HARRISBURG PATRIOT-NEWS Op Ed: So here is where we now seem to be: some four months after the tragedy of Newtown, the nation is further than ever away from a consensus about gun policy. Public opinion supporting tougher gun laws may actually be weakening–while the issue, like so many others today, increasingly polarizes Republicans and Democrats.
The polling numbers tell that tale only too eloquently. The recent Morning Joe/Marist poll reports that as many as 60% of all voters support tougher gun laws. But only 37% of Republicans indicate support, as opposed to 83 percent of Democrats. Similarly, assault weapons bans draw the support of 75 percent of Democrats but only 40 percent of Republicans. Support and opposition to other gun law proposals, excepting universal background checks, mostly follow party lines.
In the middle are millions of ordinary citizens who are not sure what to do about gun violence–in truth, are not sure that anything done will ultimately matter… (more)
