Gun Control Is Not A Big Issue Right Now

It has become clear to me that the National Rifle Association (NRA) has the political and rhetorical punch to control much of the talk about firearms and firearms control in the media.   Just listening to that media, one would have the impression that firearms control is a hot-button issue in this country, and that there is a groundswell of support for doing away with the restrictions on firearms.   But that is just not true.

As a recent Gallup poll shows, only 1% of the population think firearms restrictions (gun control) is America's most important issue at this time.   That's not surprising since the economy and the lack of jobs is the issue most people are concerned about right now.   But I was a little surprised to find out that only about 12% of the population would like to see regulations be loosened (become less strict) on guns -- as high a percentage as it's been in the last 20 years.   The campaign being waged by the NRA has made it seem this segment of the population was a lot larger than 12%.

The truth is that most of the population (about 86%) does not want to see gun control restrictions loosened.   About 44% would like to see stricter gun control laws (down from a high of 78% in 1991), and about 42% would like for the gun control laws to stay just like they are right now (up from a low of 17% in 1991).   While there have been a couple of Second Amendment Supreme Court cases recently, it looks like guns are just not a big issue in the country right now, and neither tighter nor looser gun laws would be a political winner.

Here are the numbers on how different sectors of the population think about the issue.   The first number is those who would like to see stricter gun laws, which the number in parentheses is those who would like to see looser gun laws:

Men...............32% (20%)
Women...............55% (5%)

Whites...............39% (12%)
Nonwhites...............58% (12%)

East...............54% (9%)
Midwest...............38% (9%)
South...............41% (14%)
West...............46% (14%)

Postgraduate...............54% (9%)
College grad...............41% (8%)
Some college...............42% (15%)
High school or less...............44% (12%)

Conservatives...............34% (16%)
Moderates...............50% (9%)
Liberals...............62% (9%)

Republicans...............26% (16%)
Independents...............42% (16%)
Democrats...............63% (4%)

Gun in house...............30% (15%)
No gun in house...............55% (10%)