Poll: Most Americans&n…

Most Americans support tough new
measures to counter gun violence, including banning assault weapons
and posting armed guards at every school, according to
a new Washington Post-ABC News
poll.

More than half of Americans — 52
percent in the poll — say the shooting at an elementary
school in Newtown, Conn., has made them more
supportive of gun control; just 5 percent say they are now less apt
to back tighter restrictions. Most also are at least somewhat
worried about a mass shooting in their own community, with concern
jumping to 65 percent among those with school-age
children at home.

The findings, which also show broad
bipartisan support for mandatory background checks to purchase
firearms at gun shows, came as President Obama said Monday that he
will lay out specific White House
proposals on gun-control legislation and
executive actions this week.

Obama has pledged to champion broad new reforms in the wake of the
mass shooting that killed 26, including 20 children, at Sandy Hook
Elementary School in Newtown last month. He is scheduled to receive
a list of proposals Tuesday from Vice President Biden, who
is leading a task force on gun
violence.

But most congressional Republicans and some Democrats oppose
restrictive new measures, such as an assault-weapons ban.

Administration aides have said that the president is likely to call
for renewing the ban on the most powerful rifles, even in the face
of heavy opposition from the National Rifle Association. In
the poll, 58 percent of Americans support the ban, which expired in
2004 after 10 years; 39 percent oppose it.

“My starting point is not to worry about the politics but to focus
on what makes sense and what works,” Obama said at a news
conference Monday. “What should we be doing to make sure our
children are safe and reduce incidents of gun violence? We can do
it in a way that comports with the Second Amendment.”

The president declined to be specific when asked what recourse he
would have if lawmakers rejected the ban, saying that “members of
Congress must have a debate and examine their own conscience.”

A question of priorities

While the poll showed cross-party support for some potential
policies, there was a sharp divide on others, and particularly over
how much emphasis the administration and Congress should place on
addressing gun issues.

Democrats and Republicans both see the economy as the clear top
priority for federal action, but while most Democrats also rank gun
control as a high priority, few Republicans or independents agree.
Most Republicans say stricter gun laws should be lower on the list
or not a priority at all.

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (I) on Mondaycalled on Obama and
Congressto enact strict new-gun control
measures in the wake of Newtown. And Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley
(D) unveiled plans for an assault-rifle ban and tougher gun
licensing requirements in his state.

Recent polls have shown broadly positive sentiment for the NRA, but
the new survey reveals a far more mixed verdict on its leadership.
Some 36 percent of Americans express favorable views of the group’s
leaders, while 44 percent say they have unfavorable impressions. A
sizable share, 20 percent, say they have no opinion.

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