[dirtboy]

A national gun database is unconstitutional via the 4th amendment.

There are countless laws that call upon people to reveal to the government what they own and what they have in their homes (I'm playing devil's advocate here, so don't flame me). Putting aside questions regarding the historical linkage of gun registration to confiscation (which is part of the question here), how, from a 4th Amendment viewpoint, is registering your car different than registering your gun?

[weikel]

Your car( I think anyway) is a state registration. Regardless of precedents Federal intrusions into personal information in most cases are wrong( the exceptions are for criminals convicted of federal crimes, immigrants, and people with Federal jobs). Besides the 10th amendment specifically limits the Fedgov to its delegated powers( not that the government really cares and SCOTUS has restricted the ability to challenge laws via the 10th amendment to state Governments perhaps they never read the words "the states or the people")

[Aegedius]

is registering your car different than registering your gun?

You are not required to register a car unless you plan to put it on a public road.

[eskimo]

There are countless laws that call upon people to reveal to the government what they own and what they have in their homes (I'm playing devil's advocate here, so don't flame me). Putting aside questions regarding the historical linkage of gun registration to confiscation (which is part of the question here), how, from a 4th Amendment viewpoint, is registering your car different than registering your gun?

Can the "devil's advocate" tell us all what federal law requires us to register our car?

[Sam Cree]

"how, from a 4th Amendment viewpoint, is registering your car different than registering your gun?"

It may not be that different. How would the citizens have reacted, back in our early days, if local government had tried registering all horses, wagons, coaches and buggies, charging money for each and giving everyone a tag with a number, to be attached at all times to their horses or vehicles.

[Bizhvywt]

Driving a car is a privilege. You don't have a right to drive a car. Privileges can be taken away; ie., you can lose your drivers license for cause.

Owning a gun is a right, in the Bill of Rights, and it is unconstitutional to take away the rights of a US citizen.

Gun Registration would be in violation of the IV Amendment regarding privacy and unreasonable search and seizures for non-compliance to registration.

Not even your car needs to be registered if it is only sitting in your garage.

[2nd_Amendment_Defender]

Registering your car is unConstitutional. It is a violation of the 4th Amendment. You have a right to privacy. Registering your firearms is also a violation of the 4th and 2nd Amendments.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

how, from a 4th Amendment viewpoint, is registering your car different than registering your gun?

I don't see a connection to the 4th amm. in my answer but if were using care registration analogy then this is the difference.

You only have to register you car if you will be driving it on public roads and you do not if you are driving only on your property or private property.

Therefore the gun registration analogy ony fits if you are carrying in public not owning one and keeping it at home.

[Technogeeb]

There are countless laws that call upon people to reveal to the government what they own and what they have in their homes

There can't be; any such law would be illegal under the 4th amendment.

[puddly]

Do you mind paying a tax to keep your gun? Who do you think will foot the bill long term.

[coloradan]

Putting aside questions regarding the historical linkage of gun registration to confiscation (which is part of the question here), how, from a 4th Amendment viewpoint, is registering your car different than registering your gun?

Car registration is used to collect money for the state to build and improve roads and to pay for street sweepers and snow plows; general day-to-day improvements for the benefit of drivers. But there is no ongoing day-by-day service that the government provides for the benefit of gun owners. Until such a time comes, any fees taken from gun owners can only be construed as a tool of law enforcement to use against gun owners, conflicting with the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, and unlike the case for cars. "We think you people, specifically, are potential criminals, and we will force you to disclose your possessions to us so that we can keep track of you and them - and we will make you pay us to do it."

[robmaki]

how is it registering a gun different from registering a car? well simple,,the constitution doesnt say we cant or can have a car,,, but the second amendment says the right to bear arms shall not be infringed,, and if i choose to not allow my guns to be registered,, what remedies does the government have to correct my behavior? take it away,, not let me have them? is that not infringing on my right when the constitution expressly forbids them from doing so?