Tragedy in Aurora

The tragic shooting in Aurora has already reopened a national conversation concerning gun control.  Democrats stopped advocating more gun control legislation after the 2004 presidential and congressional elections.  They became convinced it cost them seats and votes in gun rights areas.

Public opinion may change after this horrific incident, but a 2011 Gallup poll showed support for banning handguns had declined since 1980 and the shooting of President Reagan.  And, that decline is in the face of many violent incidents, including Columbine, Virginia Tech and Tucson to name a few.  People do want strict enforcement of current laws.

There is more support for regulation of automatic weapons (63% ban on assault weapons, CBS/NYT 2011), but politicians have avoided the issue in recent years.

See:
Nov. 7, 2011 blog:  Opinion changes on social issues
Huffington Post:  Gun control polls show longterm decline in support, despite Columbine bump
Denver Post:  Aurora shooting unlikely to impact presidential race
Denver Post – The Spot:  Colorado Gov. Hickenlooper faces challenges after shooting, says predecessor