https://joebiden.com/gunsafety/# as of August 31, 2020.
Excerpts from THE BIDEN PLAN TO END OUR GUN VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC
This position paper starts off by equating the National Rifle Association (NRA) as the source for gun violence by declaring he defeated the NRA to get the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and the 1994 “Assault Weapons Ban” passed in Congress. This argument of guilt by association doesn’t provide any link between the NRA and mentally ill people who use guns to commit violent acts. The NRA is the country’s oldest firearms training organization. Its programs for firearm and hunter education are the standard used by state agencies to provide licensing for hunters and carry permits.
Under the heading of pursuing constitutional, common-sense gun safety policies, Biden will:
Hold gun manufacturers accountable – Repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act passed by Congress in 2005.
Get weapons of war off our streets – Since the Department of Defense was in a habit of going to Dick’s, Walmart, and Bass Pro Shops to get the firearms to outfit our troops, it makes sense to Candidate Biden that these firearms should not be sold to anyone else. The concept of an “Assault Weapon” has been so construed by media it has lost its meaning. Media coverage and political pressure have pushed these and other retailers into dropping sales of semi-automatic rifles, which no soldier would want to carry into a war.
Ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines – The candidate equates restrictions on hunting migratory game birds with all other possible uses of firearms, which would include self-defense. He would bring back an “improved” version of the 1994 ban and use executive action to ban importation of “assault weapons”. Translation: ban importation of commercial firearms.
Regulate possession of existing assault weapons under the National Firearms Act – The logic here is that NFA firearms are seldom used in crimes. Since they are registered and taxed, they are not used in crimes. Cum hoc ergo propter hoc (with this, therefore because of this). Correlation does not imply causation except to a politician. That is his logic, so spread that logic to all “Assault Weapons”. Imagine the windfall to the Federal Budget if every semi-automatic rifle, handgun, shot gun were registered and taxed $200. Since the candidate is defining “Assault Weapon”, don’t be shocked when it includes every revolver, pump, break, lever, and single shot firearm in existence.
Buy back the assault weapons and high-capacity magazines already in our communities – You have two options, sell to the Federal Government or register and pay the tax. Another win-win for the Department of Defense. They can get all these “weapons of war” at a discount rate. Since they can’t get them at Walmart anymore.
Reduce stockpiling of weapons – Codify the maximum number of firearms that may be purchased by and individual to one a month. This seems contrary to the Federal Government registering and taxing every gun purchased. I think this came out of a different campaign committee.
Keep guns out of dangerous hands – Who can’t agree with this one? How does he propose to do that? The object of all gun control proposals is to remove firearms from Citizens. Each regulation, law or executive action takes a piece from a little different direction so the end result will be an unarmed populace. From a Leftist perspective, every Citizen has dangerous hands and must be preventing from obtaining firearms. Why? Because it is necessary to remove the ability of the populace to defend itself from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Especially domestic. This drives to the soul of the interpretation of the Second Amendment. Supporters believe that it is there to protect the Citizens ability to throw off a tyrannical bureaucracy. Opponents believe it is for the tyrannical bureaucracy to have control of its Citizens. For Leftist, the Government is the thing to be protected. For supporters, it is the Citizens who are to be protected.
Require background checks for all gun sales – Universal background check for all gun sales. Tack on an FFL fee for that gun you want to sell your brother. The state will monitor the Obituaries and come knocking to confiscate the firearms of the deceased.
Close other loopholes in the federal background check system-
Reinstate the Obama-Biden policy to keep guns out of the hand of certain people unable to manage their affairs for mental reasons, which President Trump reversed – Another cum hoc ergo propter hoc argument that aggregates a class of Citizens into prohibited persons.
Close the “hate crime loophole” – Hate or bias becomes a basis for being a prohibited person. On the surface this looks good, but where is the appeal process because we know innocent people never get accused wrongly by a bureaucracy.
Close the “Charleston loophole” – the Government can’t determine if you are a prohibited person so therefore you must be. What’s you recourse? That is never addressed.
Close the “fugitive from justice” loophole created by the Trump Administration – Definition of a fugitive as someone who crosses state lines. But wouldn’t the originating state already be reporting the “fugitive” as a prohibited person since there is a warrant for their arrest? This goes to bureaucratic agencies reporting under the laws we already have. Not every agency is doing it’s part.
