According to Gallup, only 36 percent of Americans now favor a ban, which is a dramatic decline from the 44 percent who supported a ban in 2012 and the 57 percent who backed a proposed ban 20 years ago, in 1996. At that time, the 1994 Bill Clinton semi-auto ban had taken effect.
But now, declining support for such a ban cuts across party lines, with only 25 percent of Republicans favoring the idea and 50 percent of Democrats still supporting it. Twenty years ago, 63 percent of Democrats wanted a ban, and 50 percent of Republicans supported it.
Gallup released the poll results during the same week that officials with the National Rifle Association and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms reminded their members about the importance of this year’s presidential election. Clinton has steadfastly supported a ban on semi-autos, along with other gun control measures, which has become a catalyst for “getting out the gun vote.”
CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb warned his members this week that Monday’s endorsement of Clinton by a coalition of gun prohibition lobbying groups “amounts to a red flare warning to gun owners that their rights are on the line.”
“Clinton has already been caught on audio stating that she thinks the Supreme Court is wrong on the Second Amendment,” Gottlieb said. “Now she is basking in the warm glow of the gun grabbers. Her campaign is signaling to American gun owners that if she wins the White House, their rights are going to be trampled.”
Likewise, NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and chief lobbyist Chris Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action, wrote an open letter to members and all gun owners that said a Clinton presidency will be disastrous to the Second Amendment.
“Unlike previous anti-gun presidential nominees, who often tried to hide their support for gun control, Hillary Clinton has made the dismantling of our Second Amendment-protected rights a centerpiece of her campaign,” the wrote. “As Election Day draws near, gun owners must take every opportunity to defeat Hillary Clinton and to protect our firearm freedoms for present and future generations.”
“What we are seeing in increasing numbers and across political party lines is that efforts to erode the Second Amendment will run into stiff opposition from the American people,” added Tim Schmidt, founder and president of the United States Concealed Carry Association in an e-mail message. “It is very telling that that fewer Democrats than ever support an assault weapons ban, since Democratic Party leaders in Washington have been pushing for more gun control. This new information makes clear that strong support for the Second Amendment crosses party lines among all Americans.”
It doesn’t get any plainer than that. Early voting is already underway in several states. Second Amendment advocates are warning that the 2008 Heller ruling and 2010 McDonald decision by the Supreme Court could both be jeopardized by a left-leaning Supreme Court appointed by Clinton.
The election is ten days away. Its outcome could determine the philosophical direction of the Supreme Court and lower federal courts for the next 40 years.
