The National Rifle Association has always supported including the records of individuals adjudicated mentally defective into the National Instant Background Check System. We believe that the NICS should serve the intent of Congress, which is to prohibit the legal sale of firearms to criminals and other prohibited persons...
I don't suppose it's occurred to anyone that there is no Constitutional provision for the government to involve itself in this, and I suppose the political will is such that being involved to steer the direction this takes can be defended by some as "pragmatic."
And, seeing as how these folks believe there's nothing we can politically do (for now) regarding background checks, God forbid we should even discuss alternatives that would identify "prohibited persons" that would not create any record of the purchase or purchaser.
Some have made arguments that this really creates no new powers. Perhaps. But it does "legitimize" (and fund) ones that have been usurped, and gives our enemies firmer ground on which to stand to pursue their next assault.
Can any of the defenders of this bill and NICS in general look us in the eye and assure us that such records will never be used to create a permanent gun registration database? Even if Hillary (or Obama, or...) wins and the democrats have control of both houses? Or that, once included on the "prohibited" list from purchasing a gun--demands won't be made for "common sense" legislation to remove any existing guns from the homes of such persons, or the gun owners who live with them?
And I'll repeat myself: Anyone who can't be trusted with a gun can't be trusted without a custodian. But I will add a caution as to just who it is that gets to do the trusting.