Guns Cost More Than Lives

“So you don’t want the government to run your life. You want to be free to make your own choices without interference from others. Well, I can understand that.”

“You want to speak your mind without censorship. Fair enough. To read anything you like. No problem there. You want to worship God or not worship God as you see fit. Who can argue with that?

“You want to wear a seat belt or not wear a seatbelt as you choose. Hold on. Wait a minute. I’ve got a problem with that one. That’s going to cost me money. If you’re not wearing a seat belt, your injuries are going to be more severe and your treatment more costly than if you were strapped in. If you have a head injury, your rehabilitation may extend over years, if not the rest of your life.”

“Your stupid decision not to wear a seat belt will raise other people’s insurance rates and perhaps use Medicaid funds created by public taxes.”

Gun injuries have the same problem. According to USA Today (3/5/13), gunshot wounds and deaths cost Americans $12 billion each year as a result of court proceedings, insurance costs, and hospitalizations paid for by governmental health programs.

Ted Miller of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation breaks down the costs as follows: $5.4 billion in tax revenue due to lost work; $4.7 billion in court costs; $1.4 billion in Medicare and Medicaid costs for gunshot injuries and deaths; $180 million in mental health expenses for gunshot victims; $224 million processing insurance claims; and $133 million spent responding to shooting injuries.

Make no mistake. People who claim that guns keep the government out of their lives also create the need for government to pay for medical treatment of gun injuries.

Miller found that Medicaid covers 28 percent of hospital admissions for firearm injuries; 37 percent of the days spend in the hospital for these injuries; and 42 percent of the medical costs.

And these costs for medical care, psychiatric care, court cases, insurance, and emergency transport created as a result of gun injuries are increasing rapidly. According to Miller, in 1992, medical costs associated with a fatal shooting averaged $14,500. By 2010, these expenses had almost doubled to $28,700.

 “So, you’re a gun owner who thinks of himself as a fiscal conservative. You don’t like the government wasting your tax money. Well, then, follow your own advice. Stop wasting tax money. Support gun safety measures that will reduce injuries and the cost of treating those injuries."

"Support restrictions on 'straw purchases' that allow people with no criminal records to purchase firearms and pass them along to criminals. Support universal background checks to prevent felons and mentally disturbed people from acquiring firearms and wreaking havoc upon innocent victims.”

 “Stop thinking about yourself for once.  Try thinking about other people for a change. Think about the cost and anguish created for others by unrestricted gun use.”