“There are a lot more things that you could spend money on that could be more cost-effective and get to the root of the problem. Background checks might not really do anything,” John Lott told politico.com, “but if it’s going to make people feel better — a placebo effect — I guess it’s worth it.” Got it! Americans should allow infringement of their Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms so that people who oppose that right can feel better. [By Lott’s calculations, there were 43 convictions from the system in 2008.] That’s not a slippery slope; it’s a sheer drop. As proponents of civilian disarmament attempt to add mental health records to the FBI background check system and require ALL firearms sales to go through a NICS check, shouldn’t we be arguing that the entire system is a waste of time and money rather than arguing for exceptions?