March 8, 2018, 8:53 a.m. -  John Forsythe

Dave, good write up and thanks for taking the time to reason it out. However, I think you are really glossing over why the NRA, or other gun lobbies do things the way they do. They lobby lawmakers because if they don't, then like minded people would get steamrolled by people who's agenda is to not allow you to own a firearm. You, and others, paint it as though the only lobbying going on in DC and at state levels is by the NRA. But you are lying to yourselves and presenting a false argument if you don't include both sides of the discussion.  Here is a list found with a 5 second google search for anti-gun lobbies: The Brady Campaign New Yorkers Against Gun Violence Everytown for Gun Safety The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Violence Policy Center There are more, some more frenzied than others. Expanded background checks are a great start, but in the US  you have to be careful because it starts to infringe on 4th amendment rights. Where does the information for the more comprehensive tests come from? Does the government have the right to collect and store this information? etc. In the case of the Florida shooting, yes, a kid who shouldn't have been allowed to buy a gun did. But in many cases, these people are either older than 21, or just take their parents guns. No background check would have prevented those types of incidents.  In the end, it is a very complicated topic and there is no short solution. Most of the issue is societal anyway. And that is an even more difficult subject to sort through. john