3 Million Denied Firearms: Private Sellers Exempt From Background Checks - Research Paper

Introduction

In contemporary American society, the federally licensed firearm dealers are required by law to conduct a background check for the buyers to assess their mental health and criminal history before selling firearms to them. The process of conducting background checks for licensed firearm dealers has seen more than 3 million people denied access to weapons since its implementation (FCNL, 2019). However, the law does not call for private sellers or those selling via the internet to pass background checks on their customers. The democrats have made persistent calls towards the adoption of universal background checks on gun purchase policy. Universal background checks are legislations that intend to bar individuals or groups of people who are not legally allowed to buy firearms from purchasing them through private dealers (Palanza, 2019). It is, therefore, essential to understand and align the relationship between the philosophical principles of the Democratic Party and their policy position on universal background checks for gun purchase to appreciate their effort towards the critical issue of gun control in the country.

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One of the significant philosophical tenets of the democrat party is that the democrats should work for the common good of the people. Since the party focuses on liberalism, the democrats have the responsibility to look beyond their interest and focus on the actions and decisions that have a greater common interest (U.S. News, 2006). The Democratic Party also upholds the philosophical principle of positive right and the notion that members of the public have the right to get some things; those that the government is obligated to provide or create suitable conditions that support their provision (Reference, 2019). The Democratic Party, therefore, champions for expansion of the government and its increased participation in various areas of human activities. For instance, the Democrats hold a firm belief that the government has an instrumental role in ensuring that businesses and other institutions within the country serve the interests of the people as much as it can. The philosophical principles of the democrats are mostly in line with the policy of universal background checks that the party advocates.

The first issue that aligns with the policy of universal background checks on gun purchase is the issue of positive right and notion of government provision of some critical things. The public in the United States have a right to receive protection against injuries and violence that may accrue as a result of unauthorized people owning firearms. Since security is a positive right, the policy can be said to align with the critical philosophical principle of the party.

However, the policy regarding universal background checks for the purchase of guns does not align with the party's philosophical principle of working for the common good of the people. There are arguments that the universal background check on gun purchase is not a partisan issue. However, it is not also an issue that takes the interest of all the people in the country. Therefore, the principle, in this case, does not align with the policy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Democrats have played a significant role in addressing the issue of gun control in the country. Besides advocating for the background checks in the recent past, the Democrats have called for laws that allow the police to take guns from people judged to be dangerous by the judges in criminal justice. The democrats have also supported a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons and even a national ban on high capacity ammunition (Guskin & DeBonis, 2019). It is thus clear that the Democrat Party is working towards the realization of gun control and the enhancement of gun control in the country.

References

FCNL. (2019). Support Universal Background Checks. Retrieved from https://www.fcnl.org/updates/support-universal-background-checks-2201

Guskin, E., & DeBonis, M. (2019). Americans of both parties overwhelmingly support 'red flag' laws, expanded background checks for gun buyers, Washington Post-ABC News poll finds. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/americans-of-both-parties-overwhelmingly-support-red-flag-laws-expanded-gun-background-checks-washington-post-abc-news-poll-finds/2019/09/08/97208916-ca75-11e9-a4f3-c081a126de70_story.html

Palanza, L. (2019). Universal Background Checks Have Near Universal Youth Support | Harvard Political Review. Retrieved from https://harvardpolitics.com/united-states/universal-background-checks-have-near-universal-youth-support/

Reference. (2019). What Is the Philosophy of the Democratic Party? Retrieved from https://www.reference.com/government-politics/philosophy-democratic-party-a697ade5f3839730

U.S. News. (2006). Democratic party philosophy. Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/barone/2006/05/11/democratic-party-philosophy