Washington voters in next month’s election will consider competing, incompatible gun-control measures that undoubtedly will lead to confusion. We’ll try to keep it simple: Vote “yes” on Initiative 594; vote “no” on I-591.
Of course, these are merely recommendations. As The Columbian routinely emphasizes, we trust voters to become informed about the issues, to employ due diligence, and then to cast a ballot that reflects their personal beliefs. There likely is no issue on this fall’s ballot that touches upon personal philosophy more directly than gun rights.
I-594, to quote the Voters’ Pamphlet, “would apply currently used criminal and public safety background checks by licensed dealers to all firearm sales and transfers, including gun show and online sales, with specific exceptions.” While Washington requires background checks for purchases at a gun store, such checks are not required at gun shows or for online purchases. Somebody who knows they cannot pass a background check — a felon, domestic abuser, or person with a history of mental illness — need not bother going to a gun dealer when they can attend a gun show and bypass background checks. This is an egregious loophole in the law.
Yet perhaps the best argument in favor of I-594 is provided by those who are opposed to it. The argument against the measure published in the Voters’ Pamphlet leads with “Initiative 594 is an unfunded mandate that diverts scarce law enforcement resources … .” Meanwhile, the financial impact statement for the measure indicates that state expenditures for the Department of Licensing over the next five years will be less than $1 million, and annual enforcement expenses for the state are estimated at $50,000, as are local expenditures. By focusing upon minor expenses for I-594, opponents are indicating that they have few arrows in their quiver — or should we say few bullets in their chamber?