HUGE Generational Gap On Assault Weapons

Jessica Stanton at The Daily Caller wrote today about the huge generational gap on the right to own so-called assault weapons.

A vast majority of young adults under the age of 34 believe that Americans have a right to own an “assault weapon,” according to a new Reason-Rupe poll released Thursday. Seventy percent of 18-24 year-olds and 58 percent of 24-34 year-olds indicated the government “should allow the private ownership of assault weapons.” But a majority of older Americans disagree, with 57 percent of 55-64 year-olds and 61 percent of people over the age of 65 asserting that “assault weapons should be prohibited.

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Overall, 51 percent said “assault weapons” should be allowed, including 68 percent of Republicans, 57 percent of independents and 33 percent of Democrats. Forty-four percent indicated that people “should be prohibited” from owning such weapons.

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The poll sampled 1,000 adults and was conducted via telephone from Jan. 17 to 21. Notably, 40 percent of respondents self-identified as independents, versus 36 percent and 22 percent who identified with the Democratic or Republican Party, respectively. The poll has a margin of error of a plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

Additionally, concerning how unaffiliated people lean politically in this poll, 30% split for the Republicans, 35% for the Democrats, and 20% for Independents.  Furthermore, when Reason combined all the participants by party identification Democrat and Democrat-leaning independents was 49%, Independent was 9%, and Republican and Republican-leaning independents was 37%.  Seven percent were unsure.  So, the total split is 49/37/9.  Even in a D+12 poll, 51% agree that Americans should be able to own an “assault” weapon.

 (H/T Jessica Stanton at Daily Caller)