Sen. President Donald Williams said the results of Wednesday’s Quinnipiac University poll show the depth and breadth of support for sweeping gun-control measures in Connecticut.
“A huge majority of people across this state, a majority of Democrats and a majority of Republicans, support the tough, common-sense reforms we need to pass,” Williams told reporters at the Capitol Wednesday morning.
The Q poll found Connecticut voters support most gun control measures by margins of more than 2-1. Sixty-eight percent of the state’s voters back an expansion of the statewide ban on the sale of assault weapons; 68 percent also back a ban on the sale of ammunition magazines with more than 10 rounds.
As reported by the Courant’s Jon Lender, Democrats and Republicans on a legislative sub-committee looking at the state’s gun laws released competing proposals on Tuesday. Leaders of the two caucuses are scheduled to meet at 3 p.m. today.
Williams said the need for action was greater than the need to reach consensus.
“If folks are saying we should have a consensus bill, then look at where the people in the state of Connecticut are,” Williams said. “I think it’s a case where the people in this state are leading and we ought to take note and draft that comprehensive bill that’s supported by the vast majority of the people of Connecticut.”
Senate Republican Leader John McKinney said he’s not surprised by the poll results. “I glanced at the bullet points of the poll without in-depth looking at questions they asked,” he said.
McKinney said there are a number of issues that lawmakers are looking at that are supported by the majority of gun owners and “that’s hopefully something all of us will reflect upon.”
Asked if he thought the poll results would shape the debate and help break the impasse on gun control legislation, McKinney said public opinion plays a role in most policy decisions.
But in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Newtown, “the public’s paying a lot more attention and that’s always a good thing…people want to make sure they’re responsive to their constituents.”
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32 Responses to Senate Leaders React to Q Poll Numbers
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Another poll with questions worded in a specific way to obtain a specific result. Individual legislators know how there constituents really feeel by the number of phone calls, letters, and e-amils one way or the other. What has yet to be determined is if they will vote as their constituents want or what the party bosses want. That will tell if they keep their jobs next election.
The polls results as to gun owners does not match any gun owners I know. I doubt the poll is a valid sample.
Cowboy, if you are the educated guy you claim to be, then why can’t you accept a highly accepted poll as this one.
Something is kooky here. Given that you think you are god’s gift to singing and music – NOT, I’m not surprised at your ignorant statements.
You’re a legend in your own mind, cowboy.
billyboy: Why are you attacking Paul?
At what point will you be original? I called you a ‘legend in your own mind’ just last week and here you are plagiarizing it and attacking someone who has done nothing to deserve it. I’ve seen you plagiarize my words on at least 5 other occassions (including using the word ‘iteration’ after I do). This only reinforces my view that you are a pseudo-intellectual.
1. If you must throw hissy-fits, why can’t you keep them directed at me?
2. If you can’t be original, why say anything? Is this another reason for your multiple logins here? You don’t want to appear to be repeating yourself under just one name so you use many?
more pablum, name-calling and personal attacks from the wizard. good for your billyboy/bizzaro-kim/mike
Paul has never done anything to deserve your disdain or your attacks. All he has done is disagree with you. And all you do is attack him.
Now, please tell us again how it’s just me that you’re mean to while being courteous with everyone else?
Paul, The fact that you are being unfairly and unjustly attacked is unfortunate but please don’t be intimidated by other posters. These boards are in desperate need of different viewpoints and more rational discussion. Your views are important and you have every right to publish them. Please continue to do so
This legislation strikes me as liberal overreach. It may come back to bite the Dems in the heiney come November.
One can only hope as this state if beginning to circle the drain under one party rule.
Agreed, but in the meantime,all of us private sector,non-politically connected(yes a new demographic here in CT)are being asked to pull more of the cart with more takers hopping inside for a free ride.At the same time, more of our former ranks are cutting bait from this God-forsaken state,thereby making it harder for us fools that are left to get by. This state and country are DOOMED on the current path with secular regressives driving. They should all be committed for a check-up from the neck up.
Considering the turn out at hearing was at least 10 to 1 against new gun laws. Those took the time to become informed. Then respond. I fail to see this poll could really reflect that. What may reflect is media bias in reporting the story.
Cowboy, I guess you didn’t attend the public commission meeting in Newtown a day or two later. It had 10 to 1 in favor of more gun control.
Nice try, though. Oh, and I almost forgot the 5,500 marchers at the capital as opposed to the 750 NRA pro gun rally a month before.
Yes, it was convenient that the anti-gun rally began just as the rally opposing violence against women ended so that the crowd estimates could be maximized.
The pictures I’ve seen of the rally certainly didn’t look like 5500, though I would concede it was more than the 1000-1500 at the gun rights rally.
Steve, the number cited originally by the state police was 5,200.
