As a fellow responsible gun owner. I agree that there needs to be some checks/balances to verify the suitability of a purchaser to own firearms. My suggestion is we do this.

Every Drivers License/State ID has the following mandatory field added to it "Firearm Ownership Permitted: or "FOP" " with a Y, an N, or a blank.

When the drivers license is initially issued, the field is left blank. if a person wishes to purchase a firearm, they must provide proof of having completed a firearm safety course, and provide a document from a psychologist indicating that they have passed a basic mental health assessment. After doing these this and paying a fee, they will be re-issued a license with a "Y" and be able to purchase firearms legally.

If a person is accused of Domestic Violence, they must surrender their firearms/license and are issued a temporary license with an "N" until convicted of/exonerated of the DV charge.

If exonerated they will be returned their "Yes" license again if desired. If convicted of DV or a VIOLENT crime- after their release from prison they are issued a "NO" license and are banned for X years from owning/using a firearm. If they wish to re-establish their firearm ownership rights they have to complete x hours of community service, receive counseling, and undergo psychological testing and receive a positive report from the psychologist stating they are not a danger to themselves or others.

Now, if a person is caught in possession of a firearm with a "NO" license they are issued a fine, that fine progressively increases in severity each time they're caught with one until jail time. The point is a cop/person can't just plant a firearm in a felons car and send him to prison for life.

If a person is caught with an unloaded firearm(and no suitable ammunition) and tests negative for GSR with a "NO" license and is using that unloaded firearm during the commission of a crime, they are sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after 5 years. Upon release, they become ineligible to reapply for firearm ownership rights.

If a person is caught with a loaded firearm and a "No" license and is using it during the commission of a crime, they are sentenced to 20 years with the possibility of parole after 10 years.

If a person is caught with an unloaded firearm and a "YES" license and is using it during the commission of a crime, they are sentenced to 10 years, with the possibility of parole after 3 years.

After release they must wait an additional 3 years before they can attempt to restore their firearm ownership rights- If they wish to re-establish their firearm ownership rights they have to complete x hours of community service, attend/successfully complete a firearm safety class, receive counseling, and undergo psychological testing and continue working with a mental health professional until they receive a positive report from the mental health professional stating they are not a danger to themselves or others.

If a person is caught with a loaded firearm and a "YES" license and is using it during the commission of a crime, they are sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after x years. After parole they are ineligible to own a firearm.

This would a.) Prevent the creation of a national firearm ownership database, the federal government would only know which citizens are capable of owning firearms. This would prevent firearm seizure from ever being possible(which would be in line with what the founders wanted). b.) This would prevent non-violent crimes from being used as a reason to take away firearm ownership c.) It would establish a serious incentive NOT to use firearms(especially loaded ones) in the commission of a crime. This would make sure that the good guys are more likely to be carrying them than the bad guys, as the bad guys would be aware of the increased penalties for using them during a crime. d.) It would allow us to finally begin to look at