Lengthy, I know... Bear with me...
There's a lot of things I would like to change if given the opportunity.
**Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, nor do I aspire to be. I might not get the specific terminology correct, I may not have the best grasp on the aspects of the particular laws and definitions. I'm working with my best (albeit limited) understanding of the issues at hand. So don't flame me if I am mistaken on a particular point.**
First, I'll start with felonies. The current standard often lies with how many years you were (or could be, in some cases) sentenced to for the crime you've been convicted of. While that may be a good system to use as a starting point, the fact is that you can very easily become a felon for very minor crimes, depending on the sentence (or allowable/max sentence in some cases). Should it be 1 year? 2 years? More? I don't know... I do know that we could do a lot better with our prison and sentencing system. Why do I, as a taxpayer, need to spend $30k (number Wikipedia gave me) per year on a prisoner that broke a law, but could be sentenced to something productive, like community service? I know community service has its issues as a process, but it could be improved to efficient and effective levels with a little time and creativity. So now that we can establish that most, if not all, minor crime criminals can be punished via other than prison means, now the prisons have a little extra space to keep the violent folks behind bars.... But what to do with them? Again, we're paying $30k per prisoner per year... Make them earn it. I see a lot of DOT workers cutting grass on interstates and highways, why? Why can't we get some back-pay from prisoners who owe a debt to society? Why can't they go cut the darn grass and pick up trash? Why can't prisons buy up some surrounding land, buy some cows, shovels, rakes, and garden hoes? Make them milk the cows for the milk, tend the land for their vegetables, raise, butcher, and process livestock for meat... Overall, it would lower costs dramatically and recoup the initial expenditures.
... Off in the weeds ... Back to topic ...
So you can reduce the overall number of "felons" by re-aligning punishment for certain, non-violent crimes into community service. You embezzeled $10,000 from your employer? You must be good with numbers, guess what? Now you get to volunteer 10,000 hours at a free tax clinic and debt counseling company. Things like that... Find creative solutions for community service and keep non-violent offenders out of the prison system as much as possible. There's a lot of felons out there that probably shouldn't be in most of our eyes... Basically, the goal of all this would be to implement a plan to reduce the number of "felons" out there to the people that really and truly deserve the label and the lifetime prohibitions that accompany it.
Background checks.
I agree with them. I think they shoudl be expanded to include mental health checks. I do NOT agree that the mental health portion should be managed by the government, specifically NOT NICS. A database could be compiled by the private sector, paid for with a combination of BATFE funds and medical insurance, with mental health professionals entering a "No Go" next to that name. Your FFL calls in to NICS, receives the "Go" or "No Go" word. Then they call the crazy check database and receive a "Go" or "No Go". There would be zero of your personal medical information stored in the crazy check database. Only your name, DOB, address, SSN and a simple "No Go" entry, no medical information, I REPEAT: None of your personal medical information would be stored in the crazy check database. The determination of wether you are mentally fit to operate a firearm would be decided by your mental health professional (not your general practice physician) in conjunction with your family members. If there is no entry in the database, it would be assumed that your mental health is sound.
NFA
Get rid of the federal full-auto registry. Allow the manufacture of modern select-fire weapons. Keep the $200 tax stamp, but reduce the amount of time it takes to get the stamp back. If you can pass the NICS (and the crazy check) then why should there be any further restrictions? If the NICS check is ineffective at determining if a person has a clean record, then fix the NICS system because apparently a lot of peope with bad backgrounds can get "regular" guns if that's the case... The amount of time to purchase your select-fire weapon should be no longer than it takes the post office to deliver the $200 check, let the check clear the bank, put the tax stamp in an envelope and mail it back to you.
Suppressors, SBR's, SBS'... No gun is instantly made more deadly or more effective at killing something just because it has a shorter barrel or has a suppressor screwed onto the end of it... No restriction is what I say.
AOW's... Why do we regulate these again???
Destructive devices... Use the same rules as the full-auto above, but increase the tax stamp cost to $1000 for the launchers, and reduce it to $50 each for the projectiles they fire.
Handguns, rifles, shotguns: NICS and crazy check. Other than that, no restrictions on size, caliber, or capacity.
Carry. 2nd Amendment is good enough for all but sensitive areas. In order to carry in sensitive areas (government buildings, courthouses (except courtrooms), school zones, etc) you must apply for a permit with the state police in your state of residence. In order to apply for said permit, you would have to complete a qualification course with 8 hours of classroom instruction and live fire range instruction including basic, practical, and (dry fire) judgemental pistol courses. The provider of said training would have to be approved by the state police. Permit would be valid in all 50 states. Privately-owned businesses will not have their property rights infringed. They may post a nation-wide standardized 36" x 36" sign that carries the force of law that states firearms of any type are not allowed inside their buildings without consent. Penalty for violating a property owners written notice would be a $250 fine and 250 hours community service for first offense, double that for second offense, and double that for the third offense. Penalty for offenses beyond the third attempt would be given by a jury of peers in a fair trial.
Ammo
No restrictions except the existing laws regarding approved storage containers in place for smokeless and blackpowder.
I'm open to suggestions and constructive criticisms and a respectful discussion of any of these issues.
