President Barack Obama has threatened to use the power of his office to override the US Congress and bring about better gun control.

The nation has been afflicted by numerous mass shootings in recent years with the loss of countless innocent lives, including tragedies in schools and places of business throughout the land.

Despite the heavy loss of life, mainly as a result of guns falling into the hands of people with criminal intent or who have mental disorders, America is torn apart on the issue of gun control, which many feel will short circuit their constitutional right to own and purchase weapons of their choice.

The problem runs far deeper than the Second Amendment of the US constitution, which allows one to be armed as a right. What has created most of the debate has been whether powerful weapons, usually found on battle fields, should be in households without detailed documentation concerning ownership and how weapons are secured.

The problem escalates when guns are so plentiful within an almost wild-west environment; seeking a solution is not far from attempting to give an exact number of celestial bodies in the universe. President Obama knows that unless something is done to significantly improve gun control, making it far more difficult for guns to fall into wrong hands, it will be only a matter of time before he is called to deal with yet another deadly shooting incident.

Throughout his presidency he has often performed that painful duty and now feels that without action from Congress to enhance gun control, he is willing to act without them.

How that will be achieved will depend on legal complexities in the justice system as it relates to the constitution.

The issue could become more explosive than immigration policies, especially with an election looming and presidential candidates launching blistering attacks on each other over who would be best suited to handle a number of issues, including the dark cloud of terrorism that concerns much of the world. The American gun controversy is not just focused on mass shootings, which of course seems to top the list. With so many guns everywhere, there is debate over the fact that access to guns without proper background checks has allowed people suspected of possible terrorist links to purchase weapons through loopholes in the checking system for gun sales across the nation.

Although the powerful and influential National Rifle Association frowns on efforts to implement tighter gun controls, many Americans who have lost relatives and friends through acts of gun madness support the President’s initiatives and are calling for change in the nation’s gun policies.

Little change is expected, with so many pro-gun groups willing to fight to keep things as they are. Not a pretty picture for those demanding better gun laws. Apart from acts of mass killings, sometimes linked to terrorism in America, many children die each year through having access to guns in the home as a result of weapons not being properly secured. It is a massive undertaking to alter the thinking of those who cherish owning a gun more than life itself. The old wild west fever that swept through most of America and put owning a gun as common as owning a pair of shoes might be part of the reason for the current dilemma.

Many nations, including Australia, Japan and Great Britain, have strict laws that prohibit ownership of powerful weapons and these restrictions have resulted in a sharp decline in gun crimes.

Whether President Obama will be able to persuade America that the day of the gun society is over and that something needs to change in how guns are viewed in everyday community life, will be a tough hill to climb. Some States are struggling to get tougher gun laws, while others are allowing citizens to carry guns openly, almost as part of a dress code. Many Americans are distressed that even after the brutal killing of school children and teachers by a crazed gunman a couple of years ago, there is still so much resistance to trying to improve gun control in a nation where it is practically out of control.

In a sense, the gun culture is deeply embedded and the President faces an enormous task in trying to at least make it far more difficult for criminals and mentally disturbed people to get hold of guns and pull the trigger.

The mere fact President Obama has nothing to lose in his final year in office, and is willing to have another go at gun control with or without congress, should send a message to all: that despite opposition from gun lobbyists, the problem must be addressed with more determination if America is serious about being a safer country.