Cutting ATF Regulations

So, according to the Washington Post we have the #2 man at the ATF basically saying, "Ya, know what? We have some really useless regulations on the books and it's about time we trimmed the fat". Now with that alone most of you are thinking, "Really? It took you this long to get there?" Really we are probably just seeing the "Trump Effect" here and this gentleman has probably waited for years trying to get a sympathetic president in office so he didn't waste his only shot at this. But that's not really what I want to say.

Since we're trimming the fat why don't we take a look at even more ways to curb things. I get the purpose of the ATF, I really do. Having been in the gun business, on one way or another, for the past 18 years I have some insights into what businesses have to go through in order to stay in the ATF's good graces. Enough so that is has prompted me to give up my FFL and start letting others bare that burden.

The background check form, the 4473, I believe requires more information than necessary. If you're going to use the FBI to do background checks (NICS system) shouldn't they be responsible for collecting enough information from the dealer and be responsible for making sure everything is correct? Why should the dealer be responsible for every piece of information a year after it has been collected? Seems like we could cut a lot of regulations from the ATF just by making the FBI responsible for the check they preformed. This way the ATF and FBI can communicate between themselves. If there is any discrepancy then...they're the FBI...this is kind of what they do. The dealer always has the right to refuse service to any customer but let's not keep trivial regulations on the dealer when the FBI should already have needed information on file.

So, gut the form 4473 to it's basic information. Only the info needed to do the background check and the firearm's information. Since it's the clerks responsibility to collect that information stop making the customer fill it out half the form. With a driver's license the salesman has all the info he needs for the background check so there's no need to leave it in the hands of a customer to make mistakes on. Mistakes the dealer will be held responsible for.

I'm not saying the system needs to be abolished. It needs an overhaul. Right now it's cluttered and responsibilities are spread where it should never have been. We could keep all needed information and cut three pages down to a single page. Where we should be concentrating on important information we have a laser focus on trivial things like abbreviations.

You want to cut regulation? How about you start with some that are choking the life out of the small, Mom and Pop, businesses? They don't have the man power to have someone dedicated to just keeping the records or teams of lawyers on hand like the big box stores. In many instances "Pop" is doing it all himself. Heck, many wanted to criticize Walmart a few years ago for taking gun sales out of some of their stores. This chaotic system is why.

So, let's reform the way the system works and make it work better for all those involved.