Posted on 02/09/2014 7:22:29 PM PST by neverdem
Fifty-five percent of Americans reported in a new Gallup poll that they are dissatisfied overall with American gun laws and policies, an increase from 51 percent in 2013 and just 42 percent in 2012.
But the most dramatic rise in dissatisfaction comes from the contingency of Americans who feel gun laws are too strict, rather than from those who think they aren't strict enough. This percentage jumped to 16 percent this year, a rate that more than triples the 5 percent recorded by Gallup last year. Meanwhile, the percentage of Americans favoring stricter gun laws fell seven points in 2014, from 38 to 31 percent.
The enormous growth of the gun-freedom caucus could in part be attributable to heavy lobbying efforts last year by the National Rifle Association and others. Sensing a groundswell of support for firearm restrictions in the wake of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., gun-rights groups reported lobbying to the tune of $12.2 million in 2013, according to data compiled by the Sunlight Foundation.
Gun-control groups spent five times as much on federal lobbying in 2013 as they did the year before, but the NRA and others still outpaced them by more than 7-to-1.
Catherine Mortensen, a spokeswoman for the NRA, said the poll results were not surprising. She said the boost in those wanting lighter restrictions came even despite heavy investment from gun-control groups on advertising last year. In direct contrast to federal lobbying, control groups outspent the NRA and others by a 7-to-1 margin ($14.1 million to $1.9 million) on advertising in 2013, according to data collected by Kantar Media.
"Billionaire gun control zealots such as Michael Bloomberg outspent us exponentially last year," she said in a statement. "However, their efforts failed to resonate with a majority of Americans that gun control laws are necessary. In fact, as Gallup shows, it has been counterproductive."
President Obama again called for tighter gun restrictions in his State of the Union address earlier this week, echoing the emotional plea he made in his address to Congress a year earlier after the tragedy wrought in Newtown. Consistent with the overall theme of his speech, Obama suggested he intends to tighten gun laws even if Congress doesn't send any gun legislation to his desk.
"Citizenship means standing up for the lives that gun violence steals from us each day," the president said Tuesday. "I have seen the courage of parents, students, pastors, and police officers all over this country who say, 'We are not afraid,' and I intend to keep trying, with or without Congress, to help stop more tragedies from visiting innocent Americans in our movie theaters, shopping malls, or schools like Sandy Hook."
The Senate failed last spring to pass legislation that would have expanded background checks, and the issue is widely viewed as a political nonstarter once again in Congress. Gun-control advocates did see some success last year in a few state houses, particularly in Colorado and Connecticut, but lawmakers choosing to support such legislation frequently face politically fatal backlash from the gun lobby.
Gallup's telephone interviews were conducted from Jan. 5-8 among a random sample of 1,018 adults. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Obama made us realize the # 2 reason why we need our guns, the first for peronal protection in a society where it may take 30 mins - hour + for the local PD to show up - tyranny
30 against 5
6 against 1
just to make it fair...
Obama made us realize the # 2 reason why we need our guns, the first for peronal protection in a society where it may take 30 mins - hour + for the local PD to show up. The second being tyranny.
Maybe there are people, previously under the mistaken belief that the “government” was competent and benevolent and could take care of them and protect them and make everything better.....actually realize that it can’t. Only they really can. And things are real.
Sitting here watching “The Walking Dead” earlier tonight and the stream of self reliance, preparedness, and, protecting yourself is so strong in it. Always has been. It’s great in that respect. Maybe it’s making some impact.
This is nice but the will of the people doesn’t seem to matter much when it conflicts with the leftist agenda.
So much for the lib agenda. This should be used to crush gun grabbing dems in the midterms!
I have never met a violent gun before. I have seen plenty of violent people however. I think people are figuring that out.
The last thing the “Democratic” Party cares about is the will of the American people.
Sorry Barry. "Citizenship" is different than being an American. You wouldn't understand.
No, he wouldn’t would he?
Need to see this breakdown by state. That will give us a better picture of this issue.
Switzerland has a very low crime rate because they don’t allow a lot of foreigners to immigrate. IIRC, a very large portion of the murders are committed by foreigners, too.
The majority of people were AGAINST Obamacare and the Rats passed it anyway.
Obama is neither an American nor a citizen. He is an illegal alien Muslim from Africa.
Ah, the stench of Marxism...
It’s amazing what the liberal media basically hides from the public.
You’d never get any sense of the mood like this regarding gun laws.
The last thing the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT cares about is the will of the American people.
My brother went Euro tripping with his college buds 3 years ago and he couldn’t forget while in Switzerland at a local grocery store (Lidl), the customers in line were carrying..hard not to notice. In the US, the clerk would have freaked out and called 911.
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