Wall Street Journal: Poll Shows Why Gun Control Looks Impossible

The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire reports that a new poll shows while some specific measures may have polled well on the gun control side after the Newtown school shootings, there was never a true national out cry for new federal restrictions. It appears that those ever important "moderates" that Republicans are told they need to appeal to are part of the reason for this:

The vast majority of all Americans – 93% of liberals, 84% of moderates and 72% of conservatives — favor expanding background checks, which now are required for guns purchased from licensed dealers but not in private sales or at most gun shows. But 58%of  self-described moderates still say existing gun laws are sufficient to keep their community safe.

And when asked if there should be more government regulation of gun purchases, just 53% of moderates agree. For liberals, the figure is 78%.

The Journal notes that the poll is skewed toward Democrates because:

Only 26% of Republicans consider themselves moderate – just ask former Sen. Richard Lugar (R., Ind.) – while 37% of Democrats use the label.

That's a good thing.  We need Democrat voters to support gun rights too if the next generation is to have the same rights we now enjoy.