How can we regulate guns ... ?

What I mean is that you don't need a separate database to perform a background check. You don't need the FBI or any other institution to keep track of who has been run for eligibility to possess a firearm. Ever run a background check before? LOL. We aren't all sticks and mud over here you know. Of course the criminal stuff is part of a government database; anyone who does a background check accesses the court records when searching for convictions, arrests, etc. This happens on federal, state, and local levels.But these are records already kept and easily accessed. There is no reason to have the FBI keep a separate database.Jon

Whatever the case may be, there is simply no reason for the FBI to maintain a database of gun-owners.What would the purpose serve?Would it be worth the extra costs?Since the current system would adequately accomplish the things that RAZD and I have agreed are worth-while, I see no reason to add extra and unnecessary costs that have unclear benefits, and possible negative side-effectse.g., the scenario, however unlikely, you propose.Jon

It's unnecessary given the proposals on the table.

I don't understand what purpose this would serve.

But how serious of a problem is this? What percentage of guns used in crimes are actually obtained at gun shows?And what percentage of criminals who obtained their guns at a gun show had a background that would have disqualified them?Jon

You are jumping ahead; we haven't even covered the first set of policies in sufficient detail.Jon

In other words: you don't know what they are. Why? What would this accomplish?

So you have no answer to the question of how many guns used in crimes come from gun shows; and your solution of figuring out who owns what gun does nothing to actually stem gun violenceit just attempts to pass off/share culpability.Don't we want gun-control policies to at least have some sort of meaningful impact?You close the 'gun-show loophole'; so what? What does it accomplish?You figure out who owned the gun used to kill the young gang-banger; so what? What does it matter?Where is the real difference that your policies are supposed to be making?