CNN is running a poll on extending the "assault" weapons ban

[gabeodog]

CNN poll still not in our favor

Here is the link to the CNN poll that shows the Anti's ahead on the AWB being extended 66 to 34.
I think that if we all vote we might change that number.

The link. http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/05/09/gun.control.rally.ap/index.html

 

[Moparmike]

I am under the impression that it was rigged from the beginning.

 

[Standing Wolf]

The right to keep and bear arms is always going to come out behind at the Clinton News Network.

 

[gabeodog]

I kinnda felt the same way on it being rigged.
I mean look at the story they use to enter the poll.

 

[jfh]

you'd like to believe that they are honest enough

to not rig the poll, but you gotta wonder, don't you--remember the auto-auto / AK-47 story they got caught out on--and that's only in the last 12 months.

Has anyone searched out the DU and anti forums to see if they are packing it? Given our general success at doing this before in the smaller polls, I do smell a rat here....

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could catch them at it? Who is a gunny and has the hacker skills to take a look at this?

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

Should the federal ban on assault weapons be...
Lifted


34%

77078 votes
Extended


66%

147500 votes
Total: 224578 votes

I really hate to legitimize a poll about a federally-protected right.

 

[RatFink]

Apparently the percentage of people that feel the 2nd amendment is sacred is comparable to the percentage of the American population that felt that fighting a war for Independence from the Brits was important.

Only about 1/3 of America felt that Freedom from British tyrany was worth fighting for.

 

[kentucky bucky]

They only poll their friends.

Did you all see the story about the empty rocket launcher found in I think Georgia? CNN said that it was the type that could be bought in ANY gun store.:banghead:

 

[greyhound]

Personally, I think that internet polls are (in the words of MD Gov. Erlich speaking about multiculturalism) "bunk and crap".

We had one in the Balto Sun recently that showed responders in favor of shall issue CCW by a margin of 90-10; I can GUARANTEE you that does not reflect the true opinions of Marylanders.

That said, I DO belive the public in general is in favor of the AWB renewing for two main reasons:

1/ The antis have made them believe it bans machine guns

2/ I think in general the public is, unfortunately, uncomfortable with citizens owning "military type" weapons (though I also think they ARE in favor of citizens owning "non military" firearms, hence the spread of CCW).

Now the good news, and what Feinstein et al don't understand, is that though if asked people support AWB renewal, I think its WAAAY down the list of priorities for most people, and it will sunset without much hue and cry.

But, if Kerry is elected, look for a big push for a new, expanded AWB!

 

[David Roberson]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/05/09/gun.control.rally.ap/index.html

When I voted a few minutes ago, the Forces of Evil were winning by a 65-35 margin.

 

[R.H. Lee]

This is the third or fourth such poll CNN has run. No amount of voting against seems to have much effect. IIRC, somebody figured out it is rigged.

 

[RealGun]

I think we would remind them that they asked the wrong question. The essence is whether the Constitution should be overlooked (again). I would add whether they understood that voting for renewal of the ban would in fact be un-American.

 

[Werewolf]

FWIW CNN doesn't have to rig the poll and it would be very surprising to me to see evidence that they did. Right now there are over 232,000 votes. Even if every single THR'r jumped up and voted in favor of lifting the ban it would only impact the percentage by around 5%.

In addition:

Disregarding politics totally most folks who hear Assault Weapons Ban that aren't gun owners and many that are will say it should be extended.

CNN is a web site that gets millions of hits daily and is statistically highly representative of the US population.

It doesn't surprise me at all that the results run 65/35 for extending the BAN.

Many of the Polls that THR's have hit and impacted in the past which show a 95/5 don't extend the ban are polls run on small sites that don't get many hits and if 10,000 THR's go to them and vote - well a 95/5 result is to be expected.

GUYS! We're in the minority - deal with it. Most Americans (and that includes a great many gun owners who own only a deer rifle or shotgun) want the AWB to be extended. The reasons they want it to be extended are quite bogus as I think we'd all agree but the reality is they want it extended.

The 65% extend the ban result on CNN is not surprising at all.

 

[Spot77]

Also remember that the CNN website is hit by more people from OTHER countries than Americans. The poll doesn't even come close to reflecting how AMERICANS feel about the AWB.


Of course other countries want us disarmed. Do you think Bin Laden and Co. want the average American to be able to defend themselves?

 

[Master Blaster]

CNN is a web site that gets millions of hits daily and is statistically highly representative of the US population.

I would differ with this analysis, Its representative of people who look at CNN on the internet, Not necessarily representative of all us voters, or of all the different groups who make up the US population.

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

Most Americans (and that includes a great many gun owners who own only a deer rifle or shotgun) want the AWB to be extended. The reasons they want it to be extended are quite bogus as I think we'd all agree but the reality is they want it extended.

