“Would you support or oppose a U.S. Senator who voted to confirm a Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court who does not believe in the right to keep and bear arms and the right to self-defense?”
Fifty-two percent of American voters would oppose the re-election of any Senator who votes to confirm a Supreme Court nominee who does not believe in the right to keep and bear arms. Only 26 percent of voters would support such a Senator.
Among Independent voters, 57 percent would oppose such a Senator, and only 17 percent would support. Forty-nine percent of young voters (age 18-29) would oppose a Senator who votes to confirm a nominee who does not believe Second Amendment rights apply to all Americans, and just 31 percent would support such a Senator. A plurality of Hispanic voters (42 percent) would oppose such a Senator, and only 28 percent would support. A large percentage of Hispanics (30 percent) are not sure. A majority of union members (54 percent) would also oppose, and 29 percent would support.
It gets better:
“Currently, 39 states have laws that allow residents to carry firearms to protect themselves, only if they pass a background check and pay a fee to cover administrative costs. Most of those states also require applicants to have firearms safety training. Do you support or oppose this law?”
An overwhelming majority of Americans (83 percent) support concealed-carry laws, while only 11 percent oppose them. A majority of Independent voters (86 percent), Democrats (80 percent), young voters age 18-29 (83 percent), Hispanic voters (80 percent), and those who voted for President Obama (80 percent) support the right to carry a firearm.
I think this problem is one of Brady’s own making, actually. What this poll would seem to indicate, once you say the magic word of “background check” the American people seem relatively willing to let people do what they want when it comes to firearms.
Its all about how you ask the question. I fear that if the question was something like ““Would you support or oppose a U.S. Senator who voted to confirm a Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court who believes the right to keep and bear arms must be balanced agains the needs of law enforcement?” the results would be much less heartening.
The gungrabbers know as well as anyone that the battle is as much is the rhetoric as it is in the underlying political idiology. Thats where ‘common sense gun control’ came from.
Sebastian, I can see why you would like those numbers but do they seem credible to you? 83% in favor of concealed carry, to me sounds absolutely impossible.
One poll is statistically a blip until supported over time by multiple polls from multiple pollers.
I think the “background check” and “safety training” wording is tilting the polling. Not that I have anything against the two, actually.
Mikeb,
That’s because you’re a pathological liar trolling for hits on your site. You also dismiss the FBI reports as ‘doctored’ but regurgitate anything from paid anti-gun advocates as gospel.
MikeB:
It’s a poll, which means it’s all about how you ask the question. If you want a lower result, all you have to do is ask the question differently.
TP:
What gives you the idea MikeB is a troll? I think Jadegold, as the true master in the art, would take exception.
The Brady’s claim that polls demonstrate that an “overwhelming majority” of Americans support gun control, while the NRA claims that polls demonstrate overwhelming support for the right to keep and bear arms.
It’s nice when independent pollsters weigh in on these issues.
I too was a little surprised by the 83% favoring concealed carry … but then again, the prevalence and success of right to carry is undeniable. In most of the US, people at least have heard about concealed carry … and they have not seen ill effects of it. Thus, they are more likely to support than oppose.
It’s entirely the question that was asked. But that phrasing represents reality, so I’m not sure you could call it a loaded question. In fact, if they had asked “Do you support private citizens being able to carry hidden handguns in places like malls, restaurants, parks, and day care centers?” I would have argued that question is loaded.
The Brady’s poll question would have read:
“Do you, in good conscience, support laws allowing dangerous people to carry hidden, loaded weapons in any public place?”
Yes, indeed, it’s all in the wording. The Brady version which Carl provided is pretty funny. I certainly wouldn’t be comforted by any numbers that produced.
In the post, the questions were a bit more subtle, in the other direction of course. This is what surprises me at the 83%