(Christian Science Monitor)
Few US policy issues are as polarizing as gun control. A 2018 Pew Research Center report shows that 80 percent of Democrats say US gun laws should be stricter, while only 28 percent of Republicans would say the same; and another 20 percent of Republicans say that gun laws should be less strict.
Issues tied to mass shootings also reveal partisan divisions. About two-thirds of Democrats believe that restricting gun access would reduce the frequency of mass shootings, and the same proportion of Republicans say it would not.
However, the same Pew Research Center report reveals that there are areas where bipartisan support for aspects of gun control is strong. For example, 89 percent of both Republican and Democratic voters say people with mental illness should not be allowed to buy guns. Almost the same number also agree that people on federal watch lists should have restricted gun access. And 91 percent of Democratic voters and 79 percent of Republican voters say gun sales made in private and at gun shows should have background checks.
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