I like Beto, but he's kind of an idiot; here's why:

Every time Beto O'Rourke looks into his shaving mirror, I'm reasonably sure he sees Jack Kennedy staring back at him, and that's a problem. The left has dreamt, deep down in their hearts, of banning assault rifles and taking them away from those that already owned them since long before anybody knew where Columbine was. Beto said it out loud and proud, and it was going to be mandatory. This was going to be his man-on-the-moon-by-the-end-of-the-decade moment, and he just knew it. 

That's not going to happen, not in the way he described, no way, no how. That's why you haven't heard much from him since.

A lofty, worthy ideal to be sure, but impossible. However, a slight modification of his plan would appeal even to some serious wackadoos. My humble suggestion follows... First off, mandatory confiscation of guns will never work; you have to make it voluntary, and nothing works better than cold hard cash. Buybacks won't work unless you make them attractive. I propose a buyback at double, triple, or even quadruple the going rate of what they sell for. Every one out of the public is a win. Now, for every one still out there, be it in private hands or in a gun shop, institute a transfer tax that would make the bluest tax-and-spend Democrat cringe. If you absolutely feel you need an AR-15, you can get one, assuming you are willing to 1) pay through the nose for it, 2) submit to the most invasive background check you've ever had in your life, and 3) accept the fact that if your particular AR-15 is used in the commission of a crime, you are, not to put too fine a point on it, fucked. It won't even matter if it wasn't you pulling the trigger; it will actually be worse on you if it wasn't.

This, of course, is stolen right out of the GOP playbook. In case you didn't recognize it, I'd like to see the left do to assault rifles what the right wants to do to abortions; they're perfectly legal to have under your 2nd Amendment rights. You just might not find them convenient to get. You might not be comfortable with giving up the amount of information you'll have to to get one. You just plain might not be able to afford one. Sound familiar?

In conclusion, Beto, you've got good intentions; I respect that. Your problem lies with your average American not liking being told he can't have something, especially when a very broad reading of the Constitution tells them they're "entitled" to it. And that is you fail...