Politics aside, do you agree with Clinton's suggestion, recommending stricter background checks for those wanting to purchase weapons?

There has been entirely too much emphasis on more "malum prohibito" laws, which have no effect on criminals. More severe (and actually enforced) punishment for violation of "malum in se" laws against armed assault, robbery, rape, etc. would be far more beneficial.
As things stand, the agitation among the gun-haters in society is for more useless "regulations" that can only concern the law-abiding, and give further advantage to the criminals.
“A law which restricts the liberty of the innocent because of the behavior of the guilty, that rests on the principle that the conduct of criminals [or psychos] dictates the scope of liberty for the rest of society, in no sense ‘fights’ crime.”
For society has permitted its fear of crime, and craving for safety, to turn the force of law against the innocent and law-abiding. Far from fighting crime, the criminalization of otherwise innocent activities [ e.g. a peaceful citizen carrying a gun] represents a society in retreat from crime. This is a society desperately accommodating itself to crime.”
— Jeff Snyder

First lets be clear. In my opinion most laws already infringe upon the 2nd amendment. Having said that, you can't make a background stricter, you can do better at including mental illness. What we really need is national reciprocity. People are scared to drive across state lines for fear that the new state makes you a felon.

Anything to do with the constitution / amendments, should be federally regulated. No state can diminish the 1st amendment, so why do they get to play with the 2nd amendment?

There is a very simple reason why you are hearing about more background checks etc. . This is just another avenue down the slipper slope of Big Brother knowing everything about its own citizens. Making it more difficult for Law Abiding Citizens suits their hidden agenda, especially in the area of fire arms. The Less "We The People" have firearms the more the Political elite will take and control us. I have said this before it is coming from many directions. Privacy is at a premium so few have Privacy from many Local, State and Federal Government Agencies than we had as kids. It has been one little piece here and one little piece there for Decades. Now when you look at the whole picture, I mean really look at the whole picture of what Information they are collecting and saving on all citizens you should be worried and be against anything. I mean anything that gives these same parts of the government more of "Your Information". My bottom line is when they say Gun Control, Start thinking what this meant for citizens of other Nations and what it meant in deaths after these agendas where put through there. This Slippery Slope has to be stopped and reversed to Have our Constitutional Republic back, read up on this we were not created to be a Democracy to many people have forgotten or choose to ignore that fundamental part of the "United States of America" and we took an "Oath" on that constitution. Remember that!

Are we supposed to go through a background check like we're being investigated for a TS clearance? Come on now.

No

Not sure what stricter background checks would accomplish. There are background checks done already to make sure the person making the purchase is not a felon, not sure if they do a mental health check or not. When I purchased a handgun in NC, I had to get paperwork from the local sheriff that stated I was not a felon or had mental health issues that would preclude me from owning a firearm. What concerns me is using this as a means to deny law abiding citizens from owning firearms, while the criminals will still get theirs thru other means.

Let me preface my response by stating that I spent 18 months mobilized in charge or a small arms training detachment for deploying Soldiers. I myself learned not only to shoot expert with the M16A4 and M9, but also how to engage targets as far out as 500 meters effectively. I enjoy shooting and encourage everyone to purchase a firearm for defense and learn to use it responsibly.

That being said, I cringe every time I hear of a shooting by some mentally deranged individual. I believe more can and should be done to keep firearms out of the hands of those who would use them to kill innocents. I'm just not certain what specifically we should do.

I think back to when I commanded a basic training company at Fort Benning, GA in the early 2000s. If a Private didn't practice good muzzle discipline, he would get smoked to high heaven for his mistakes. I wish we could emphasize that point to the general public as weapon owners and trainers. We, more than anyone, want to ensure guns only go to responsible sane people.

Sp4 Byron Skinner. At the risk of being accused of changing the question the answer and loud YES. We have strict background checks out here in California and crimes committed using a fire arms have decreased. I will say at the risk of repeating myself. Every single firearm out there in a criminals hands was originally sold to some law baiting citizen just exercising her or his 2nd. Amendment rights.

No, we already do background checks for weapons purchases. You have heard people say that you can buy a gun on the internet. They are only telling you part of the story. The gun has to be sent to a licensed federal firearms dealer in your state. You must then go there fill out the proper paperwork and pass the background check before you leave with the weapon. What we really need is to enforce the laws already on the books, we don't need new ones.

The constitution affords us the right to own and bear arms. It don't put any restrictions on it. However I believe if a person is mentally unfit or have been convicted and done time for a felony there should be restrictions applied. I don't believe stronger vetting is necessary. I applied for a concealed carry and they denied it because one of my medications for nerve pain is an antidepressant. It had nothing to do with mental illness or any thing except for nerve pain. In my case it was wrong but in a lot of cases it would not. I think it is where you are vetted make a lot of difference. Criminals is where the most problem with gun problems are anyway. Just saying.