Gun Laws and the US Senate & House of Reps

Gun laws have been talked about since the first current mass shootings, now many years ago, but people keep asking - why hasn't the laws been changed? This is in response to the recent rejection of the US Gun Laws by the US Senate.

I discussed my views on gun control in my last post Gun Laws and Protection of Rights.
One of the many questions always asked to me is "why hasn't the laws been changed? Its crazy over there (meaning the USA)!".  I look at them and tell them its a 3 fold problem:

Fold 1: Laws have been written in such a way that there's so much fluff around them people can't tell what's fluff and the actual problem. Usually this is combined with what the public has been saying even though, most of those who have been commenting, have not done their research - they are repeating what they heard on the news.

Taken from US Congress website

Fold 2: House of Representatives. At first these termed politicians would not even compromise. Now they are compromising but because of Fold 3, the laws or bills have been getting rejected.

Fold 3: US Senate. These people have the same problems as the House of Representatives had - they don't like working with others. They'd rather sit and reject the bills/laws rather than make suggestions as to what it will get passed, so we can all move on.

I have 2 huge problems with Fold 2 & 3 above. First, most of these people have been in there so long, they will have to die in there. According to the list of US Congress who died in office, there have been 19 people who have died while in this office - since 2000. Yep, since 2000. If you look though, those who have died, have been in since the 1970's. Yes, there have been ones that have only been in a few years, but if you even look at the ones who started in the 1990's that is STILL 20 years.

The Amendment of the XXII of the Constitution for Two-Term Limit on Presidency, which was

From National Constitution Center

passed by Congress on March 21, 1947 and ratified on February 27, 1951. Yes, it was as current as that. Keep in mind, however, George Washington was asked to run for a third time as president and refused, so it has been an issue before the above mentioned amendment.

The people I have been talking to are getting to be more convinced there should be term limits for Congress - both the house and Senate. This would limit how many years people could serve in a row and would get rid of the mind set of once they are in, they are there for life. We all want change, but no one is actually doing anything about it. Why?


Its because those who have to write it up and vote for or against the term limits would be the same people who they would directly affect. It would be like accepting a job and then making the decision when or if you are going to loose that job. If you were in this position, what would you vote? I know it would be to keep my job. Somehow, someone will have to make the bold decision to one day bring this forward. Another way would be there to be such a backlash from the public, they bring it to the public for a vote during election time. I believe this way would be fair, but who would be the bold person or group to suggest it? I'm taking a guess - NO ONE.

The second huge problem I have with Fold 2 & 3 above, is how can an organization hold such a grip on the government? How did the NRA get so forceful, it can now influence politics. No one party, whether is political or an organization, should hold the US government to such where it starts to compromise itself. Yes, by listening to the NRA (National Rifle Association) politicians or yet to be politicians are being controlled. Case in point - Donald Trump.

In May 2016, the NRA came out in support for Donald Trump. This is even after Trump voicing his views for years about gun control and has many of his properties that are gun free. Good you say? Remember this is the same man that says ""I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters," Trump said at a campaign rally.

However, as of June 19, 2016, the NRA, and some of its members, have started to have second thoughts about supporting him. CNN reports "Top NRA leaders split Sunday with Trump's earlier position that armed club-goers are a good idea."

Is this just in recent times with the NRA? No, its not. In fact, the NRA is a major influence and has been for years with politics.  Its been very noticeable since the 1968 Gun Control Act. It was here they decided the end game being pursued wasn't "public safety," but public disarmament in the name of safety.  After all, the argument promoted by gun "control" advocates is "more guns = more crime" and "the number of guns is the problem." (Quora article). Even on the NRA Wikipedia page, it states "Observers and lawmakers see the NRA as one of the top three most influential lobbying groups in Washington. Over its history the organization has influenced legislation, participated in or initiated lawsuits, and endorsed or opposed various candidates." My question is this, if the NRA is about safety and protection, then what in the world is it doing influencing legislation?

Besides, is this what the United States forefathers say this is what they had to protect and ensure the US didn't become? Isn't this what the Federalist papers Number 10 about? Doesn't it address the question of how to guard against "factions", or groups of citizens, with interests contrary to the rights of others or the interests of the whole community. (Wikipedia)

James Madison author of Federalist Paper 10 Wikipedia

In fact Madison states "defines a faction as "a number of citizens, whether amounting to a minority or majority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community".^[14] He identifies the most serious source of faction to be the diversity of opinion in political life which leads to dispute over fundamental issues such as what regime or religion should be preferred." Isn't this what the NRA is doing?

I think everyone agrees SOMETHING - ANYTHING must be done to control these shootings. Maybe we should restrict them and then let up tiny bit of control? But there's a fear with thinking this way. The US people fear that once a freedom is taken away they won't ever get it back. Dumb? No, I'd say this is realistic. However, SOMETHING MUST BE DONE.

Part of the federalist papers https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:The_Federalist_(Ford_ed,_1898).djvu&page=132