The flaws in the the ammunition law are covered in this article. But the background check law is also stupid and does nothing to target the problem – indeed actually ignores the problem.

For example, the background check law makes a criminal of the seller if they transfer a gun when a buyer fails the background check. But, in the new laws, nothing happens about the buyer if they try to buy a gun and fail the background check. If the legislators were serious about addressing the real problem – criminals and the mentally ill – the background check law could have been made more effective by simply adding in a requirement for action against people who were trying to buy a gun but failed the background check. It is a logical 'next step' and there is no reason it should not be included.

There is no requirement for referral to or action by law enforcement if a person legally prohibited from possessing a gun tries to buy one. Why in the world would anyone support a law that carries no provision for arresting a criminal actively trying to buy a gun? There is no referral to social services if a person fails for mental health reasons – they are trying to buy a gun – which is supposedly the thing we are worried about – but the law completely ignores the 'red flag' warning. Why would anyone support a law that does not seek to help (or stop) a person who has been flagged as dangerous if they own a gun – who is actively trying to buy a gun? If you think this legislation is good, think about that when you see the media report one day that someone who committed a murder with a gun had failed a background check – and nothing was done about it at the time. A warning was available, but no one acted on it because this legislation didn't require it. Instead, the laws simply make criminals of otherwise law abiding citizens. There is an opportunity to implement helpful legislation, but instead the law just does 'something.' It makes criminals of honest citizens and ignores the criminals and mentally ill.

Dangerous. Unproductive. Stupid.

Wouldn't the time our legislators spent on these ineffective laws have been better spent increasing penalties and enforcement on people actually using a gun in a crime? Look at any recent news report on people using guns to commit crimes. If they didn't actually kill anyone, they are back on the street within days.