The Obama administration has conducted informal discussions with groups from both ends of the gun-policy spectrum, including law enforcement and gun-rights organizations, and is set to hold formal meetings as early as this week in an effort to chart out a set of new firearms policies, administration officials say.

@funkmasterflex

Spearheaded by the Department of Justice, the talks were described by one individual involved in the discussions as a “feeling-out process.” With more official meetings set to begin shortly, they provide the clearest indication to date that the White House is readying a response to the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and 19 others at Tucson in early January.

“As the president said, we should focus on sound, effective steps that will keep guns out of the hands of the criminals, fugitives, people with serious mental illness, and others who have no business possessing a gun and who are prohibited by laws on the books from owning a gun,” Justice Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. “We will be meeting with stakeholders on all sides of the issue to discuss how we can find sensible, intelligent ways to make the country safer.”

The goal is to finalize a set of policy changes, including, perhaps, legislation that could pass through a Congress hostile to abridgments of Second Amendment rights. The last serious bite at the apple occurred following the shootings at Virginia Tech in April 2007.

In a Sunday op-ed for the Arizona Daily Star, President Barack Obama called for a three-pronged approach: enforcing the laws already on the books, including the National Instant Criminal Background Check System; pushing for greater state-to-state coordination; and expediting background checks and the release of relevant data.

“It was a promising sign that the president understands that 86 percent of the public, including around 80 percent of gun owners, think that a simple background check for every purchase includes next to zero burden for law-abiding citizens and can save countless live,” said Mark Glaze, the executive director of the coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG).

The contours laid out in the op-ed are similar to the plan currently being pushed by MAIG and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). Schumer, who has also been in touch with DOJ officials, held a press conference with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg several weeks ago announcing plans to beef up the national background-check system, including eliminating a loophole that allows individuals to buy firearms at gun shows without submitting to a background check.

Though official talks have not yet begun, the Obama administration is expected to aim mostly at such low-hanging fruit, leaving issues like the legality of the high-capacity magazine — which allows even pistols to fire more than 30 shots without reloading, and was used in the Tucson shootings in January — to remain unaddressed for the time being. The principal debate, then, will likely center around the application of background-check standards to private dealers.

“They have been meeting with us and also with law enforcement groups and industry,” one gun-control advocate said of the administration. “This is what the White House does when they want to put a serious legislative apparatus together … The game now becomes effectively demonstrating, in a way that is meaningful, what we know is the overwhelming support for universal background checks.”

Ever herd of de oldie days when ye chellenged a feller to a duel?

it is working perfectly in other countrys, like here in the uk, if guns were legal then every burglar will carry them around, but since their ilegall u dont see it, like 1 in 10 chance, and by all means if someone is robbing ur house u fight, even if ur un armed but if ur that scared just buy a dog, but i can understand if i was in us i would also have a gun because if thats what everyones carrying then u wanna keep it level, but if everyone had just their fists then so would i

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Guns are also for protection. You're acting like they're only used down in the 'hood to commit murder.

No not a boy scout hatchet.. A real hatchet. Love to see you say fail when a crackhead comes at you at a gas station pump with this..

Happened to a poor lady. Couldn't even defend herself.

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That made absolutely no sense. Who made statements like that and then backtrack? The fact that Switzerland has the most lenient gun laws, may make some people believe the crime rate increases. But in reality it has proven to have one the LOWEST crime rate of any country. Also the draft for the military helps keep this crime rate low. So before you dish out your meaningless "analysis" go do some research.

I have a Dobermann Pinscher. I'm not going to put my wife in jeopardy and try to tough it out with some crook. My Bushmaster will do the job.

how come we are doing fine here in uk without guns? and other countrys aswell, even the local police dont have guns, just tasers and cosh, because if they were legal then every mofo would have one and would be out causing trouble, u can protect yourself with your fists or even your house key, plus people wouldnt be out thinking:hitman: so u wont need protection,

i have a pitbull, and honestly he is a big pussssssss, he scared of people or weird objects, but i dont let any mofo tease my dog, i mean people think he is dangerouse but really if i was attacked, he would run like a cheetah, the point is people judge u by what they see, if they have heard u fight, or if they see u getting beat up but ur still fighting back, they wont try it with u because they always want the easy targets,like my friend has been bottled by a gang of blackk ypuths and they wanted his phone, but he smashed 2 of them in their faces, next time he saw them they dont try it because they know atleast 1 of them is gonna get hit

So you're saying that nobody gets shot?

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I don't trust a dog to protect my house. I've never had a problem, but I keep guns, just in case.. :p