# Universal Gun Background Checks: How would this work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 25, 2013, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-gun-background-checks-how-would-this-work/651349 "2013-02-25T15:12:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-gun-background-checks-how-would-this-work/651349/181 "2013-04-18T17:58:19Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I suspect this will be a big political problem for Republicans in the Senate who have to win statewide elections, since background checks are overwhelmingly popular with nearly all demographics. Something taht people keep forgetting about the senate is that it is not a representive body. Wyoming with its 600,000 residents get as many senators as california with its tens of millions. There are at least 23 gun friendly states where this sort of vote will not have a negative effect on their election prospects. Especially after the way the gun control nuts handled things, it provided enough cover for senators to vote against any sort of gun control measure. > [@](#): > > In the House, not so much, because of gerrymandering. But it does give Democrats ammo for future elections: “Republicans did nothing when children died!” Yeah, that sort of rhetoric only works for people that already agere with you. Did you miss the part where several Democrats voted against the bill. They didn’t do it because some small special interest forced them to, they did it because they wanted to get treelected in palces like Montana. > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > It is far preferable to absolutely no accountability for gun owners negligence in securing their weapons. None. Left his Glock on the hood of his car, and it is stolen? Whoops! He’s just another victim of a theft! Not his fault when it is used to kill the neighbor kid. Can’t touch him, he’s the victim. Well, him and the neighbor kid. We already have laws against child endangerment, your desire to have a special category of liability that only applies to gun owners is pretty far over the edge. > [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > This is the point that Fear Itself seems determined to avoid answering directly. He has answered it several times, he is in fact pushing fro strict liability. I had to ask several times in several ways before Fear Itself eliminated all doubt that he meant what he said. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-gun-background-checks-how-would-this-work/651349/182 "2013-04-18T18:21:12Z")
It’s notable that in his reaction to the bill failing Obama blamed the NRA for lying about the law. [Washington Times](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/17/obama-denounces-gun-rights-groups-willful-liars/) > [@](#): > > “The gun lobby and its allies willfully lied about the bill,” Mr. Obama said in the White House rose garden about 90 minutes after the vote. “It came down to politics.” > > “They claimed that it would create some sort of big-brother gun registry, even though it did the opposite,” Mr. Obama said. > > Read more: [http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/17/obama-denounces-gun-rights-groups-willful-liars/#ixzz2QqAEee1C](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/17/obama-denounces-gun-rights-groups-willful-liars/#ixzz2QqAEee1C) > Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter This is interesting. On the one hand I’m sure Obama just thinks the NRA are a bunch of liars. But the NRA had the same thought process I did when opening this thread. There’s no logical way that a universal background check system could work or be enforceable without a universal registration system. If you are opposed to registration, it was logical to oppose this bill. This is true despite the fact that the bill had language in it prohibiting registration, since that doesn’t make any sense and such legislation would eventually be needed if this were to be enforced. If only Obama read this thread, he would have understood. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-gun-background-checks-how-would-this-work/651349/183 "2013-04-18T18:50:19Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > It is far preferable to absolutely no accountability for gun owners negligence in securing their weapons. But not preferable to protecting gun owners who are not negligent, while at the same time holding the others accountable. But to do that, we need some kind of suggestions of rules that would do that. You seem reluctant to do that. It seems you would prefer to punish the responsible along with the careless. I don’t think that is a good idea. Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-gun-background-checks-how-would-this-work/651349.md?page=9)