Poll: Spike in dissatisfaction over gun laws

Scott Olson

A month after the shootings in Newtown, Conn., nearly four in 10 Americans say they are dissatisfied with current gun laws and want them strengthened, according to a new poll out by Gallup/USA Today.

At 38 percent, the survey reported a 13-point spike from last year in those Americans who expressed were unhappy with current laws and supported stricter ones. A 2012 Gallup poll showed just 25 percent expressing that attitude.

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Those who say they are satisfied with current gun laws continue to outpoll those who are dissatisfied, according to the survey, although that gap has narrowed significantly since last year: In 2012, 50 percent of adults said they were satisfied with national gun laws while 25 percent were dissatisfied and wanted stronger rules; this year, the margin between the two positions is just five points, at 43-38 percent.

Five percent of Americans said this year they were dissatisfied with current laws and want them to be less strict, down from eight percent last year.

Dissatisfaction with current gun laws and the desire for stricter controls spread across most groups, the survey shows, but the shift was particularly pronounced among a handful of demographics: Among both men and non-whites there was a 17-point jump in this view; among Democrats, there was a 22 percent surge; and there was a jump in 18 points among those 18-34 years old.

The USA Today/Gallup survey was conducted from Jan. 7-10 among 1,011 adults and had a sampling error of +/- 4 percentage points. 

A December poll from CBS News also showed a spike in support for stronger gun laws.

Vice President Joe Biden, who has been exploring ways to reduce gun violence through a White House task force, said last week he would present his recommendations to President Obama on Tuesday.

[darkhorseky]

Power is a funny thing. Instead of balance reasoning. The controling power seems to rule with law. America not being perfect, has had a past where personal responsibilty was her best freedom. Where Goverment control was limited and people grew. Worst thing about it now is that the Goverment has come to believe it knows best what is good for its citizens instead of letting its citizens find the good in themselfs. Sad isnt it. Soon u cant drink cokes, Have to accept what people do which is agianst your religion, not own what is in your house without it being registred with the Goverment. Jefferson: A little rebellion now and then is good thing.

[knsn_for_cmn_sense]

Last I checked 4 in 10 did not make a majority.

[represt]

Slow news, get a life. Do you actually comprehend what you read?

[YourrRearViewMirror1]

Probably not.

[represt]

So now CBS is a lobbyist for gun control? Or, rather, another lobbyist.
I thought CBSs purpose was to report current news worthy events.
Instead they use it, through wording and timing, to sway public and political opinion in accordance with CBSs own ideology.

[harv823]

Those against common sense gun safety laws are afraid they will lose some profit on the sale of guns or ammo or are employed by the NRA.

[mstrong1]

2nd amendment is clear. The purpose is to protect the people from the possibility of a tyrannical government. "but the people only had muskets then".. well, it was the same technology as the government had then. The intent was that the people would posses the same types of weapons in order to resist tyranny. Tyranny might look like failure to defend the constitution, or figuring that you are a king and can do everything through executive orders, ignoring the legislative branch made up of the "people's representatives"........... just sayin', we need to keep an eye on this

[legalbutunjust]

JUSTSAYIN55 replies: linkiconreporticonemailicon"According to the NRA mindset if I'm robbed then it's my fault for not having a gun to prevent the roberry."
No actually the NRA is helping protect those americans who WANT to have that mindset. If you don't want to arm yourself you have that right. If I want to be ready to shoot if I encounter a shootout, that is my right. People have a right to have that mindset, to always be ready, but that does not mean you are to blame if you don't want to have that mindset, just don't take it from those who live that way.

------------------

The NRA is doing squish to protect me, pal.

Your mindset bent on toting just any gun around that you choose while in public, is nowhere even close to being the same thing as the original intent of your Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, as an ordinary civilian. The original intent of the Second Amendment has been spun on its head.

To say nothing of the RESPONSIBILITY you have to yourself and greater society regarding how to safely and properly store and maintain your assault weapons, or reasonable limitations necessary to exclude foolish risks and chancy behavior.

If you think that even MORE guns are needed to fulfill your gun possession mindset- or anyone else's in this country, than full of crap and you're out of line. Just ask most of the rest of the well over 130,000,000 civilian adults that have another, (non)assault weapon-owning mindset.

And as for the NRA itself, what free citizen in their right mind should think it right and sensible to bend over to what only 4.2 million Americans say ought to be the rules and boundaries (by essentially and collectively saying there ought to be NONE)? Get real, look at the math involved. The majority could care less about your mindset, as the majority doesn't specifically approve of the notion of there needing to be even one more and more assault weapon sold to anyone. Not given how easy it presently is.

For if it were not so easy, there just wouldn't be an over 250,000,000 million guns (some say its closer to 350,000,000 or more) amounting to what we have today. Leave alone not knowing what percentage of them are already in the hands of those that should have lost their right to share your mindset a long time ago.

Seventy or eighty MILLION law-abiding, gun possessing citizens, my ass!

[YourrRearViewMirror1]

Majority never votes.

[curtis41]

It is somewhat disingenuous to blame guns for the inability of politicians and law enforcement to control violent drug and gang member criminal activities, and those activities of others. For the record, these criminals and mentally defective people generally do not follow U.S. gun laws, nor did our own do so in Fast and Furious, in which Americans were killed with the guns in drug cartel hands. Politicians and the executive branch should realize that when those crafting gun "control" legislation like Feinstein and others, Americans are, and should be, skeptical of their methods and purpose, while exploiting what everyone agrees is a real tragedy. My sense is the authority and constitutionality of any appended law, in the form of Executive orders, will be challenged, and should be, in the U.S. Supreme Court. Also, there might be unintended consequences, in the mid-term elections as well, based on how Congress members vote on these issues.

[TimeToEvolve]

Strict gun regulations is a necessity and a no brainer. Oops, too many people are propagandized by the Rush Limbaugh Wall Street right wing media. You have to hand it to the right wingers, they sure know how to create fear so that they can used mind control over the brainless.

[mjlewis6]

I would rather have a ray gun, avoid the limitations of ammunition tracking and registration of firearms. Government has the ability to kill me over and over, so no equality there about forcing the government to leave me alone. It is strictly for self defense..

Plus, since Police Departments and State Troopers will be getting drones...mind you those will have MORE than just cameras, folks,
I want one of those, too, complete with my own aerial mounted stun gun
to surprise gunmen who intrude on my property. Send out the little
helo with stun and just nail 'em out at the fence line where they climb over tresspassing with who knows what in their pockets.

Ever wonder about putting a bit of that 110 volts to work at home? Use that too, for intruders who break-in carrying guns. Those little metal things conduct electricity, you know. Wouldn't take much to connect the two. Put up a sign: These Premises Protected by Bear Wire Enforcement.
Kinda makes your eyes tear up thinking of the anticipated fear of burglars to enter your premises. By the by, I have a 600 lbs tombstone on my property in plain view....but the hole is filled.