That's why we must work to educate those who will listen objectively and make decisions based on fact and not emotion.
I remember showing an AR 15 to a co-worker and his response was " WHERE'D YOU GET THAT ?
Didn't Bill (slick willie) Clinton ban those ? You can't hunt with that, why did you spend 1000.00 dollars for it ? After a lengthy explanation everthing was cleared up and he was "up to speed" with the current legalities of the ban and I showed him that it is in fact legal to hunt with in Oklahoma and quite effective for the experienced hunter. (those tiny little Oklahoma deer) Now he'll jump at the chance to go to the range with me if asked ! The Berlin wall wasn't built overnight, but I guarantee you it came down faster than it went up !

 

[R.H. Lee]

Zedicus makes some assertions here:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=81226&highlight=CNN
but I have no way of verifying that CNN is running an honest poll. Their agenda is clear and their motives are suspect.

 

[fletcher]

but I have no way of verifying that CNN is running an honest poll. Their agenda is clear and their motives are suspect.

Exactly. It's sort of like running a poll on "Will you vote for Kerry or Bush?" on the DNC site. Their target audience is more left, and I wouldn't be surprised if the scripting was such that some 'Lifted' votes get missed.

 

[Zundfolge]

I have voted in this poll about 8 times ... it doesn't shut out multiple votes so it s a shame.


Might be fun to write a script that votes every second and let it run for a few hours (or days)


Also, its on CNN and burried in a pro gun control story so most of the people who stumble across it are partisan antis anyway.



Seems to me the only people who know about this poll are us and antis ... so I don't see it having much of an effect.

 

[jimpeel]

When a poll says this:

This QuickVote is not scientific and reflects the opinions of only those Internet users who have chosen to participate. The results cannot be assumed to represent the opinions of Internet users in general, nor the public as a whole. The QuickVote sponsor is not responsible for content, functionality or the opinions expressed therein.

it means "This poll can be voted on as many times as you like and that's the way we planned it."

 

[Johnny Guest]

I see it that we're making some SMALL progress - -

The poll is neither binding nor scientific, but it MIGHT just shut down SOME people if we keep gaining. The voting was 32% for our side two days ago. Now we have 37%.

Best,
Johnny Guest

 

[Don Gwinn]

Ah, but did you read the article?

"It's always gratifying to be with kindred spirits, and that's what this is," said Wilcox, whose 19-year-old daughter, Laura, was one of two workers at a mental health department office in California shot to death in 2001 by a patient.

The assailant used a 9mm semiautomatic handgun with an illegal 30-round clip, Wilcox said. "I don't believe assault weapons belong on our streets. If people want to play with such tools, they should join the military," said Wilcox, who came from Nevada County, California, with his wife, Amanda, for the second "Million Mom March."

"Hey, I know what! First, I'll admit that the laws I want already exist. Then, I'll make it clear that they're useless. Then, I'll paraphrase Heinrich Himmler! Soccer moms can't get enough of that guy!"

 

[Werewolf]

WOW!

You guys sure are trying hard to convince yourselves that the CNN poll is wrong and that the majority of the American Public is against the AWB.

It would truly be great if the average American was educated enough about the AWB to have a rational (for or against) opinion about it but they aren't. AND if I had to guess (and I'm gonna) my guess would be that they never, ever will. The average American doesn't care enough about firearms to give a hoot one way or another and never will.

In a world with pink skies and blue bunnies Mr and Mrs Joe Sixpack would be against the AWB and gun control. They'd be libertarians and politicians would be honest, Ted the Red would be in jail for vehicular manslaughter, Jane Fonda in jail for treason and the rest of us would all be millionaires with gun rooms not gun safes and living on a hundred acres or so with our own private high tech ranges shooting machine guns, high powered rifles, assault weapons, pistols or whatever else we wanted and the ammo for them all would be free.

Last time I looked though the sky is blue not pink and rabbits are an ugly gray brown and will bite the bejeezus out of you if you pick one up in the wild.

That's the REAL world. That's my story. I'm stickin' to it!

 

[Zundfolge]

Werewolf makes a good point (especially about them vicious bunnies ).

While I believe most Americans would vote to extend the AWB, I wonder how staunch they are in their position.

I still contend that if the majority of Americans truly knew what the AWB is and does then they wouldn't give a rats behind if it went away ... and when it does go away I don't think there will be enough momentum for the proponents of the AWB to get another one in.


Other then the activists on both sides, I don't think most Americans care one way or the other whether the AWB lives or dies.

 

[Treylis]

"Hey, I know what! First, I'll admit that the laws I want already exist. Then, I'll make it clear that they're useless. Then, I'll paraphrase Heinrich Himmler! Soccer moms can't get enough of that guy!"

Unfortunately, he was also paraphrasing Wesley Clark. It's scary how such people have come to such prominence in this country.