Where have gun control debates been in the past 5-10 years? Where has just that term - gun control - been in the past decade? For as many awful gun-related crimes and killings as there have been over these past ten years, it feels as if the term and potential legislation surrounding it have decided to hibernate for a decade, and only now is deciding to awaken.
Whenever I get into a debate regarding gun control, it feels as if a majority of the country look at me in fear and simultaneously shout back, "It's our 2nd Amendment right! ::mumbles something:: ...militia... ::grunts:: Yeah!"
What many of these people have had implanted in their brains is that ANY form of gun control would be another step toward the government talking over - that it'd be the start of tyranny. However, if you break things down with these people - don't refer to it as "gun control laws" - and specifically go through different forms of action concerning gun control, most seem to be fine with it. This reminds me of Obamacare. Largely due to funding from large corporations, dominating the radio waves, and being more apt to providing catchy slogans and talking points than Democrats, Republicans have gotten the best of their opposing party when it comes to term and image re-definition. Why is the term "liberal" rarely used anymore when a person describes themselves? The Republican Party successfully redefined it to provide the people at large with a negative image regarding the term. Obamacare is the same way. The Republican Party beat the Democratic Party at controlling the narrative. When people are asked about Obamacare, a slight majority oppose it. However, when people are asked about individual components of the bill - like not denying insurance to those with pre-existing conditions and kids being allowed on their parents' health insurance until they're 26 - they overwhelmingly support them. When we take into account these people seem to support most of what resides in Obamacare, yet simultaneously declare they don't approve of "Obamacare," it provides an interesting, yet confusing image and situation. If Democrats had controlled the narrative from the start and made certain people knew about all the good components of the bill, as opposed to allowing Republicans to cry out that it was a step toward socialism, that it'd lead to the killing of grandma, etc., we'd likely hear a majority of people supportive of "Obamacare" when asked about the bill by name. Republicans beat Democrats to the punch there, though, so even though a majority of people support most of what resides in the bill, when they're asked about the package all-together under the name Obamacare, they've been more apt to saying they're unsupportive of it.
The same is likely true with gun control. Republicans have beaten the Democrats to the punch on definition and image, so when a majority of people are asked about gun control laws in general, they're more apt to saying that they disapprove of such laws. However, when they're asked about potential acts of gun control specifically, they're more apt to supporting them. A new poll showcases just this.
In a Daily Kos/SEIU poll, the following questions were asked:
"Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the National Rifle Association?"
48% Favorable, 41% Unfavorable (Republicans at 71-19 and Tea Party at 86-9)
"Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the National Rifle Association?"
48% Favorable, 41% Unfavorable (Republicans at 71-19 and Tea Party at 86-9)
"Would you support or oppose requiring a criminal background check before any purchase of a gun?''
92% Support, 6% Oppose
"Would you support or oppose requiring a mental heath examination before any purchase of a gun?"
63% Support, 28% Oppose (even the Tea Party is in the plus at 49-42)
"Would you support or oppose banning assault weapons?"
63% Support, 32% Oppose (while Republicans are in the plus, the Tea Party is at 40-54)
"Would you support or oppose banning the sale of guns and bullets over the Internet?"
69% Support, 26% Oppose (Tea Party is at 54-38)
"Would you support or oppose closing the so-called 'gun-show loophole,' which allows unlicensed dealers to sell guns at gun shows without performing criminal background checks?"
76% Support, 19% Oppose (Tea Party at 66-30)
"Would you support or oppose prohibiting felons convicted of violent crimes from purchasing guns?"
94% Support, 5% Oppose
"Would you support or oppose banning high-capacity magazines on guns - magazines capable of holding more than ten bullets?"
64% Support, 31% Oppose (Republicans are in the plus and Tea Party is at 42-51)
"Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of hunting?"
73% Favorable, 16% Unfavorable
"Do you think assault weapons are necessary for hunting, or not?"
18% Necessary, 76% Not Necessary
"Are you more or less interested in owning a gun today than you were before last week's shooting in Connecticut, or has there been no change in your level of interest?"
22% More Interested, 30% Less Interested, 47% No Change (Republicans were at 33-20 and Tea Party at 40-16)
"Do you think the answer to gun-related violence is more widespread gun ownership or tighter restrictions on gun ownership?"
32% More Widespread Gun Ownership, 48% Tighter Restrictions, 20% Not Sure (Republicans at 42-38 and Tea Party at 55-28)
"Do you think the guns are a necessary check on government tyranny, or not?"
39% They Are, 40% They Are Not (Republicans at 51-28 and Tea Party at 65-17)
In the seven gun control measures that were asked about, the Republican Party supported all seven of them, while the Tea Party supported five of the seven. Yet, when the two parties were asked whether we should have more widespread gun ownership or tighter restrictions on gun ownership, a slight majority of Republicans were in favor of more widespread ownership and by almost a 2 : 1 ratio, the Tea Party felt similarly. This shows just how much the NRA and Republican leaders have won the gun control narrative. An overwhelming majority of Americans support all seven gun control measures when asked about them specifically, yet less than half of all Americans support "tighter restrictions on gun ownership" when given the option of that and "more widespread gun ownership." Moderates and liberals alike will need to try and alter the narrative, so that "gun control" is now seen as common-sense laws to decrease the chance a violent, criminal, and/or mentally deranged person can purchase a gun, as opposed to it being about the government stripping away 2nd Amendment rights from all Americans. Sane, responsible, law-abiding citizens are not who will be effected by such gun control measures. Hopefully Democrats, Independents, and some liberal and moderate Republicans will be able to illustrate that in the coming weeks, months, and years, so that we can pass strong legislation to help prevent attacks like the one in Newtown, Connecticut last week, from happening again.
32% More Widespread Gun Ownership, 48% Tighter Restrictions, 20% Not Sure (Republicans at 42-38 and Tea Party at 55-28)
"Do you think the guns are a necessary check on government tyranny, or not?"
39% They Are, 40% They Are Not (Republicans at 51-28 and Tea Party at 65-17)
In the seven gun control measures that were asked about, the Republican Party supported all seven of them, while the Tea Party supported five of the seven. Yet, when the two parties were asked whether we should have more widespread gun ownership or tighter restrictions on gun ownership, a slight majority of Republicans were in favor of more widespread ownership and by almost a 2 : 1 ratio, the Tea Party felt similarly. This shows just how much the NRA and Republican leaders have won the gun control narrative. An overwhelming majority of Americans support all seven gun control measures when asked about them specifically, yet less than half of all Americans support "tighter restrictions on gun ownership" when given the option of that and "more widespread gun ownership." Moderates and liberals alike will need to try and alter the narrative, so that "gun control" is now seen as common-sense laws to decrease the chance a violent, criminal, and/or mentally deranged person can purchase a gun, as opposed to it being about the government stripping away 2nd Amendment rights from all Americans. Sane, responsible, law-abiding citizens are not who will be effected by such gun control measures. Hopefully Democrats, Independents, and some liberal and moderate Republicans will be able to illustrate that in the coming weeks, months, and years, so that we can pass strong legislation to help prevent attacks like the one in Newtown, Connecticut last week, from happening again.
http://www.dailykos.com/polling/2012/12/18/US/148/DON5k
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