Liberals are so creative. The latest scheme to get so-called assault weapons off the street is to offer a tax credit. Dr. Susan Berry on Breitbart writes:

“Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced a bill on Monday that, if passed, would give a $2,000 tax credit, over a two-year period, for owners of ‘assault weapons’ who turn their guns in to police.

“According to DeLauro, the proposed legislation, called the SAFER (Support Assault Firearm Elimination and Reduction) Street Act, ‘is based on an idea that was brought to me by a small-business man in my district’ who is a veteran and the owner of an AR-15 rifle.’”

A tax credit is different from a tax deduction. A deduction reduces the amount of income that is taxed. A credit actually reduces your taxes. A tax credit is a good deal. If you have a tax bill of $5000 and a credit of $1000, you save 20 percent on your taxes.

If I could purchase an assault weapon for less than $2000, I could make some money. Let’s say I purchase an assault weapon for $1500 and get a tax credit of $2000. That’s a 75 percent return on my money. That’s a deal I’d do all day long.

I could buy up used assault weapons at under $1000, turn them in, get my tax credit and double my money.

It’s probably safe to say that people who own an assault weapon and could take advantage of the tax credit are most likely law-abiding citizens. They have jobs. They’re not the problem. We’ve been hearing that 47 percent of Americans don’t pay any federal income tax. What’s their incentive to turn in an assault weapon? There’s no use even stealing them to turn them in since they won’t get cash like they do in a number of city buy-back programs.

The last few shooters didn’t have jobs. Adam Lanza lived at home with his mother. The Columbine shooters were students who lived at home with their parents.

These shooters are social misfits who are probably part of the 47 percent. The tax credit isn’t going to do them any good because they don’t make enough money to take advantage of it.

What about gang members? If they were gainfully employed, they wouldn’t be in a gang. They, too, don’t pay taxes.

DeLauro goes on to say:

“We need to establish a stronger, more comprehensive system of criminal background checks for all gun purchasers. We must make gun trafficking a federal crime. And we need to ensure better access to quality mental health care, and strengthen programs and funding so that all our communities have mental health resources for those in need.”

Criminals steal guns. They don’t need to go to gun shows. If they know how to purchase illegal drugs or even legal stolen property, what makes Ms. DeLauro think they won’t be able to buy illegal guns?

I’m still nervous about this whole “mental health” thing, especially with doctors being enlisted to ask about guns. Liberals think conservatives are mentally ill, and vice versa. A doctor might think that two guns in the house is an indication of paranoia. Will a government official deem the two-gun owner a danger to himself, his family, and others? Will the guns be confiscate? The children put into state care? Yikes! Did I just show signs of paranoia?