NEWS AND OPINION:
Republicans and Democrats only agree on a single issue following the terrorist attack in Orlando, according to two major pollsters.
“An overwhelming majority of Americans would support a law that prevents people on the federal government’s terrorism watch list from buying guns,” says a new YouGov.com survey. “In all, 86 percent would back such a law, with only 7 percent opposed. Support crosses traditional partisan boundaries, with 87 percent of Democrats and 87 percent of Republicans in favor of the change.”
Stark divides followed, however. The survey also found that 44 percent overall agree with a temporary ban on all Muslims entering the U.S., a proposal championed by Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump. The findings reveal that 79 percent of Republicans and 19 percent of Democrats agree. Forty-one percent oppose the idea, including 12 percent of Republicans and 60 percent of Democrats.
A Gallup poll also conducted shortly after the attack found that half of Americans say Orlando was “Islamic terrorism”; 79 percent of Republicans and 29 percent of Democrats agree. Another 41 percent overall say the attack was “domestic gun violence.” Sixteen percent of the GOPers and 60 percent of the Dems agree.
“It is clear that Americans’ political views influence how they interpret the tragedy and, by extension, shape their views of the policies leaders should pursue to prevent similar incidents,” writes Gallup analyst Jeffrey Jones.
Similar to the YouGov survey, Gallup found that 8 out of 10 Americans said “banning gun sales to people on the federal no-fly terror watch list” would be an effective way to prevent other attacks in the future. Three-fourths of Republicans and 84 percent of Democrats agreed. Find more numbers in the Poll du Jour at column’s end.
DRAWING A CLEAR LINE
Can gun control prevent terrorism? Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson believes it can, recently advising CBS News, “We have to face the fact that meaningful gun control has to be a part of homeland security.”
Not so, says the Second Amendment Foundation.
“The threat we face today from terrorism is exactly why the Founding Fathers wrote the Second Amendment. Every American has the right to self-defense, and for Jeh Johnson to contend that infringing on that right is the way to keep the country safe is simply preposterous,” counters Alan M. Gottlieb, founder of the gun rights organization.
“We need to maximize the ability of law-abiding citizens to exercise their right to bear arms. Nothing deters terrorists as well as good people fighting back,” Mr. Gottlieb continues. “Nobody wants terrorists or even common street criminals to have guns. But laws that penalize honest Americans, and that ban certain types of firearms, will not prevent bad people from committing mayhem. The conversation should not be about firearms, but fanatics.”
ELIZABETH WARREN, ATTACK DOG UNLEASHED
“A big loud — and I do mean loud — elephant in the room. That’s Donald Trump. You’ve heard of him. Every day we learn more about him, and every day it becomes clearer that he is a small, insecure money-grubber who doesn’t care about anyone or anything that doesn’t have the Trump name on it. Every day it becomes clearer that he is a thin-skinned, racist bully.”
So said Sen. Elizabeth Warren during a spirited speech at the New Hampshire Democratic Convention on Saturday. Since the Massachusetts lawmaker is on the short list as a potential running mate for Hillary Clinton, her public profile has increased, as has her aggression.
Such style is open to interpretation. Voters could consider her a canny, fearless provocateur — or simply a shrill harridan.
THE OFFICIAL GARY JOHNSON
They are still liberty-minded and refreshingly frugal, even when it comes to bumper stickers.
Libertarian National Committee Director Wes Benedict tells Inside the Beltway that official bumper stickers are now available heralding the presidential campaign of Gary Johnson. No patriotic color scheme here. These feature yellow and white lettering on slate-gray background. Price per sticker: 20 cents. Find them at LPStore.org.
EVER VIGILANT
Pro-life activists will gather at 7 a.m. sharp Monday in front of the Supreme Court in anticipation of the Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt decision, considered by most observers to be the most significant abortion case to be heard in over two decades.
Essentially, the court will decide whether pregnant women will face “undue burden” if abortion providers can’t comply with the stricter medical standards of outpatient surgical centers; the decision will help decide the scope of abortion accessibility in the U.S.
The pro-lifers are prepared for anything. If the decision is handed down, a rally and press conference will commence at 10 a.m. If there is no decision, the same vigil will take place Thursday “or until a decision is handed down,” says Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, which has organized the gathering.
POLL DU JOUR
• 83 percent of Americans consider the Orlando mass shooting a hate crime; 77 percent of Republicans, 82 percent of independents and 89 percent of Democrats agree.
• 75 percent overall consider the shooting an act of terrorism; 89 percent of Republicans, 76 percent of independents and 63 percent of Democrats agree.
• 62 percent overall would support a ban on assault rifles; 48 percent of Republicans, 56 percent of independents and 81 percent of Democrats agree.
• 44 percent overall say stricter gun laws would not have prevented the attack; 72 percent of Republicans, 45 percent of independents and 21 percent of Democrats agree.
• 44 percent overall say stricter gun laws would have prevented the attack; 22 percent of Republicans, 38 percent of independents and 66 percent of Democrats agree.
Source: A YouGov poll of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted June 14 to 16.
• Doggerel and caterwaul to jharper@washingtontimes.com
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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