A lot of how you feel about the gun laws largely depends on where you live, and likely your age, and probably your experiences. My own views have changed. Evolved really. When I was half my age, I probably would have called for stricter laws. But I've since learned that stricter laws don't necessarily work. One of the things that I learned in the Air Force is that is someone is determined enough, they're going to find a way in. Just like hackers. We tell people all the time that if someone felt their product was valuable enough for someone to steal it, they will find a way to do so. You can't stop them, but you can make it as difficult as possible. Terrorism works the same way. Clearly this couple - given the level of stuff they've since found - was determined and found a way to accomplish their goals. Would have stricter gun laws stopped them? Not likely. If they hadn't been able to acquire the guns, instead of gun victims, we'd be digging people out of the rubble of collapsed buildings instead.

Pretty much every one is part of some group that's done something wrong to some one else at some point in history. None of us want to be judged by the actions of a few in that group. As a gun owner, I certainly don't want to be judged by the actions of a few nuts. But no one wants to acknowledge that for all the guns out there, most are owned by responsible, mild-mannered ordinary people. Charlton Heston and the NRA doesn't help the issue either. And that's where I see the problem, not just in this issue, but in nearly everything political. The two sides are so politically opposite from each other, that they become stubborn and adopt an "all or nothing" approach with a scorched earth policy that does more damage. Then the media plays it up, making it even worse. That then feeds the public's perception of fear mongering, calling on their representatives to "do something" and the cycle repeats, and it just feeds on itself, until you get someone like Trump.

NeedSome - so no, I have zero confidence that politicians have the ability to enact a sensible solution, especially at the federal level.

-tg