WP poll: 85 percent of Marylanders support O'Malley's gun law

[ShallNotInfringe]

Crab Bait...

You didn't even talk about the hoops we have to go through to even get an actual weapon or ammo. And them all the locks, formality of transport...

I am finding the gun advocate community to be one of the most tenacious, law abiding, and well informed I have ever been seen.

In the face of all the ridiculous barriers they create, have any of the folks that undertake the high road been the root cause of any trouble???

 

[Kilroy]

85% of people probably have no idea what the law is even about, or what current laws are.

 

[ShallNotInfringe]

85% of people probably have no idea what the law is even about, or what current laws are.

That result is believable! I had NO idea what those yellow bellied mud munchers were doing until I looked.

 

[Old Salty Dog]

Polling: If TRULY randomly selected, and that is a huge if, 1700 is a sample plenty large enough to extrapolate to the rest of the state. Can't remember the exact number (That class was a LONG time ago!) but IIRC, you don't need much more than that to extrapolate for the entire country.

The key is true randomness, and I wouldn't bet a nickel on that for this poll. 85% is WAY too high, and as mentioned earlier, you can easily steer the results with your questions.

 

[MDFF2008]

The number of people is statistically valid.

With the population of Maryland, you need between 700-1200 people to have a valid sample at the 95% confidence level.

The key is randomness. If you only survey 800 people in one part of the county, it's not a valid sample size.

 

[gedelea]

Polling: If TRULY randomly selected, and that is a huge if, 1700 is a sample plenty large enough to extrapolate to the rest of the state. Can't remember the exact number (That class was a LONG time ago!) but IIRC, you don't need much more than that to extrapolate for the entire country.

The key is true randomness, and I wouldn't bet a nickel on that for this poll. 85% is WAY too high, and as mentioned earlier, you can easily steer the results with your questions.

I hate statistics because they can be misleading. That amount of people represent roughly 0.00034 of the population in Maryland. I would also assume that saying it is random is not enough. The demographical background of each county in MD is different. If they hit the major population centers of MD and call it good it doesn't take into account the rural areas of MD where people are probably more familiar with guns and have the opportunity to use them on a more frequent basis. I also don't like the questions....most all of us would like to see laws enacted to reduce gun crimes. The fact remains that most folks are gun ignorant (look at pics of Sen. Feinstein in a room of people with her finger on the trigger of a gun in a crowded room, or the First lady apparently not knowing the difference between a revolver or an automatic weapons, or the folks who think that AR type rifles are assault weapons)

 

[fivepointstar]

NICE TRY ASSH*LES....I seriously doubt it

 

[settleitinthering]

THIS

And this is part of one of my e-mails to Senators/Delegates...

A few years ago, as I started to get back into shooting, I read up on the laws governing my use of my legally owned firearms and couldn't believe how restrictive Maryland already is on law abiding firearm owners. I had at the time, been a hunter and a holder of a hunter’s safety card for almost 30 years, I had owned a .22 caliber rifle and 12 gauge shotgun for almost as long, and had owned a 9mm regulated pistol (having passed the background check in 1993) for almost 20 years. Yet when I went to buy a new .22 caliber pistol I was surprised that my hunter’s safety card wasn’t enough to certify competency in firearm handling and I had to complete an on-line firearm safety training course to obtain the proper card. Second, I was required to fill out federal paperwork so that a background check could be done. Third, I had to fill out Maryland state paperwork so that another background check could be done. Fourth, I would be required to wait seven days (however, it often takes longer) before I could take possession of that firearm – even though I had firearms at home. Fifth, a fired shell casing would have to be submitted to the Maryland State Police. Sixth, I would be required to purchase an internal lock for the firearm. Additionally, after purchasing the firearm, I would only be allowed to transport the firearm off my property if I was going to or from the range or gunsmith. And while I was traveling it was to be stored boxed or holstered, unloaded, and according to most interpretations, completely separated from the ammunition. At this point I think it should be obvious that if there is a problem in Maryland, it’s not from a lack of regulation, but from a lack of diligence enforcing and prosecuting the violations of the laws already in place.

Really good read. Thanks for posting...

 

[sygata]

I find it rather cute is that for "Are you in favor or oppose stricter gun-control in Maryland?" they show only 2 counties with 76% and 75% in favor. But Maryland average is 62%, that means there are other places where it is likely to be below 50%

 

[Maverick0313]

Consider the source.....

 

[Mega]

85% is way too large a number to be believable.

Yea, I call ******** too.

 

[7A38]

I know the 85% has to be wrong too. But one of us needs to address this (and the similar statistic from the recent Baltimore Sun Poll) directly during testimony before the House (on Friday and Tuesday).

The problem is if politicians keep hearing this (and they will), they will start to believe it. This is particularly true because statistics like this are brought up when none of us are around, and we don't have the opportunity to refute it. Then the legislators will naturally think it's safe to vote this way because that's what most of their constituents probably believe. What they need to hear is how they will hear (or may have heard) about these statistics, but those statistics are wrong and why.

Please, someone work this into your testimony.

7A38

 

[GTOGUNNER]

If looking at this poll , the 85% might not look bad. Free fingerprinting , Free training. Free registration.
Now do the poll and add that it will cost a gun buyer upwards of 400 bucks and the results will change.
Look at the MSI poll
http://marylandshallissue.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Poll_Memo-MarylandStatewide-Feb2013.pdf

http://marylandshallissue.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Toplines-Maryland-Statewide-Feb2013.pdf

 

[Mobile]

I can believe it because your average person has only the vaguest idea of what the current laws are, much less the proposed one.

"Oh, assault weapon, that sounds scary. Yeah, better ban that."

Sit the same person down and show him what a pistol grip is and ask them if someone should be a felon for putting that on a rifle. Unfortunately we can't do that with the entire state of MD.