How to Write a Meaningless Law

Kevin Drum on How to Write a Meaningless Law Unfortunately it's about gun control.

"Currently, licensed firearms dealers are required to conduct a background check before they can sell you a gun. The FBI conducts the check but deletes its record of the inquiry within 24 hours. The only place that records are maintained longer than that is with the dealers themselves. Private transactions, often done at gun shows, don't require any background check at all."

"Senators negotiating a bill mandating background checks for all gun buyers are privately expecting the National Rifle Association not to fight the measure — provided the legislation does not require private gun sellers to maintain records of the checks, NBC News has learned."

"Under these conditions there would be no way to enforce the law. If you suspected someone of selling a gun privately without conducting a background check, they'd simply tell you that they did, but they didn't keep the record. The FBI wouldn't be of any help, since they're required to destroy all their records. And that would be that."

As Rachel Maddow pointed out last night, 91% of the public supports background checks. In the blog Steve Benen wrote, "Put it this way: support for expanded background checks is greater than support for monotheism and capitalism." On her show she included "vacations".