The Missouri Congress (yes, both houses) recently passed a resolution to nullify all existing federal gun laws, among other things, like lower the age to apply for a CCW permit from 21 to 19. This is completely different from other "Firearms Freedom Acts" which only promised to nullify future laws. The scandal involving the CCW database being compromised and given to the feds earlier this year must've really struck a nerve. I've never seen such a rapid unity of action in politics since 9/11, especially at the state level. They have a supermajority, so they can override Nixon if he vetoes it. However, even if it passes, I think it'll most likely end up the same way California's cannabis did: federal agents arresting people who decided to do something anyway, then the courts siding with the feds under the supremacy clause.
The gun debate is rapidly becoming as heated as slavery in 1860, though material not human property is being targeted. Anyone who's read "Battle Cry of Freedom" can see instant parallels. Should we abolish slavery for good, or only prohibit its expansion? How much power do the states have over this when compared to the feds? Is property ownership of any kind an inalienable right? Why? Replace references to slavery with "gun" or "the 2nd Amendment." No other single issue since Jim Crow has divided so many social groups, particularly those in government who are now making policy adjustments to reflect their views (policemen, both for and against guns, for example).
However, the gun debate is only a symptom of the problem, one that would take volumes of books to appropriately explain. In short: we don't understand them and they don't understand us, nor do either parties want to.