Steve, it could have been. I will grant you that. Personally, I don’t think it was. I did show up to check it out. But if you want to call it 1,500, fine by me. The point of these rallies is to manifest one’s point of view and we all did that.
I am just disappointed that we in this country must make every issue a conservative vs liberal agenda. When Britain outlawed their guns, both conservative and labor across the board voted in favor of a ban. They went above partisan politics.
We here don’t have the capacity to do that. We are the imperfect bastard offspring of England.
And we act like it.
Paul: Say it ain’t so! The media biased in favor of the Obamanation?
They fully supported obamacare even though ‘you have to pass it to see what’s in it’ and even though educated estimates pointed out what an expensive boondoggle it would be. Now that this is proving true, will the media acknowledge their part in this hoodwinking of America? Of course not – they are after all just like their glorious leader and don’t accept personal responsibility for anything.
They have been, for the most part, complicit in the Fast & Furious coverup. No investigations, no questions, even when the obamanation used presidential privilege to cover things up
I know someone who took this pole, she told me it was worded to get the result they wanted to hear and not that we dont need any new gun laws.
Here is a poll for you to look at. This one is actually advertised here in the Courant. I wonder why they dont report this one here. Maybe it doesnt reflect the Courants view on the issue.
http://www.newsmax.com/Surveys/Results/id/64
We need to disarm the police first to keep them from hurting themselves or innocent bystanders. Guns are dangerous in the wrong hands.
>>> There is a heavy police presence at Manchester Community College as police investigate a report of a man with a gun. An officer was wounded during the search by the accidental firing of a weapon. He was seen limping and being assisted by officers as he was taken to a police car for transport to an area hospital
<<<
Richard, Oh you mean like England, Scotland, and Wales, where the police do not generally carry guns.
Mike, why don’t you volunteer to be the first cop in Hartford without a sidearm?
Let us know how that works out for you.
Who is advocating for law enforcement to be disarmed?
you are advocating for it billyboy – you and your alter ego Mike Robinson. Every time you suggest we emulate England becuase they are so much wiser and safer when it comes to gun control, you conveniently forget that their police are unarmed too.
Every time you advocate for muskets and black power because the founding fathers clearly didn’t know about our powerful weapons, you conveniently overlook the logic that if WE the citizens should be restricted to muskets, so should the military and police.
You can’t have just a piece of the pie, billyboy. If you want us to be like England, you have to accept these facts.
that’s right mike/billyboy. Why don’t you mention that point when you and your alter egos advocate for us to be like england when it comes to gun control?
Kooko…kooko
Kimmie, the more you talk, the more I think that the baby Jesus should have mercy on you.
I want to offer you a peace treaty.i offer you an olive branch.
I don’t want to keep beating on you.
We cease and decease. We begin the slow process to recognize the legitimacy of each others presence on these blogs.
I extend the olive branch here and now. Just don’t eat it.
been there, done that billyboy. You’re not an honorable man. The first sign of disagreeing with you and the name-calling starts again. I’m not making any pacts with you.
If you want the nonsense to stop, then your actions will show me you mean it – I will act accordingly. ‘Fool me once……’, etc.
you start a post with ‘kooko’ (whatever that means) and end it with an insult about eating olive branches. In the middle is your pathetic, totally deplorable ‘olive branch’ speech that we’ve heard many times before. Like I said, your actions will dictate mine. You want nice, then try being nice
@Kim (the real one): You may want to place an avatar alongside your name to differentiate yourself from BillyJimmySusanMikeSybil.
Connecticut: thanks, but they can copy avatars
Kim, all the more reason to accept my proposal for a formal cease fire. If not, I will continue to fight you in the trenches. I will fight you on the beaches.
Oh, FYI, I am not Mike Sullivan. But you are welcome to not believe it. Who gives a crap?
right billyboy, you’re not Mike Sullivan but you are Mike Robinson. Your denials are simply more lies – you said you weren’t the bizarroKim but you have proven that you are. You even admit it on another thread in the Courant.
Once a liar…..Fight me all you want it only makes you look the fool as I continue to expose you for the charlatan that you are
The media and pollsters are being dishonest with their presentation of the issue. If a poll came through and asked “Are you in favor of banning machine guns” I think just about everyone would say “Yes”. If you were asked “Are you in favor of banning semi-automatic hunting rifles” I think most would say “No”. But when they ask “Are you in favor of banning Assault Weapons” then you are being dishonest at best because Assault Weapons were banned long ago. They are “machine guns” and the only similarity between the Connecticut legal semi-auto “Bushmaster” rifle and the military “Assault Weapon” is the basic shape and color.
Call your representative often.
Gun control backlash prompts US towns to ‘require’ residents bear arms
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/09/us-towns-require-residents-gun