A number of years ago, we, as a nation made it illegal to make or drink alcoholic beverages. That did not work out so well. The fact of the matter is, it caused far more problems than it fixed. Moreover, the only ones that stopped drinking were those who obeyed the law. The rest, those who had little or no regard for the law kept drinking.

To make matters worse, the criminal element started making money from the law. Some made the alcohol. Some smuggled it, in some cases in rowboats. Guess what, those guys with the little boats ended up making a fortune. It seemed they could still make the stuff in Canada, but only for export. In other words, the Canadians were making a bundle of money off the law, and I am sure it was not by accident.

It was a well-meaning law. If they had managed to dry up the country, it likely would have done a lot of good. However, good or bad, the law was worthless.

And now Joe wants to pass another useless law. He wants to outlaw ghost guns. Certainly, it is well-meaning, just as prohibition. However, it is just as useless; maybe less. Nowadays, we have the internet. Anyone who knows how to surf the web and has a few machinic skills can quickly start making guns in his basement, just as those who made gin in bathtubs.

Moreover, there is nothing stopping people from making them in Canada, Mexico or South America and smuggling them, maybe in rowboats or sailboats. I don’t think I am suggesting anything new. Indeed, there are likely those waiting for the opportunity. Then they can make their money off the ghost gun law just as effectively as the mobs made their money off the booze.

I do have two real suggestions that just might work better than the useless laws. First, and most important, enforce the laws they currently have. May I remind one and all, this means those who murder with or without guns. You might note, some have used hammers or baseball bats.

Secondly, don’t make it so hard to buy and use guns in self-defense.

It is not a perfect solution. Nothing ever is. However, making guns illegal is going to only ensure that us regular citizens will have no defense when those who do have guns show up in our Living rooms uninvited.

Incidentally, do we really want to spend all our tax dollars trying to enforce a worthless law?