THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT GUN CONFISCATION IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS ABOUT AS GOOD AT THAT AS IT IS AT EVERYTHING ELSE: California unable to disarm 19,700 felons and mentally ill people. “California authorities are empowered to seize weapons owned by convicted felons and people with mental illness, but staff shortages and funding cuts have left a backlog of more than 19,700 people to disarm, a law enforcement official said Tuesday.”