End the online sale of firearms and ammunitions – Think your local retailer is going to have a spring to replace the broken recoil spring on that used PPK/S you bought at a gun show. You know the one you waited an hour to get the background check done.
Create an effective program to ensure individual who become prohibited from possessing firearms relinquish their weapons – Because the Federal Government is so good at establishing “effective programs”. The idea is to ensure relinquishment when someone becomes prohibited person. Where is the appeal process for challenging the confiscation?
Incentivize state “extreme risk” laws – Red flag laws meant to disarm persons thought to be in crisis. Subjective and again, what’s the appeal process.
Give states incentives to setup gun licensing programs – A license to purchase a gun. More bureaucracy.
Adequately fund the background check system – Incentives for agencies to do their job to report records of prohibited persons.
ADDRESSING THE DEALY COMBINATION OF GUNS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
This is a supportable goal, but the details the details.
Establish a new Task Force on Online Harassment and Abuse to focus on the connection between mass shootings, online harassment, extremism, and violence against women. – Have to wait for the study conclusions.
Expand the use of evidence-based lethality assessments by law enforcement in cases of domestic violence – A way to determine if someone should become a prohibited person. Subjective and where is the appeal process?
Make sure firearms owners take on the responsibility of ensuring their weapons are used safely.
Put America on the path to ensuring that 100% of firearms sold in America are smart guns – Keep that knife held up while I reboot my gun.
Hold adults accountable for giving minors access to firearms – This is a tricky one because minors have used guns in self-defense situations. The important aspect of minors having access is a mental evaluation. But by whom? The parents initially and some parents have certainly been wrong. This could be trading one victim for another.
Require gun owners to safely store their weapons – Oh good another unfunded Government Mandate. This is a principle I teach in each class. After you’ve made the decision to buy a firearm, get the safe for it installed before bringing the firearm home. It’s like getting the crib before you bring the baby home.
Empower law enforcement to effectively enforce our gun laws.
Prioritize prosecution of straw purchasers – Already illegal, but move them to the top of the docket?
Notify law enforcement when a potential firearms purchaser fails a background check – Prohibited persons who are knowledgeable of their status will not pursue this path. When someone has become a prohibited person, will their appeal process be finalized before they are put on a watch list?
Require firearms owners to report if their weapon is lost or stolen – Seems obvious, but some gun owners wouldn’t. Not all owners are responsible. Can you legislate responsibility? Well when every firearm is registered and taxed I image there will be more compliance.
Stop “ghost guns” – I’ve never been a fan of the 80% guns because it is path around NCIS. I would apply the same requirement to purchase an 80% receiver as a 100% receiver. 3-D printing of parts then becomes a manufacture issue. Does it become illegal to create a firearm on one’s own property and use it on said property? Here we would have to delve into Castle Doctrine and property rights.
Reform, fund, and empower the U.S. Justice Department to enforce our gun laws – I don’t know what the burden on gun dealers is currently, but this will certainly make it more burdensome to be a dealer.
Direct the ATF to issue an annual report on firearms trafficking – You mean they don’t do this already?
TACKLE URBAN GUN VIOLENCE WITH TARGETED, EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNITY INTERVENTIONS
900 Million over eight years to the 20 cities with the highest number of homicides and the 20 cities with the highest number of homicides per capita. I think Chicago get the payout on both charges.
Dedicate the brightest scientific minds to solving the gun violence public health epidemic – Politicking with the CDC.
Prohibit the use of federal funds to arm or train educators to discharge firearms – States that have allowed armed teachers have voluntary programs. A mandate for a teacher to carry a firearm would be a disaster.
Address the epidemic of suicides by firearms – This is a mental health and mental health services issue. It should not be about the method used.
SUPPORTING SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE AND THEIR COMMUNITIES
Make federal programs more trauma-informed – trauma-informed and culturally responsive care. I don’t know what this means.
Create a network of trauma care centers – Sounds good. What are the details?
Train health care and other service providers in trauma-centered care – What can be done to make sure the victim is not a victim again?