But when two individuals who advertised firearms on the Internet refused to conduct a transaction unless it was done in person, Waxman's instructions were to discontinue that phase of the investigation . McCarthy, on the other hand, is going so far as to try to use the release of the GAO report to further the attack on lawful gun shows , even though the investigation had nothing to do with them. In the end, the GAO investigation fails to do anything more than expose the problem of the ease in which criminals can create or obtain counterfeit identification .
Fake IDs are a national problem that allow criminals to evade all sorts of legal barriers.
Of course, we can expect the anti-gun extremists to point to the GAO report and call for all kinds of new restrictions, including licensing and registration schemes. Ultimately, this issue goes far beyond gun identification or gun purchases. The solution lies in state-issued driver licenses or ID cards that serve as the basis of identification for virtually all transactions of money, goods, and services. Some states are working to improve their identification systems, and have moved to address ID fraud with measures that confirm identity and residence before issuing IDs. Other measures, such as duplicate photos on the license, are effective in preventing tampering after issuance.