I am a liberal. I voted for Dukakis, for God’s sake. I am so far left that Bernie Sanders does not go far enough.Image: USNewsI don’t need to restrict firearms. There are tens of millions of other liberals to ask for that. I would like to see:National reciprocity for concealed carry permits. Wait for Heller to be overturned or a new Amendment for a rebuttal. Meanwhile, Heller should be enforced as surely as gay marriage, women’s suffrage and abolition of Black slavery.Allow private sellers access to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). You want to require background checks for all firearms sales, including private face-to-face? Then individuals need free access to NICS like licensed dealers and law enforcement have. People should have this choice available to them already.Prosecute those who lie on background screenings. “In almost every case, these people can be prosecuted” (Politifact), but only 0.055% prosecution rate for those who fail. What’s the purpose of screening for prohibited persons such as convicted felons, if those prohibited persons are not prosecuted for breaking federal or state law by lying on forms? In my state, applicants must pay for their own federal background check and fingerprint check and registry. They shouldn’t.Uphold the thousands of existing gun laws against criminals, instead of penalizing law abiding citizens with new ones. If a violent felon is convicted to 15 years for illegal possession of a firearm, why are they now out to commit more crimes? (FAMM - Families Against Mandatory Minimums) Yes, keeping people out of the system saves money and may be good for families. So how does making more gun laws to break and creating millions more criminals with the stroke of a pen help? If you are willing to release a non-violent felon who illegally possessed a firearm because we should care about the impact on their families (FAMM), why do you want to jail a non-violent gun owner simply because he has a magazine that holds over 10 rounds?Increase penalties for use of a firearm in crimes. Sorry FAMM, and I do care about impacted family members of convicted criminals (FAMM - Why Should I Care?). As a liberal, I would increase social supports for underprivileged families so women and children do not need to be dependent on or stay with criminals, have convicts imprisoned within more reasonable distance of their homes, and allow/encourage family visits. With accommodations and family friendly events, even. If they don’t agree using an illegal handgun in commission of a robbery means an extra ten years on top of the robbery charge, perhaps criminals shouldn’t use guns or rob people.Free or affordable firearms handling and safety training to promote safer handling and storage of firearms, to avoid being a burden to exercise a Constitutional right, for the same reason people argue against requiring voter IDs for inner city minorities.Require secure storage of firearms to prevent access by unauthorized persons when not ready for immediate use. You sleep with your loaded handgun to be ready for a home invasion? I do. You keep an AR-15 or shotgun at hand at the computer? Sometimes. But I put them in the safe when I shower or leave home, because I’m the only one allowed to touch my guns. I have the keys for my safes and locks. I have private home security and various kinds of gun owner and liability insurance, too. If you can afford a $400 firearm and $18 a box for ammunition, you can afford a lock if one doesn’t come with your gun, or you can buy a small safe or clamp style cover for the trigger housing or action. Note: not electronic smart guns that fail when you need it.AR15 Lock, IC-Lock Ejection Port Gun Lock $27Image: ic13arms, eBay (I am not a representative or stakeholder of IC-LOCK.)Life Jacket Locking Firearm Safety Case LJ3 Shotgun Case $15.99Image: eBay (I am not a representative or stakeholder of Life Jacket.)I’ve taken time off work, and paid thousands of dollars to travel thousands of miles to go to the classes, taken the tests (100%), shot on the range (90-ish?), passed the federal background checks (in addition to all other background checks and random drug tests to be an education and health care worker), paid the fees, yet can carry a concealed weapon in only 33 states, and not my home state. What other Constitutional right does not apply nationwide?In my state at the time I first got my permit to acquire a firearm, state certified Hunter Education classes or other state approved firearms training (e.g. armed law enforcement or military service) were required prior to applying for a permit. The cost for the classes was normally $100, but the fee was waived due to a donation or grant. I was trained for free. Hell, if some donor is willing and able to shell out $100 per student, why can’t they give an extra $10 for a gun lock or $40 for a pistol safe? I bought my own 14 rifle safe and a pistol safe, but that was my choice.[Fun fact: at my hunter education class (2008), I noticed the older brother of a high school classmate in attendance. Purely by coincidence while looking at a sex offender registry much later, there he was. His listing is still current. Two counts, Sex Assault III, 2001. He’s a convicted felon and wouldn’t pass a background check.]Note I did not say, promote ownership of firearms. There may be firearms in 4 out of 10 homes in the US. Your children and loved ones are around guns accessible from other homes or while in other homes, regardless of lack of guns in your own home, vault like security for firearms you do own, or legal status of firearms in your community. Widespread firearms handling and safety training will have a societal benefit, even if it is as simple as children learning Don’t touch! Tell an adult! if they see a firearm unattended.