Support For Background Checks Tops 90 Percent Again
North Haven, CT–(ENEWSPF)–June 30, 2016. People on the government’s terrorist watch list should not be allowed by purchase guns, American voters say 86 – 12 percent, including 83 – 14 percent among voters in households where there is a gun, according to a Quinnipiac University National poll released today.
“It’s possible to make new gun laws without interfering with gun rights,” voters say 64 – 28 percent, including 59 – 33 percent among voters in gun households, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University Poll finds. There is no listed party, gender, age, education or racial group which disagrees with either of these two findings.
American voters support 93 – 6 percent, including 92 – 8 percent among voters in gun households, “requiring background checks for all gun buyers.” Support is 90 percent or higher among every listed group.
Support for universal background checks ranges from 88 percent to 93 percent in eight Quinnipiac University national polls conducted since the Sandy Hook massacre in December, 2012.
“The people have spoken time and again, but nothing changes,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
“American voters clearly are worried about guns. They want to make it harder for bad people to get them and believe it can be done without penalizing legitimate gun owners.”
American voters support stricter gun laws in the U.S. 54 – 42 percent, the highest level of support ever for this generic question. There is a huge gender gap as women support stricter gun laws 63 – 33 percent, with men opposed 51 – 45 percent. Voters in gun households oppose stricter gun laws 56 – 39 percent.
Results for more specific gun questions are:
- 59 – 37 percent support for a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons;
- 47 percent say an assault weapons ban would help reduce gun violence and 49 percent say it would not be effective;
- 62 – 35 percent believe that expanding background checks would help reduce gun violence;
- 57 percent say it’s too easy to buy a gun in the U.S., while 36 percent say it’s about right;
- 52 percent say the U.S. would be less safe if more people carried guns, while 40 percent say the U.S. would be safer;
- 38 percent have a favorable opinion of the National Rifle Assn., with 36 percent unfavorable.
Attitudes on Muslims
American voters oppose 52 – 40 percent temporarily banning Muslims who are not citizens from entering the U.S. Republicans support a ban 73 – 22 percent. Opposed are Democrats 80 – 13 percent and independent voters 52 – 38 percent. There is a small gender gap as both men and women oppose a ban. White voters are divided 47 – 47 percent. Opposition is 73 – 16 percent among black voters and 61 – 31 percent among Hispanic voters.
Government anti-terror policies have not gone far enough to protect the country, 62 percent of voters say, while 26 percent say anti-terror policies have gone too far in restricting civil liberties.
Mainstream Islam is a peaceful religion, 55 percent of voters say, while 28 percent believe mainstream Islam encourage violence against non-Muslims.
American voters disagree 65 – 29 percent with Donald Trump’s suggestion that President Barack Obama may sympathize with terrorist organizations such as ISIS. Republicans are the only listed group to agree, 55 – 33 percent.
Voters agree 51 – 43 percent with Hillary Clinton’s suggestion that making inflammatory anti-Muslim remarks is exactly what terrorists want us to do.
From June 21 – 27, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,610 registered voters nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 2.4 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, Colorado and the nation as a public service and for research.
Visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling or www.facebook.com/quinnipiacpoll Call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter @QuinnipiacPoll.
Source: http://www.quinnipiac.edu
