Can we at least agree to outlaw bump stocks?

We have seen it after every mass killing. Democrats call for tighter restrictions on guns, and Republicans in control in Congress look the other way. It happened after Columbine. Aurora. Sandy Hook. Orlando. Now, Las Vegas. But despite the tremendous loss of lives at the hands of deranged gunmen, America’s gun laws have not changed. The divide is deep, but perhaps there is one area, in the wake of the worst mass killing in U.S. history, that members of both political parties can agree, and help keep our citizens safe. It appears Republicans in Washington may be at least open to having a discussion about the nation’s gun policies in the wake of the latest tragedy. We’re told the Vegas shooter had what are called “bump stocks” attached to some of his weapons. These are accessories that allow a person to turn a semi-automatic weapon into one which fires at rates mimicking automatic weapons. Now, fully automatic weapons, like machine guns, are outlawed for use by the public. But these bump stocks remain a perfectly legal after-market accessory that people can purchase. They are not outlawed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. That should change, and Congress should begin the process of outlawing these devices. Because if we can agree that fully automatic weapons should be illegal, then shouldn’t a device that turns a gun into a fully automatic weapon also be illegal?