The issue of gun ownership stirs passionate responses on both sides . Congress has passed the Brady Bill , the first legislation since 1968 , mandating a five - day wait on the sale of a handgun , giving law enforcement authorities time to check the buyer 's background . The NRA , with 3.3 million members , claims that legislation will not stem crime ; the solution is stiffer penalties , longer sentences and abolition of parole . Further they believe that gun ownership is necessary to prevent takeover by a despotic government . Second, the NRA's insistence on combating any gun control, even that viewed as reasonable by a majority not just of the US population but of gun-owners, has driven away some former political and police supporters. The Second Amendment is their rallying point . Gun Control has become a pivotal issue in many elections , influencing who wins , who loses .
The issue of gun ownership stirs passionate responses on both sides . Congress has passed the Brady Bill , the first legislation since 1968 , mandating a five - day wait on the sale of a handgun , giving law enforcement authorities time to check the buyer 's background . The NRA , with 3.3 million members , claims that legislation will not stem crime ; the solution is stiffer penalties , longer sentences and abolition of parole . Further they believe that gun ownership is necessary to prevent takeover by a despotic government . The Second Amendment is their rallying point . Gun Control has become a pivotal issue in many elections , influencing who wins , who loses .