When Vice President Biden called in officials of the "gun lobby" so he could check the I-talked-to-the-NRA box, James Baker, NRA Director of Public Affairs, told the vice president that in 2009, "77,000 people tried to get through the NICS system to illegally buy a firearm. That is a crime, and only 70 of them have been prosecuted."

Before the vice president could respond, Attorney General Holder cut in. "We don't have the time or the resources to be going after these people."

If only the mainstream networks would accept ads from the NRA so statements like that could be brought into every home in the land. The administration does not bestir itself to enforce laws on the books for years while declaring they need vast new powers. Do they really wish to protect the children, or just posture?

Henry Percy is the nom de guerre for a technical writer living in Arizona. He may be reached at saler.50d@gmail.com.