I see this has devolved into a typical us vs. them gun argument which papers over the whole point of the OP: that the NRA and their cronies are playing a game by de-fanging the ATF, and then when pressed they disingenuously claim all we need to do is let the ATF do its job (it's the whole "laws on the books" fallacy). And, as pointed out, the restrictions put on the ATF are absurd.
And I'm supposed to go along with this ridiculous shell game?