Some Practical Gun Safety Ideas

I say "gun safety" rather than "gun control" per Rep. Carolyn Mahoney, who knows from gun massacres, and who prefers the former phrase.

Personally I agree with Cerberus (the Sadly No! blogger, not the financial firm) that there's no reason in this day and age for any American to have a gun unless it is part of her job description. But short of fighting another civil war to get all the penis-extenders rounded up, there are several superb ideas out there that somebody should grab and start implementing.

First up is Susie Madrak at Crooks and Liars:

This first ran in January 2011.

First of all, this isn't my idea. It's my oldest son's, and he told me about it a few years ago when he was trying to figure out a way he could make money. (Did I mention the kid is a genius? If you use this idea, you owe him.)

He said it made more sense to sidestep the entire gun control controversy and instead pass state laws that require anyone who owns a gun to carry insurance. If they have risk factors (like teenagers in the house), their rates go up. If one of their kids sneaks a gun out of the house and gets caught, or uses it to commit a crime, the insurance gets canceled for some meaningful period of time -- say, 10 years.

And if someone steals your gun and you don't report it in a 24-hour window of you finding out, your insurance is suspended for a long time.

If you have a rifle and it's only used for hunting, low rates. If you have a Glock and you carry it in an open-carry town or state, your rates will be very high -- because odds are so much higher that innocent bystanders may get caught in a shootout.

The more training and safety classes you take, the cheaper the premium.

If you've ever been convicted of domestic abuse or are the target of a protection order, you are not eligible for insurance.

Homeowners could be required to carry gun insurance as long as they're still paying on a mortgage, because a gun accident or misuse could result in a large legal judgment against the house.

Oh yeah, and you have to buy coverage for each gun you own.

I think it has real possibilities. What do you think?

I love it. Pure free-market capitalism: take a risk, pay the price.

The Rude Pundit had an idea back on Wednesday that doesn't even require Congress:

But right now, right this second, the federal government should halt all gun purchases requiring an FBI background check. That'll slow the surge in assault rifle sales that's happening in a pathetic anti-tribute to the dead of Newtown. Obama said he'd do what he could with his office. There's a step he can take immediately while we all figure out what comes next.

Charlie Pierce recommends harnessing the power of both free-market capitalism and social shaming in a divestment campaign of the kind that helped topple apartheid.

And it's already starting to work:

Following the announcement by Cerberus, the capital management firm that said yesterday that it was getting out of the firearms business, it appears that the notion of divestment is starting to catch on around the country.

SNIP

If you're wondering why the NRA is extending what Joe Scarborough called "the olive branch" this time, there's your reason. That's the real thing that's changed since the massacre in Connecticut. There is a fundamental reaction against the people who profit from mass slaughter, and the dots are being connected in ways they haven't been previously. The NRA is the lobbying arm of the armaments industry, and those guys are starting to lose money by the fistful, and they can see more of this happening, so, I guarantee you, we're going to be hearing about the "many causes" of gun violence on Friday. The NRA will suddenly become an advocate for lavish funding of the nation's mental-health system. These clowns didn't grow a conscience over the weekend. Their sugar daddies are losing money, and that's all that ever has mattered.

Others have suggested social shaming of the kind that worked on smokers, although this is a little trickier since one's guns are not as visible as one's smoking. Also, cigarettes - even lit - represent less of a direct threat to the critic.

You don't have to choose; do them all: insurance, regulation, divestment, shaming. Try something. If it doesn't work, try something else.  But above all, try something.