Wednesday, May 29, 2002

posted 5/29/2002 04:52:00 PM by Daniel   0 comments

Why do I have the feeling that this Internet gun-control poll won't be around much longer?

The National Committee for an Effective Congress bills itself as "a vital force in American politics" that supports "progressive candidates who fight for the issues you believe in, like freedom of choice, separation of church and state, gun control, equal rights, and environmental protection". But their current poll, shown below, does not seem to be helping their cause. As I write this, it's running over 88% against their preferred choices of "closing the [gun show] loophole" and "national licensing and registration".

Each year, thousands of firearms are bought illegally because background checks from the Brady Bill are not required at gun shows. With which of the following do you agree?
	A. Congress should close the loophole to keep more guns out of the hands of criminals.
	B. Currently our communities and schools are not safe. It is time to create a national licensing and gun registration system.
	C. Both A and B. Approximately 10,000 people are murdered with firearms each year. Something has to be done.
	D. None of the above. Any impediment to gun ownership is a violation of Second Amendment rights regardless of other benefits.

Of course I'm just guessing that their preferred choices to this very neutrally-worded poll are A, B, or C. It's pure intuition on my part...

UPDATE--The poll is still hanging in there, as of 9 am PDT on 5-30-02, even though the pro-Second Amendment voters keep piling on:

A. Close the loophole.		1.15 % (28)
B. We need national licensing and registration.		0.25 % (6)
C. Both A and B.		4.81 % (117)
D. None of the Above.		93.79 % (2281)

UPDATE #2--I'll admit I'm surprised, and I have to give the NCEC people credit. Although they must be extremely embarrassed by it, they haven't tried to tamper with the poll. As of 10 pm PDT on 6-1-02, the pro-Second Amendment supporters are maintaining a 90+ % edge in the poll, as a steady stream of voters keep coming to the site:

A. Close the loophole.		1.84 % (113)
B. We need national licensing and registration.		0.36 % (22)
C. Both A and B.		7.60 % (466)
D. None of the Above.		90.20 % (5530)