Thank you Diane Feinstein

[spin]

55. Gun control advocates have been trying to ban certain firearms for decades. ...

Brady Campaign

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The Brady Campaign was founded in 1974 as the National Council to Control Handguns (NCCH). From 1980 through 2000 it operated under the name Handgun Control, Inc. (HCI). In 2001, it was renamed the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and its sister project, the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, was renamed the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

***snip***

Mark Borinsky founded the National Council to Control Handguns in 1974. He served as Chair until 1976. Charlie Orasin was a key player in the founding and growth of Handgun Control (HCI). He worked at HCI from 1975 until 1992.[9]

Nelson "Pete" Shields became the organization's chairman in 1978 and retired in 1989.

***snip***

In July 1976, Shields estimated that it would take seven to ten years for NCCH to reach the goal of "total control of handguns in the United States." He said: "The first problem is to slow down the increasing number of handguns being produced and sold in this country. The second is to get handguns registered. And the final problem is to make the possession of all handguns and all handgun ammunition – except for the military, policemen, licensed security guards, licensed sporting clubs, and licensed gun collectors – totally illegal."[15] In 1987 Shields said that he believed "in the right of law-abiding citizens to possess handguns... for legitimate purposes.".[16] In November 2008, Brady president Helmke, a former Republican mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana, endorsed the American Hunters and Shooters Association saying, "I see our issues as complementary to theirs." He said, "The Brady Campaign is not just East Coast liberal Democrats."[17]...emphasis added
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brady_Campaign

Obviously a lot of time, effort and money has been spent in the attempt to ban classes of firearms. In some blue states there has been some success but little or nothing at the national level. The reason for that is the congressional representatives from gun friendly states realize pushing for a gun ban is political suicide as they will be voted out of office.

Now I will admit times change and possibly at some date in the future we may see the passage of federal gun laws similar to those in Great Britain or Australia. I seriously doubt that Congress will take the first step by creating a new Federal Assault Weapons Ban this year or even in the next decade.

In my opinion we can do a lot to stop gun violence and mass shootings by improving our existing gun laws and by better enforcing them. If we continue to do nothing these tragedies will continue to happen. Of course this approach will not totally eliminate all gun violence or mass shootings but it could result in far fewer incidents.

We should also be able to improve our background check system for firearms with ease. It should also be possible to improve and better enforce our existing laws against the straw purchase of firearms and the smuggling and sale of such weapons. Improving school security will largely be up to the individual states but the federal government can help provide money for such efforts. Obviously we do need a better mental healthcare system in our nation but that could be a contentious issue tied in with the effort to improve our existing healthcare system.

It seems more logical to push for the possible rather than the unachievable in order to actually save lives.