Martin O'Malley's Ridiculous Ideas about Gun Control

While I’m certain our forefathers would claim the exact opposite, Martin O’Malley argued yesterday that gun control is an integral part of the “American Dream.” 

Democratic candidate Martin O’Malley made a bold claim yesterday when he stated that his plans for gun control would cut “all deaths from gun violence in half – homicides, suicides, and accidents – within 10 years.” 

The first step in his program is to make sure a background check is performed before every gun purchase, “whether from a licensed dealer, online posting, or private sale.” However, recent tragedies have shown that passing a background check does not prevent criminals from obtaining weapons. Consider gunman John Russell Houser, the man who shot up a movie theater in Lafayette, or Virginia’s infamous Vester Lee Flanagan. 

O’Malley also promised that he would force gun dealers to adhere to gun control laws – laws that have not been passed by Congress. 

Step two in O’Malley’s plan is to require any person wanting to own a gun to obtain a “fingerprint-based license, including completing safety training and a waiting period.” 

This idea has also been proven inadequate, such as in the case of New Jersey’s Carol Bowne. She was stabbed to death by an ex-boyfriend while waiting for permission to purchase a gun in the name of self-defense. 

O’Malley did not specify how long his waiting period would be, but he did take some time to brag abut his actions as Governor of Maryland:

“In Maryland, we implemented some of the toughest measures in the nation o crack down on gun violence. The reforms we put in place included required licensing, fingerprinting, background checks, and safety training. We ensured that these requirements applied to all buyers, whether they were acquiring from a dealer, a secondary sale, or as a private gift.” 

“We took action to keep guns off the street and make them less deadly. We banned the sale of assault weapons and limited the size of magazines. And, if a firearm was lost or stolen, we required it to be reported immediately to law enforcement.”

Note that his “accomplishments” as Governor of Maryland did nothing to decrease gun violence in Baltimore. In fact, CBS reports that violence in Baltimore has reached “historic highs.” The city’s homicide figures for summer 2015 were over 50% higher than the previous year.