Democratic Party platform calls for gun bans and ownership licensing

With the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week, I'd like to share their official party platform for gun control.

To be fair, I'll first share what the Republican Party Platform says, though there are no details, only a statement of support for the Second Amendment on page 6:

DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTION, OUR BILL OF RIGHTS, AND OUR FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS, INCLUDING FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF RELIGION, AND THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS

You could read that in different ways. You could assume Republicans believe the Second Amendment means what it says and no further details are required. Or you could assume Republicans view gun rights as a low priority and won't spend much time on the issue. I'll leave it to you to interpret this terse declaration.

Now let's look at what the Democratic Party Platform says about gun control. This is their statement near the bottom of a DNC website page titled "Healing the Soul of America."

Ending the Epidemic of Gun Violence

Gun violence is a public health crisis in the United States. Over 100,000 people are shot and nearly 40,000 people die annually from guns—devastating countless families, friends, and communities. We can and will make gun violence a thing of the past. Addressing the gun violence crisis requires supporting evidence-based programs that prevent gun deaths from occurring in the first place, including by making mental health care more accessible and supporting suicide reduction initiatives, funding interventions to reduce homicides and gun violence in neighborhoods, and strengthening protections against domestic violence. Democrats will also ensure the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have sufficient resources to study gun violence as a public health issue, including the ongoing health care, mental health, economic, and social costs that can affect survivors and their families for years.

Democrats will enact universal background checks, end online sales of guns and ammunition, close dangerous loopholes that currently allow stalkers, abusive partners, and some individuals convicted of assault or battery to buy and possess firearms, and adequately fund the federal background check system. We will close the “Charleston loophole” and prevent individuals who have been convicted of hate crimes from possessing firearms. Democrats will ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high capacity magazines. We will incentivize states to enact licensing requirements for owning firearms and extreme risk protection order laws that allow courts to temporarily remove guns from the possession of those who are a danger to themselves or others. We will pass legislation requiring that guns be safely stored in homes. And Democrats believe that gun companies should be held responsible for their products, just like any other business, and will prioritize repealing the law that shields gun manufacturers from civil liability.

Allow me to translate.

The first paragraph means Democrats want to view firearms through the lens of public health, which is a longstanding effort to sidestep constitutional protections for gun rights. It is also an effort to bring healthcare providers into the political arena and persuade the public to support restrictions on guns.

The second paragraph outlines the Democratic legislative wish list:

Universal background checks - They want to end all personal transfers of firearms so that every transfer goes through a licensed dealer and creates a paper trail, which presumably includes gifts to family members or sales from neighbor to neighbor.

Ban of online gun and ammo sales - This is misleading because there are no legitimate online sales of firearms. I assume they mean they want to stop firearm businesses from advertising online or stop individuals from posting about personal firearms they seek to sell legally offline. As for banning ammunition sales, this would prevent money-saving bulk orders and force gun owners to buy from retail stores in smaller quantities, making ammunition significantly more expensive.

"Charleston loophole" law - Currently, the ATF has three days to conduct a background check with the purchase of a firearm. If they find nothing in that time, the seller must complete the sale. Closing the so-called Charleston loophole, means allowing the ATF to take more time, in some cases holding up the sale indefinitely.

Ownership ban based on "hate crimes" - This refers to the Disarm Hate Act, which seeks to take gun away from those convicted of a "hate crime," even when that person has not harmed anyone or has not committed a felony. You could have your firearms taken away for using a racial slur and shoving someone. This is just one more way to reduce the number of people who can own firearms.

AR and magazine ban - So-called "assault weapons" are used in only 2%-3% of all murders, with handguns the overwhelmingly more popular choice for violent criminals. An AR ban would be a clear violation of the Second Amendment, given that they are the most popular type of rifle in the U.S. Banning "high-capacity" magazines usually means outlawing the standard magazine that ships with these rifles, generally with a 30-round capacity.

Gun owner licensing - One of the most extreme gun control proposals, this is a blatant infringement of the Second Amendment. It suggests you must seek government approval before owning a firearm. Such laws usually come with onerous red tape, such as required classes and fees.

Extreme-risk protection order laws - Also called "red flag" laws, such legislation empowers authorities to seize firearms if someone merely claims there is some sort of danger. This seizure happens before the owner has a chance to hire an attorney, face their accuser in court, or exercise their rights with full due process of law.

Mandated safe storage - This means forcing gun owners to purchase gun locks or safes and be liable for crimes or injuries resulting from the theft or misuse of their firearms. In other words, it's an attempt to make you responsible for the acts of others.

Liability for gun manufacturers - All manufacturers are liable when their products are sold with defects that cause injury or death. That includes gun manufacturers. What Democrats want is to open the door to hold manufacturers liable for the criminal misuse of firearms so they can be civilly sued out of existence. This is the equivalent of holding Ford responsible when a driver runs someone over with an F-150.

I realize many people vote party line. That is your right. However, if you support gun rights, it's important to understand what your party supports and will fight for if their candidates gain power.

Elections have consequences. Vote for gun control and that's what you'll get.

Dean Rieck is Executive Director of Buckeye Firearms Association, a former competitive shooter, NRA Patron Member, former #1 NRA Recruiter, and host of the Keep and Bear Radio podcast.