I used to install security systems for the government and airports. One of the biggest problems for systems all over the country is the lack of integration. In the story below Barack Obama talks about how it's insane that a person on the no fly list can walk in and buy a gun with no problem. The biggest reason this is possible is that not all of the agency computer networks are connected. That's the easiest solution in my opinion to preventing individuals who obviously should not own a gun from buying one. It's these issues and loop holes that make not enforcing current gun laws more important than making new laws.
If they aren't enforcing current laws or able to cross reference databases between agencies right now, then why make new laws that also won't be enforced properly? The focus should be on enforcing current laws consistently and thoroughly.
When I'd go to work at an airport like Sacramento I'd verify that the no fly list was updating properly. I'd ensure that the spreadsheet that was shared between agencies was successfully imported into the database used by the security platform at the airport. There were times it didn't work and to be honest, many individuals on the no fly list would not have been flagged even if they had gone through security. These no fly list programs vary throughout the country.
One of the last things I was a part of when installing these systems was connecting the IRS security systems and ID cards all across the country. Databases in New Mexico, South Carolina, CA, etc would all sync. When an IRS employee traveled they can use their one ID badge to get into buildings all over the country, as well as use it to log into computers at each location. The ID badge is required to log into a pc by inserting into the keyboard and without it there is no access.
Another example of this was some work I did for the Veterans hospitals around the country. The systems allowed an employee in Jamaica Plains, MA to transfer to San Diego, CA and use the same ID. An administrator can assign specific doors online and the user would have access without ever having to interact with anyone. Imagine that but throughout the entire government and others. If used properly it could provide streamline access and auditing. Used wrong or improperly and it could cause more issues or provide a false sense of security not knowing something is not functioning properly.
In our daily pursuit of money and happiness we sometimes get moving too fast. Everything is moving so fast that sometimes we don't have time to complete everything. On top of that, everyone is stressed out because everything is more expensive and there is more competition for everything. People become desperate or give up and that leads to unspeakable acts. In addition to that so many different cultures are living together. Not all of these cultures agree with each other.
I digressed a lot writing this and it didn't turn out as intended. I was really just trying to point out that like Obama said, it's insane that someone on the no fly list can walk in and buy a gun. But, maybe instead of creating new gun laws; they should just enforce the ones they have and find ways to share information between agencies. I won't even get started on the lack of communication between the FBI and CIA.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/05/politics/barack-obama-guns-congress/index.html
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