Obama pushes to extend gun background checks to Social Security

[SecularMotion]

Seeking tighter controls over firearm purchases, the Obama administration is pushing to ban Social Security beneficiaries from owning guns if they lack the mental capacity to manage their own affairs, a move that could affect millions whose monthly disability payments are handled by others.

The push is intended to bring the Social Security Administration in line with laws regulating who gets reported to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, which is used to prevent gun sales to felons, drug addicts, immigrants in the country illegally and others.

A potentially large group within Social Security are people who, in the language of federal gun laws, are unable to manage their own affairs due to "marked subnormal intelligence, or mental illness, incompetency, condition, or disease."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-gun-law-20150718-story.html?ref=yfp#page=1

[Shamash]

1. Yes, but how many gun control advocates are going to be buying guns? n/t

[gwheezie]

2. I do think if you are incompetent you shouldn't buy a gun

I would not tie it to ss. There should be a way to include that in the database via the court
I've witnessed the competency process dozens of times. It's not very easy to accomplish.

[gejohnston]

6. the idea is same way the VA does

if someone is assigned to manage your finances for you.
My question is how many people on SSI or SS can afford a gun or a box of shells after paying rent, food etc. It kind of reminds me of the Republicans and their drug testing for welfare recipients and being amazed to find that after paying for necessities, you don't have money left over for intoxicants of any kind.

[Eleanors38]

3. If a SS recipient is suspected of being incompetent and dangerous while in posession of a gun,

the recipient should be so notified and a hearing date posted so that due process is assured.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

4. I wonder what the GOP might do with such a precedent?

"Too incompetent to own a gun? Then you're obviously too incompetent to vote," they might say.

Who, then, will be hurt first? Gun owners or the Democratic party?

[n2doc]

5. Faux News has already dropped the "if they lack the mental capacity…" part

So they can scare all SS recipients - Obama is gonna take yer guns!

Bad move, politically.

[gejohnston]

7. more than just Faux

it spread to all but the best gun blogs.

[ileus]

8. So a wheelchair would equal easy victim under these rules???

[Nuclear Unicorn]

9. Post #5