I’m not talking about overcoming the very difficult hurdles of the Supreme Court and Senate filibuster to pass new laws. I’m saying enforce the laws we already have.
“The number of shootings involving automatic weapons in the US has skyrocketed,” CNN says. “Incidents of machine gun fire have exploded by about 1,400% from 2019 through last year.” (Read story here.)
That’s happening because of widespread availability of cheap conversion devices known as “auto switches” or “auto sears” that transform semi-auto weapons into machine guns. These illegal weapons, CNN found, “are wreaking havoc on American streets.”
Machine guns are illegal without a federal license, which can’t be obtained for machine guns manufactured after 1986; only “grandfathered” registered and licensed automatic weapons are legal.
CNN reports that ATF seizures of conversion devices have increased from fewer than 100 in 2017 to more than 1,500 last year. That’s 1,500 people, more or less, who should be in federal prisons.
But let’s not stop there. It’s illegal for an ex-felon to possess any gun, unless his rights have been restored. Many states, including Washington, also have enhanced sentencing laws on the books for using a gun in a crime. But enforcement of these laws is spotty and weakly effective.
So here’s my proposal: Since we can’t do anything about Republicans making just about all guns legal for just about anybody, let’s at least do what we can do: Crack down on illegal guns, prohibited possession, and use of guns in crimes using the existing laws.
Every illegal gun or device, prohibited possession, or use of a gun in a crime should be charged and sentenced to the max. Enhanced sentences should be imposed when applicable. No leniency or generous plea deals. Violating gun laws, or using guns for criminal purposes, should get people years behind bars.
I want to see the street punk who’s picked up by police with a gun in his possession go away for 5 years. I want to see anyone making, possessing, or using an unregistered auto-fire weapon or conversion device spend 10 years in federal prison. I want the road-rager who shoots at another motorist get charged with attempted murder and go to prison for 25 years.
If this scares the hell out of the people responsible for the gun havoc on our streets, mission accomplished.