Could voters in progressive California be losing confidence in gun control as an all-purpose solution to crime? Maybe so.
A new online poll co-sponsored by the University of California Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times, both very liberal organizations, reflects support for more restrictions on firearms dropping by four percent from three years ago.
Now, only 56 percent of those surveyed “believe stronger laws restricting the sale and possession of guns help make their communities safer,” down from 60 percent previously, the Times reported about the data compiled from about 6,000 registered voters.
There also appears to be some erosion in support for gun control generally, although it remains to be seen if these relatively small percentages, if they are even valid, represent a trend in the left-leaning state.
“The poll also found that 57% of California voters say it is more important to place greater controls on gun ownership than it is to protect Americans’ rights to own guns under the 2nd Amendment, but that number is down from 64% who felt that way in 2018,” the Times explained.
“I think it’s due in large measure to the increase in crime, especially violent crime,” IGS poll director Mark DiCamillo suggested. “But still, this is a very Democratic and very liberal constituency and gun control laws have traditionally been quite popular among those voters not only here in California but nationwide.”
That notwithstanding, handgun sales in California — a state totally controlled by Democrats — surged nearly 66 percent in 2020 over 2019, while long gun purchases increased by nearly 50 percent, data from the state’s attorney general indicates.
As compared to 2020, shootings in Los Angeles alone have escalated by about 44 percent to date; murders have tragically increased by nearly 30 percent. Across the once Golden State, murders — most of which involve guns — have sadly increased 31 percent this year
There’s an old saying that has various iterations along the lines of that a conservative is a liberal who got mugged.
The rapid decay in California’s quality of life, which includes violent crime, homelessness, open drug abuse, high taxes, the high cost of living, and various COVID-related restrictions on law-abiding citizens, has led to a recall election for Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom which is scheduled for September 14. According to some of the latest election poll data, the pro-and con-recall constituency is neck in neck.
The prevailing environment has also prompted many residents to permanently relocate to states such as Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee, Texas, or Florida.
‘Criminals are winning’: Brazen thieves calmly stroll out of TJ Maxx with armfuls of clothes https://t.co/fT6UpO5ikD pic.twitter.com/HPJaLnwyRT
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) July 22, 2021
Soft-on-crime, George Soros-funded prosecutors in LA and San Francisco have compounded the problem.
The Biden administration’s response to rising crime across the country seems to primarily focus on the weapons rather than the wrongdoers who use them.
Some additional interesting findings from the LA Times poll:
The online survey… found that 24% of those who responded feel the stronger laws restricting the sale and possession of guns would be “very effective” at reducing crime and 32% see them as “somewhat effective….
Some 79% of Democrats say gun control laws are effective in reducing crime, but only 18% of Republican voters share that view.
The poll found 68% of voters who live in households without guns believe firearms restrictions deter crime, twice the percentage of those in firearm-owning homes. Slightly less than a majority of men see gun laws as effective, but 63% of women have confidence in the restrictions.
Although gun control is seen as effective by large majorities of voters in coastal areas, including 66% of those in Los Angeles, most voters living in inland areas believe the laws are ineffective.
Last month, a federal judge tossed out California’s longtime ban on so-called assault weapons because, in his view, it violated the Second Amendment. California AG Rob Bonta is appealing the decision, during which the ban remains in effect.
California appeals federal judge’s ruling overturning ‘assault weapons’ ban https://t.co/Mew48Z1Vmb pic.twitter.com/nPb4fjlSZ0
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) June 12, 2021
“The poll found 56% of California voters don’t believe that the assault weapons ban law violates the U.S. Constitution,” the Times added.
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Robert@bizpacreview.com
Robert Jonathan is a staff writer for BizPac Review. He is a longtime writer/editor for news aggregation websites and has also developed content in the legal and financial publishing sectors as well as for online education. He earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law, “a law school the basketball teams can be proud of.”
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