Earlier this week the Associated Press published a story about Oregon's new gun control laws and the anti-gun advocates behind them.
In the piece John Feinblatt, the president of former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's anti-gun Everytown, was quoted saying gun control is a winning issue and that his organization has been successful at bringing home victories on gun control platforms.
"We are seeing it again and again, that this is actually a winning issue and you can vote to protect the American public and make the American public safe, and your political career will flourish," said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, an advocacy group backed by millions from billionaire Michael Bloomberg, the former New York mayor.
The facts show otherwise. Not only is gun control a losing issue among the majority of Americans, Everytown is losing to the NRA by significant margins.
First, lets take a look at some numbers on legislation over the past three years. In 2013, 98 NRA backed pro-gun and pro-hunting bills were signed into law in 33 states. That same year, just 21 gun control bills in just 10 states were passed and signed into law. In 2014, it's a similar story. That year 80 NRA backed pro-gun and pro-hunting bills became law in 32 states while just nine gun control laws were implemented in just five states. The NRA won that year 10 times over. And finally, so far in 2015 there have been a whopping 93 pro-gun and hunting bills singed into law in 33 different states. Just six gun control laws in three states have been passed. During the landslide 2014 midterm elections, 90 percent of NRA backed candidates won.
Now, onto public opinion.
Just this week a new CNN poll showed the majority of Americans do not believe guns are too easy to purchase. The majority of the public now believes gun rights should be protected rather than infringed upon with more gun control and that guns make people safer, not less safe, according to Pew Research. Finally, gun ownership among women and minorities is rapidly expanding in addition to involvement in the shooting sports.
Bloomberg's Everytown isn't winning and gun control isn't a winning issue, despite what gun control activists may claim to the media.
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