Guns are a touchy subject. I’ve gotten more threats from the National Rifle Assn (NRA) than any organization in my life, and I had to deal with rock club and bar owners for 10 years. The money that the NRA pours into Virginia’s political races is astounding. It makes me want to talk about campaign finance reform, but that will wait for another day.
Virginia has some of the most lax gun laws in the nation and unfortunately we seem to be regaining our old reputation as a place where it’s easy for criminals to buy guns in bulk. That’s why I’m very interested in reinstating our “One Handgun a Month” policy. Unlike my opponent, Del. Michael Webert, who is making it easier, I think we need to make it more difficult for criminals and people who are mentally unfit to own a gun.
If you consider that the majority of gun deaths in Virginia are suicides, spending more money on mental health seems like the logical step in the right direction. Expanding Medicaid could go a long way to help those who need care.