We got by just fine from 1782 to 1968 without federal background checks for guns. It's just institutionalized hoplophobia.
Agreed on both points.
Moreover, as someone else pointed out around here, If the “Background Check” is supposed to be about the person, Why do they need information about the gun being purchased?
If the transaction is above-board, then the gun being purchased should be “Federally approved” in as sense.
If they only thing they are seemingly concerned with is the purchaser, then the particular gun they are purchasing should be irrelevant.
But that isn’t the case, is it? Clearly, they want as much information about the transaction that they can get so that down the road they can move onto the next step: Registration.
They were archiving NICS data under Clinton. They already have registration, even though they are supposed to destroy the query data. Anyone who does not think so is mistaken.
The BATFE has proven itself to be a rogue agency, as have the DOJ (Think Janet Reno and Waco, Holder and 'crackergate') and others. Some serious house cleaning is in order, and at least one agency should be done away with.