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Gallop Poll: Support for Assault Weapons Ban at Record Low

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 5:56 am
by Skiprr
I'm as dubious of poll results as anyone, but they're a fact of life and, assuming the group conducting the poll has some semblance of experience and independent objectivism (I'll never even bother to look at a politically-related poll from Bloomberg or NBC, for example), they may be indicative of at least something. I came across this one when following a link dealing with new poll results about respect for police officers, and though it worth posting.
Gallup, October 26, 2016 wrote:The fewest Americans in 20 years favor making it illegal to manufacture, sell or possess semi-automatic guns known as assault rifles. Thirty-six percent now want an assault weapons ban, down from 44% in 2012 and 57% when Gallup first asked the question in 1996.
Despite my fingernails-on-blackboard aversion to "assault weapon" referring to popular semi-automatic sporting rifles, at least Gallup does clarify that they're talking about semi-autos and that the guns are "known as" rather than declaratively "are."

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Gallup, October 26, 2016 wrote:It is striking -- and unusual -- that fewer Democrats than ever support an assault weapons ban, since the Democratic Party has been instrumental in pushing for stricter gun laws.

However, it is worth noting that a majority of Americans still believe there should be stricter laws governing the sale of firearms, even as they are reluctant to endorse a ban on handguns and assault weapons. In general, a majority of Americans say they are dissatisfied with the nation's gun laws, furthering the complexity of this issue.
Link to the Gallup poll information: http://www.gallup.com/poll/196658/suppo ... d-low.aspx.

Re: Gallop Poll: Support for Assault Weapons Ban at Record Low

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 6:16 am
by AF-Odin
If most Americans were aware of how many laws are already on the books and ignored or simply not enforced, then they might have a different perspective. If they would only enforce the law regarding a felon in possession of a firearm and impose the max penalty everytime a case came up instead of this either not being charged or the first offense plea bargained away, we might see a drop in crimes involving firearms in places like Chicago. However, these numbers do indicate some degree of understanding MAY be dawning on some folks.

Re: Gallop Poll: Support for Assault Weapons Ban at Record Low

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 6:27 am
by TxRVer
It could be the general public is becoming more educated on what an "assault weapon" actually is. With that knowledge they may feel it's wrong to arbitrarily ban a gun because of the way it looks.