why on Earth are we gun owners in such a poor strategic position?
My perspective on that is that basically, we are, or were, just a bunch of hobbyists. It is only lately (call it 30-40 years) that we have re-awakened to the possibility that our assorted firearms were for anything but "sporting purposes."
Hence the recent catchphrase, "The second Amendment ain't about hunting."
On the other hand, there has been a long term push from statists* to eliminate the possibility that the original purpose of the second Amendment might be exercised.
And with the growth of the cities, residents therein had (or have) little opportunity to plink tin cans off the back of their porches. So the "hobbyists" have naturally been reduced in number.
And it is only recently that demand for self-protection in the crime-ridden cities has resulted in the concealed carry movement and awakened others, including of course, city dwellers, to the notion that the second Amendment might possibly mean what it says, in the broader political sense.
Still, with the acculturation to the idea that the second Amendment
doesn't mean what it says, we have compromise after compromise. A nibbling away, as it were, at the piece of cheese called personal freedom and responsibility.
"We," whomever "we" is, are now in the position where, to many of us on this board, GCA 68 is certainly within the bounds of "reasonable regulation."
But.
And this is an important but, the "statists" whomever they are, have a completely different notion of what is "reasonable" from thee and me.
Or hopefully, "thee."
That's my perspective on it from my 77 years, and possibly why Mr. Trump is now a candidate for the Presidency.
Terry, 230RN
* I was sore tempted to use the term "professional statists" here.