Before you celebrate Obama's gun control speech

It all sounds good, doesn't it?

But, let's stop and think.

Finally, planning to fill a 6-year-old vacancy for ATF's head? That goes back to before you even became president. What took so long, Obama?

And prosecute more gun-purchase crimes? If this is such a good idea now, why hasn't it been such a good idea for the last four years? In the realistic world of law enforcement and jurisprudence, either you know this would be of limited effectiveness, and so this move is more grandstsanding than substance, or else you've been criminally negligent the past for years. Which is it?

In either case, you've only prosecuted about 70 out of about 7,000 gun-purchase violations. 

And, some, like the Obamacare "clarification," are small potatoes, indeed.

That said, per the more detailed article here, I do give a kudo for him having the appropriate federal agencies start investigating gun violence and mental health. Of course, they can investigate to their hearts' collective delight. The question is, what action will be taken based on any findings? And, even any investigation, beyond the most cursory, will require additional funding for the CDC, NIMH, etc. And, the power of the purse is still Congress's, not Obama's, for any new money. Obama can, of course, redistribute existing funds; of course, some of the GOP right would probably then push to cut CDC or NIMH funding by that same amount.

Also, before Obamiacs think about calling me a downer, let's remember that, in his last couple of years in the Illinois state senate, he was anything but tough on guns. And, he wasn't memorable for anything related to gun control during his four years in the US Senate. (Of course, he wasn't memorable for much of anything there other than planning on running for president.)

So, again, back to that "laundry list."

Two of its biggest items are inexcusable for being on that list in the first place.

Half of the remainder will require Congressional money for serious implementation.

Remember Jared Loughner? How much did Dear Leader speak about gun control after he shot Gabby Giffords?



Well, maybe that's a bit harsh, but is it really THAT harsh?

I don't think so.