it, not a bad thing. But putting it as a part of a gun control executive order means that people that need and/or want help won't get it because they are afraid of losing their guns. I know that I would never go to a doctor for mental issues, even if I was suicidal, because I don't want to lose my guns. That was true before this executive order, but it is even more true now. 

b. People ruled incompetent to handle their social security benefits will no longer be allowed to buy firearms and that data will be put into the background check system. -This will basically ban thousands of veterans from owning firearms. The vast majority of those vets, even those who are mentally ill, are no threat to anyone. The stigma for soldiers getting help for PTSD or depression will be even stronger then it is already. Horrible policy and this needs to be repealed immediately. 

c. Force states to report all information about mental health. -Honestly, I am not sure what this even means, but it sounds like a violation of patient privacy to me. And again, why on earth would anyone want to go to a doctor for mental health issues if it will forever ban you from owning guns?

4. Smart gun technology:

a. Increase research into smart guns and promote their use. -By far the dumbest thing in this executive order. Smart guns are anything but smart. They are incredibly stupid and, quite frankly, dangerous. The whole point of a gun is to have a reliable way to defend yourself. Smart guns are the very opposite of reliable. Even if the technology worked, and right now it doesn't, you are installing a failure point into a weapon that is designed to be used when your life is threatened. Imagine a murder breaking into your house. You only have 10 seconds to get a gun out before he kills you. Having the gun ready and good to go is a much better option then having to put on a bracelet that unlocks your gun which might not even work. And since the guns operate on radio frequencies, it would be trivial for people to jam them, rendering them less then useless. Plus they would be easily modified to remove the smart gun technology, and even if they were stolen, people would just steal the bracelet as well. Criminals would still have guns, while law abiding civilians would be rendered helpless. To recap, smart guns are stupid, and no serious gun owner would want one. For me, I would rather use any ranged weapon over a smart gun. A smart gun might be slightly better then being unarmed, but that is all I am willing to say about it. 

I don't see any of these executive orders lasting for any extended period of time. All of these orders will be challenged in court. The NRA is already getting ready to sue and so will private citizens. It's all academic anyways because the next Republican president, whoever he or she may be, will likely repeal these executive orders as soon as they get voted in... unless their name is Chris Christie. And this set of executive orders practically writes an attack add for the Republican Party. My guess is that Obama just handed the election to the Republicans for 2016. If any good will come from this joke of a president it is that he's ensuring the next one will undo the damage he has caused.