A solution to mass shootings and gun rights debate

   Summary: I make two proposals that will hopefully satisfy both the gun-control activists as well as the gun-rights activists. These proposals are: a special sales tax on all gun sales to fund creation of a special police force to deal with mass shootings, and, mandatory gun ownership insurance sold by commercial companies to provide coverage to any victims of gun related incidents.  

    

   Readers will agree with me that we all feel shaken by mass shootings that are happening regularly and will also agree that we need to find a solution to reduce such incidents. However, there is no consensus on a possible solution. On one end of the spectrum we have gun control activists who want very strict gun laws and background checks. On the other end we have people who firmly believe that second amendment to the constitution guarantees their right to bear arms.  One example of such believers in gun rights is Texas senator Ted Cruz who recently said, "The number one thing that makes schools safer is having more armed police officers on campus. The number one thing that stops a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun".

    Finding a middle ground will require tough discussions and consensus building. I propose an interim solution till we reach a better solution.

     Let us start by accepting that the people represented by Ted Cruz will not compromise on their gun rights. Let us accept that the short term solution is to have more armed police officers on campus and other facilities. However, no one will dispute that someone has to fund these police officers. This funding should not come from government resources or general tax payers. I propose that this additional police force should be funded by a special sales tax on all gun sales transactions.

     However, even having a special police force will not guarantee that no such incidents will happen. We need to ensure that victims of any future mass shootings do not have to depend on the charity or the taxpayers for support.  My second proposal is that all gun owners should be required to buy liability insurance for each and every gun they own. Such insurance should be sold by commercial insurance companies and government should not intervene. Government should not decide what kind of gun one can own. Let market forces, through insurance companies, determine relative risk and insurance cost associated with a gun and a person.  This measure will ensure that victims do not become burden on general tax payers. The gun owners will get encouraged to take better care of their guns as they will be responsible for guns mishandled by their dependents, friends or family members. As riskier guns or larger number of guns will result in larger insurance premiums, gun owners will be encouraged to make more informed choices about what kind of gun and how many guns they want to own.

     I am confident that these two measures provide a good short term solution. I invite your comments and suggestions.