Mixed Reactions to Obama's Gun Control Proposals

Report Read time:
Mixed Reactions to Obama's Gun Control Proposals

With the public paying close attention to the national debate over gun control, Barack Obama's gun proposals receive a mixed rating from the public. A 39% plurality say Obama's proposals are about right while another 13% say they do not go far enough. About three-in-ten (31%) say the president's proposals go too far; 17% do not offer an opinion.

The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted Jan. 17-20 among 1,006 adults, finds that the public is closely tracking the gun debate: 43% followed news about Obama's proposals very closely and an additional 29% followed the news fairly closely.

There are wide partisan divides in views of Obama's proposals. A 57% majority of Republicans say the proposals go too far, just 7% say not far enough and 25% say they are about right. By contrast, a majority of Democrats (55%) say the proposals on guns are about right, 21% say they do not go far enough and 10% say they go too far. Independents are divided: 36% say Obama's gun proposals are about right, while about as many (33%) say they go too far; few independents say the proposals do not go far enough (9%).

Read the full report, Mixed Reactions to Obama's Gun Control Proposals, on the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press website. 

 

America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Quick View
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Article June 13, 2023

37 Scientists Pioneering the Future of Biomedical Research

Quick View
Article June 13, 2023

Biomedical researchers are at the heart of nearly every medical advancement. From cutting-edge cancer treatments to breakthrough discoveries about emerging viruses, these scientists use creativity and ingenuity to explore new horizons in human health and medicine. And for nearly 40 years, The Pew Charitable Trusts has supported more than 1,000 early-career researchers committed to this work.

MORE FROM PEW

A man wearing a checkered, collared shirt leans in and touches the shoulder of a man in a blue collared shirt with lights in the background. The Power of Lived Experience in Suicide Prevention
A woman and her grandchildren on a sunny afternoon. Courts Can Do More to Help Families Seeking Guardianship
Sunlight streams into the blue waters of a vibrant coral reef. Yellow, black and blue, and orange fish swim near red, green and bright coral. To Save Biodiversity, Community Funds New Plan
Four yellow school buses emit smoke as they travel a road crowded with cars, construction vehicles, and scaffolding. States Race to Win Federal Clean School Bus Grants
Composite image of modern city network communication concept

Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

Sign up for our four-week email course on Broadband Basics
Quick View

How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?