President Obama has issued 23 Executive Orders to help prevent another Sandy Hook Incident. Let's look them over:
Here's the list with my comment by each one. What are YOUR thoughts?
The following is a list, provided by the White House, of executive actions President Obama plans to take to address gun violence.
1. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal agencies to make relevant data available to the federal background check system. OK...No Problem...as long as law abiding citizens are not part of that database.
2. Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from making information available to the background check system. Not Sure that this is a good idea. What is the standard for release versus non-release?
3. Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system. Not sure what that would be, other than yet another monetary transfer for what the states are already doing. What are the details? States already share information with NCIC.
4. Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals prohibited from having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the cracks. Fair Enough...Sounds Reasonable...as long as it does not impact non-prohibited persons.
5. Propose rulemaking to give law enforcement the ability to run a full background check on an individual before returning a seized gun. There is nothing to prevent local law enforcement from doing this now. Sounds like a "feel good" order.
6. Publish a letter from ATF to federally licensed gun dealers providing guidance on how to run background checks for private sellers. That's well and good. Who are you going to stick with the cost of each check...the business or the private citizen? The citizen is not only being asked to comply with anew requirement, but also to pay for the cost of compliance?
7. Launch a national safe and responsible gun ownership campaign. Better yet, try refering folks to the NRA. They have the best program going for gun safety and responsible ownership. Why spend tax dollars to reinvent the wheel?
8. Review safety standards for gun locks and gun safes (Consumer Product Safety Commission). Waste of time/money
9. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal law enforcement to trace guns recovered in criminal investigations. They do that anyway....More feel good stuff.
10. Release a DOJ report analyzing information on lost and stolen guns and make it widely available to law enforcement. Great Idea...How about a better report that covers all guns and their uses...legal and illegal...get the whole story.
11. Nominate an ATF director. Fine...nominate somebody who isn't a political hack with a "get rid of guns" agenda. I'm still not sure why we need an entire Federal agency to control two consumer items (booze & cigarettes) and a Constitutionally enumerated right. Talk about a waste of tax dollars.
12. Provide law enforcement, first responders, and school officials with proper training for active shooter situations. Already being done by most law enforcement agencies. Lots of schools already doing it also. No need at all for Federal involvement except as stated in 19....see below.
13. Maximize enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime. Not really a Federal issue....Mayor of Chicago might want to take notice however.
14. Issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence. Why gun violence? The cause of "gun" violence is no different than any other violence. Guns are just the tool.
15. Direct the Attorney General to issue a report on the availability and most effective use of new gun safety technologies and challenge the private sector to develop innovative technologies. Waste of time....the market is already doing that. Folks who buy guns in the marketplace, are well aware of the latest technology.
16. Clarify that the Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors asking their patients about guns in their homes. Also clarify that I won't tell my doctor any more information that what he needs to know to diagnose my problem.
17. Release a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal law prohibits them from reporting threats of violence to law enforcement authorities. Fine. Not necessary...but fine.
18. Provide incentives for schools to hire school resource officers. Not a Federal problem. It's a local decision...based on local conditions.
19. Develop model emergency response plans for schools, houses of worship and institutions of higher education. Fine. That's a good role for the Federal government...to be a clearing house for best practices...as long as those don't come with "approved" or "mandated,"
20. Release a letter to state health officials clarifying the scope of mental health services that Medicaid plans must cover. Nothing to do with this issue.
21. Finalize regulations clarifying essential health benefits and parity requirements within ACA exchanges. Not part of this problem.
22. Commit to finalizing mental health parity regulations. Fine.
23. Launch a national dialogue led by Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan on mental health. Fine. Dialogue all you want....keep your mandates to yourself.
