Americans support Obama’s gun control actions, poll finds

The recent poll finds that majority of Americans support President Obama's executive actions announced on last Tuesday, aimed at increasing gun control by the government and improving enforcement of existing laws. However, most Americans are skeptical of the effectiveness the changes will have.

According to CNN/ORC poll, 67 percent of Americans are in favor a series of executive actions announced, while only 37 percent  are opposed. The survey was conducted Jan 5 - 6 among a random national sample of 1,027 adults.

On Tuesday announcement, Obama unveiled a collection of gun control measures to be delivered via executive actions - unilateral orders he can take without approval from Congress. The President's executive actions including a tightening of background checks on gun buyers, a push for better gun safety technology and the provision of more resources for mental health, according to National Post.

The poll showed that majorities of Democrats (85 percent), independents (65 percent) and Republicans (51 percent) support for the executive actions. The support is also widespread and broad, including from gun owners (57 percent) and rural residents (56 percent).

However, the poll also showed that most Americans are skeptical about the effectiveness of the executive actions. Almost 60 percent say the actions will not be effective in reducing number of gun-related deaths in the U.S.,  70 percent of them are gun owners.

Most Democrats (67 percent) are optimistic about the effectiveness of the changes, while most Republicans are skeptical, with 78 percent say the actions will not work.

Obama's approval rating for handling gun policy went up following the announcement of the new rules on Tuesday. The approval climbed 8 points since a late December CNN/ORC poll, with 43 percent approve. The increases not only came primarily among Democrats (up 16 points to 72 percent), but also among Republicans (up 11 points to 21 percent).

According to Fortune, most Americans have been supporting for universal background checks on people who want to buy a gun for years, but the support hasn't change much. After the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, a Quinnipac University poll found that 89 percent of Americans, including 84 percent of gun owners and 74 percent of NRA members, favored "a law requiring background checks on people buying guns at gun shows or online."

But the Congress voted down the bi-partisan compromise by U.S. senators Jow Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) that would have required background checks of gun show and online purchasers.

More Americans now say Obama has done the right amount to change the nation's gun laws, 31 percent say so, up 11 points from December.

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Americans, President Obama, Gun Control, survey, Democrats, Republicans

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