Mediaite's Tommy Christopher is banging his head on his desk because polls show that Americans' opinions on guns make no sense:
... Recently, Pew polled a group of people who presumably also support background checks at around 90%, yet only 47% of them were displeased that the Republicans killed the background check law. That means that a great many of the poll's respondents were "happy" or "relieved" that a law they supported did not pass. What the hell?So why would people who support stricter background checks not support a stricter-background-check law (even though they'd vote for one themselves in a referendum)?
... in [a] Gallup poll out this week, respondents were asked "Do you think the Senate should or should not have passed the measure to expand background checks for gun purchases?"
A large majority, 65%, said yes, although that's significantly less than the 90% support background checks have enjoyed in nearly every poll.
Then, these exact same people were asked "Would you vote for or against a law that would require background checks for all gun purchases?"
Not only is this almost exactly the same question, but the wording on the second question is actually slightly stronger than the first. The result? 83% said they would vote yes, which means that 51% of the people who didn't say the Senate should have passed "expanded" background checks said they would, themselves, vote to pass background checks for all gun purchases.
Well, there's yet another poll today, from The New York Times and CBS, and it has similar results: 88% support for background checks on all purchases, but 41% support for President Obama's approach to the gun issue.
And that seems to be the point, at least according to one respondent:
"I'm for stricter gun laws, but the reason I favor the Republicans over the Democrats and the liberals on gun laws is because they have always been against the Second Amendment and the right to own guns," said Jim Hensley, 69, a Republican from Grandville, Mich., in an interview after the poll was conducted.In other words: Republicans did what I didn't want them to do, Democrats wanted to do what I did want them to do -- but I still support Republicans because I've always heard that Democrats disagree with me.
Really, that's it: A lot of conservatives and right-centrists support the policy of stronger background checks, but they're so conditioned to distrust Democrats that they can't support the policy they support because Democrats support it.
This isn't about logic. It's about tribal loyalties and tribal hatreds, the latter reinforced by decades of tribal-hatred propaganda.
Mr. Hensley goes on to say:
"Yes, I believe the Republicans should have voted for background checks, and they should not legalize automatic weapons," Mr. Hensley added. "I was against the repeal of the ban on automatic weapons, and I don't support the N.R.A. But it's like marriage. You stick with your wife no matter what, and you don’t just ditch your political party on one issue."So because of party loyalty, he opposes the party that does what he supports.
And in the Gallup poll, opponents of the actual background-check bill -- including the ones who'd have voted for a theoretical background-check referendum -- give reasons for their bill opposition that suggest loyalty to the NRA and its talking points:
Republicans and right-leaning groups understand how public opinion works. Democrats and liberal groups don't. Republicans and right-leaning groups know that the point is to create generalized feelings of hatred toward the other guys, as well as hatred on specific points, and reinforce that sense of tribalism every hour of every day.
It works. It's worked with virtually all of heartland white America. And our side still tries to fight back with logic and reason. That will never be enough.
