Call me a conspiracy theorist if you want, but it seems that the democrats' plan is:
1. Tell people "guns are bad" while ignoring the issues and mental illness behind all violent crimes. Make sure kids (the new generations) are especially scared of guns.
2. Make up terms like "assault weapons" and "gun violence" repeat them over and over until they are common place.
3. Limit which arms people are allowed to purchase or bring across state borders.
4. Continue to claim "guns are bad", and ignore the fact that law-abiding gun owners are inherently not criminals (and only criminals do crimes).
5. As the current older generations phase out, begin soft confiscation because "those old guns your parents left you are no longer safe".
6. Smile as you (governor, mayor, etc.) sign the next big gun ban bill.
7. Confiscate the remaining guns to ensure that the citizenry cannot protect themselves against your tyrannical rule.
8. Enslave everyone but the democrat elites in your socialist utopia aka George Orwell's "1984".
Facts:
1. Most gun deaths aren't "gun violence": CDC/Pew data shows ~55-62% of U.S. gun deaths are suicides, ~35% homicides. Homicides have fluctuated but gun homicides dropped significantly post-2021 peak. And law-abiding citizens don't murder people.
2. FBI data consistently shows handguns in the majority of gun homicides, not "assault weapons", which is a political term for semi-automatic rifles with cosmetic features; true machine guns (automatics) are heavily restricted already.
3. Overwhelming evidence shows criminals get guns via theft, black market, or straw purchases, bypassing laws. Studies of felons confirm most avoid legal channels. Law-abiding owners commit a tiny fraction of gun crimes.
4. Many mass shootings involve untreated mental health issues, family breakdown, or cultural factors. Focusing solely on tools ignores root causes like those in non-gun high-violence areas.
5. Guns do not kill people, people kill people. If a would-be criminal cannot access a gun, they can use a bomb, knife, vehicle, etc., or make a home-made improvised "gun". Look at cities and countries that have banned guns and see what the criminals' weapon of choice is there.
6. U.S. violent crime plummeted ~50%+ from early 1990s peaks while gun ownership rose and more states adopted shall-issue concealed carry. Recent spikes (pandemic era) correlated more with policy disruptions, riots, and enforcement changes than gun sales. High-ownership rural states often have lower homicide rates; urban areas with strict laws (Chicago, NYC) can have high rates due to gangs/drugs.