Handguns account for 52 percent of all murders, yet make up only 20 percent of all firearms in this country(Source 7). Handguns are appealing to criminals because they are relatively small and easy to conceal. The United States government needs to lower the amount of violent crime involving handguns. A waiting period must be mandatory

People are against radical handgun legislation such as the laws I proposed because they say that it is unconstitutional. Amendment II of the constitution of the United States of America reads “...the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”(Patterson Pg. A-16). When the founders of our nation wrote this amendment, they were protecting themselves against the danger of tyranny in the government, an institution they did not trust because of previous experience. They were not protecting themselves against regulations that would eliminate dangerous persons from owning concealed weapons, or regulations to ensure owners were educated and children made as safe as possible in homes with handguns. In conclusion, society will only benefit from these regulations.

Special interest groups play a major role in the politics of today. The National Rifle Association, or NRA, says that gun control legislation would infringe on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. The NRA, a prominent voice in the gun debate, also says firearm control measures wouldn’t be needed if lawmakers would enforce current law(Source 4). The Institute for Legislative Action, or ILA, is a section of the NRA that focuses primarily on legislative efforts in the states, as well as the nations capitol, and has become the primary power center in the NRA (Spitzer Pg.75). The ILA heavily influences elections and legislation, and are “...a major reason the United States has lagged behind other Western societies in its handgun control laws, although polls show most Americans favor such laws.”(Patterson Pg.258). A single-interest gun group like the NRA will do all in its power to stop this bill from becoming law. Its power lies soft money donations to a political party, as well as other types, to get what they want out of the government legislation. So far in the 2000 election, over $2,607,835 in contributions have been made by Gun Rights groups, with 92 percent of the contributions going to Republicans, with only $243,550 in contributions being made by gun control groups(Source 3). Republicans are generally against gun control, which is why they receive such a large sum of the contributions. As long as Interest groups like the ILA can buy their way into the American government and influence politicians to do their bidding, a Bill as radical as mine could never become law. The politicians that the ILA influenced can make sure of that during the long, complicated legislative process.

Crimes of passion are crimes committed in the heat of the moment and are influenced by emotion rather than being premeditated. A waiting period would dramatically lower the instances of crimes of passion because the seeker of a handgun would no longer be able to purchase one instantaneously. The waiting period will allow the person seeking the handgun time to calm him or herself and think rationally, rather than letti

Some topics in this essay:
Brady Law, United America, Germany England, Bill Bill, Gun Rights, House Senate, Pg75 ILA, Pg A-16, Chances Ratified, Association NRA, waiting period, legislative process, gun control, background check, purchase handgun, crimes passion, gun owner, handgun violence, prospective gun, sit bill, bill sit bill, waiting period background, handguns waiting period, prospective gun owner, period background check,