This is the thing that people who want "universal background checks" don´t understand, the overwhelming majority of gun sales that occur now without a background check are either already illegal (in which case changes to the law will have no impact) or they are between people who know more about each other than a background check would reveal. And in the vast majority of those latter sales the person making the sale would not even consider it if the person were someone who has much chance of ever being a mass shooter.

In a country that kills its children and denigrates fathers, what difference would this make?

Exactly, #1. Also, if you´re living in a state that doesn´t do background checks (but only police checks when you buy at a gun show or a gun dealer) nor register firearms to begin with, how would anyone know if you made a transaction?? If you already have (unregistered) firearms that you may have inherited, for example, without registration or background checks, how is anyone going to know about these transactions, which have been going on for years?

My husband and a friend plan to do work for a gentleman in exchange for firearms. This older man used to own a gun store and has a house literally full of guns. He cannot afford to pay for the work but is willing to exchange his inventory for work on his house. Providentially, my husband and his friend met this gentleman at a local shooting range. It´s a win win transaction, IMO

Universal background checks means universal registration and then confiscation. No thanks!!

Most people will not comply with this lunacy. Besides being unconstitutional, it intrudes into people´s lives in a way that would cause them to disrespect and foster contempt for the government. Rightfully so.

Too bad that doesn´t apply to Obama´s "sons."

It is scary that the GOP might cave in and agree to universal background checks, which, as poster 3 implied is a dangerous step toward universal registration. It´s likely that big brother already has the technology to survey residences and locate guns. That is also scary. Who´s to say a corrupt regime like Obama´s won´t use drones to identify gun owners then follow up wih a phone call or knock in your door if you refuse to voluntarily register?

Those who are pushing to close the "gun show loophole" don´t have a clue.

Simple...don´t abide by it.

In travels in the former Soviet states, I learned that the police WANTED laws that were impossible to live with, and never really enforced and widely ignored. This gave them the ability to arrest ANYONE for something, since EVERYONE broke some laws. If you were not causing them any problem - like maybe organising a political group - no arrest. As soon as you became an irritation - off to the gulag.

This about universal gun registration AND the ability to put away those that fail to comply, any time they choose to do it.

It will have ZERO effect on crime.

#9, you are exactly right. Big cities have laws against almost everything. Many are not enforced unless you do something to disturb the powers-that-be. This allows the administration/police to control the population.

Any vote for universal background checks is a vote for gun registration. People know this and those who don´t will by the time the election comes around. It will be the kiss of death to all from consevative areas that voted for it.

Compliance with registration has always been low where ever its tried. Look at the data from NY and NJ. Even AU. has admitted compliance was less than 25% to their gun ban. Look what happen in Canada with their long gun registration.

Why lose their job by voting for a bill that the majority will ignore? As been pointed out most states do not have any form of gun registration and the Federal Government is not allowed to compile a list of those who go through the instant check by Law. Universal background check would be meaningless. Use the 4473 form? Heck I sold that gun, it was stolen, lost it in a boating accident, freak outhouse fire ect.

The only reason to pass a universal background check would be to make outlaws out of the majority of gun owners.

Simple. Don´t obey the law. I´ll still give guns to my grandsons when they get old enough. I have a black powder rifle, two shotguns and a hand gun. I´ll be sure they get proper instructions on handling a gun and they get practice. I don´t care what liberals think. Our traditions will continue in spite of any law a liberal thinks he can pass to control us.

The issue is keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, terrorist and the mentally ill. Neither criminals not terrorist will be using the system since it is only pointed at the law abiding.

Without full medical history no background check is going to catch a nut job.

Lost them all when the boat capsized.

It won´t work, but that such a story gains any credence testifies to the fact that people are more in fear of their government than at any point in my pretty long lifetime. I visited my local Cabela´s yesterday. The ammo shelves are virtually empty except for shotgun shells which are still abundant. Sales of ammo and guns are driven wholly by fear.

#2 - and a country that is now killing citizens via drones.

Will drones be used within the national boundaries against anyone the govt suspects or doesn´t like, like the NRA leaders?

Register VOTERS--not gun owners.

The democrats have no interest in an orderly, verifiable voter registration system or the validity of the voter.

On the flip side, American patriots have no interest in participating in unconstitutional background checks and gun registration.

I had this one gun this one time that I loaned to an ex brother- in- law ( now deceased) who claimed to have traded it for a dog from this one guy whose name I never heard.

It´s not as simple as just not complying. If this gets passed into law, millions will immediately become law-breakers & when the moment comes that requires the use of the weapon, they will be burdened by the knowledge that they may be forfeiting their freedom in order to save their own or loved ones lives. If given a choice between being killed by some crackhead or having the spend years in prison with a bunch of crackheads, that´d be a tough decision for some of us.