EXTRA: $1,000 a bullet?

I had a friend who once joked (semi-seriously) about an alternative to gun control he believed would actually work.

DAVIS: Trying again on ammo tax hike

“Give guns away, but charge people exorbitant prices for ammunition,” he said “Charge $1,000 for every bullet, and people will think twice before firing a shot.

“IT WOULD BE too expensive to go around killing people,” he quipped.

Which makes me wonder if Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., has heard the same theory. He is sponsoring a bill (and has the support of Democratic gubernatorial Chris Kennedy) that calls for federal excise taxes on gun shells and cartridges from 11 percent to 50 percent.

Make it too costly to waste a shot on something stupid.

As to whether it has a chance of passing into law, one should keep in mind that this isn’t the first time Davis has touted this concept. He tried in 2014, and the bill never even came up for review.

WITH THE CURRENT partisan leanings of Congress, it’s not likely anybody cares what Davis would want on this issue.

But it is an issue to consider, particularly since Davis’ bill would use money from the tax to fund anti-violence programs.

And it probably will take some drastic, completely unheard of, action to break the cycle of violence which certain segments of our society seem to be determined to live.

While the $1,000 per round may not be realistic, it seems the actual cost ($149 for 1,000 9mm shells is one price I found Monday on the Internet) is way too accessible to the public.

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