Nothing lasts forever. Especially in the world of 24 hour cable news, stories fall off the radar faster than free cupcakes disappear at my day job. As for “gun control” being a topic in the forefront of the minds of Americans, it looks like the public may already have moved on. The Don’t Be Evil people provide something called “Google Trends” that gives people a glimpse into the search terms that their bazillions of users are looking for and how they change over time. And according to their results, people have stopped searching the web for gun control-related info . . .
While it’s true that search volume doesn’t necessarily equal national interest, another interesting trend is that “gun control” mentions have largely fallen out of the mainstream media as well. Dylan Byers at Politico notes the huge spike in articles about gun control in the news has been followed by a slightly less jagged cliff trailing off back towards the normal background noise that we see on a day-to-day basis.
This pretty much sums it up:
Blame it on the fiscal cliff, blame it on Christmas, blame it on our ability to forget, but the national discussion about gun control has once again ebbed. Mentions of the term “gun control” on television, in newspapers, and in online media are down to pre-Sandy Hook levels, according to the Nexis database.
Barring a post-holidy resurgence — which is certainly possible — the gun control discussion has once again gone the way of… the gun control discussion.
The “gun control advocates” had a narrow window to enact new legislation when people were still looking for a knee-jerk reaction, and they knew it. But it looks like their time has come and gone.
I’m really looking forward to the results from new polling — the most recent data we have are still from the weekend following the shooting. My guess is that the numbers are back to where they started.
….at least until the next mass shooting.
When the next shooting happens they will have the law/bills ready to implement and pass during this phase. It is still best to contact them and let them know that laws do not affect criminals and will not help to minimize the mass killings.
WHo knows maybe Obama will do a ”Bourne Legacy” moment and government drives a guy go crazy and kill people. For Obama just to get his ban to the floor.
Don’t be lulled into inaction by this. Contact your Senators and your Congressman regarding any pending gun control legislation and ask them to vote No. We all need to be involved in order to preserve our rights and our sport. The best defense is a good offense!
Agreed. And don’t forget that this may be part of the strategy, taking the pressure off the gun banners so they can more easily work “under the radar” passing things we weren’t aware were in progress.
This. Remember, Constant Vigilance!
Thank you, Professor Mad-Eye Moody!
Not wanting to say I told you so, but I did.
They will have to wait for the next spree shooting. I bet the M#s of the world live in dread of the next guy getting taken out by an armed citizen.
I’m really looking forward to the results from new polling — the most recent data we have are still from the weekend following the shooting.
My guess is that you will not see any new polling. Polling efforts which fail to support the narrative are likely to be dropped before completion. Of course, this will change if another emotional window-of-opportunity opens for the blood-dancers.
As time passes, the anti fervor will wane; those who have nothing to lose; and the pro fervor will wane too, but not as much ; those who have everything to lose.
With the advent of what’s going on in IL, i would expect the pro fervor to possibly increase, and in the event of IL catastrophe, it may sway the anti side to realize that they have the wrong idea to go ahead with legislation.
I am also hoping that the House majority grows some balls, and moves the attention to the debt ceiling/ fiscal problems. As for now, i’m not sure they know what the hell they were elected for, and suspect that they don’t really have a plan regarding the fiscal policy stuff. But i hope they do, and draw attention to that, and stall the anti-firearm legislation movement because of it.
We’ll see i guess.
Thomas, with all due respect, but do you really believe our elected officials gives a rats behind what we want/need??? Or for that matter, ever really make an honest effort to fix ANYTHING!!!
Watch their actions…….representing our interests have NEVER been what they are about. Now filling their pockets, at our expense, THAT is what they are good at.
“Nearly half of the members of Congress are millionaires, according to the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP), a Washington watchdog.
The median net worth of a U.S. senator was $2.63 million in 2010, the most recent year for which financial data are available. That was up 11% from the year before, says CRP.
The median estimated net worth for House members was $756,765.
The median net worth of House members almost tripled from 1984 and 2009, while the net worth of Americans declined slightly during the same time, according to the Washington Post and the University of Michigan.”
http://money.msn.com/investing/latest.aspx?post=70cc8f98-07b4-4e4e-923e-5569bd82627d
1) Don’t forget some of us are “behind enemy lines,” so in NY and IL dark days remain ahead. We shouldn’t rule out, frankly, DC doing something self-destructive.
2) It seems the drop is largely due to folks forgetting about Bob Costas. Weird that.
3) Is anybody else getting TTAG with most of the HTML stripped out?
Just wait until the 2% payroll tax break is no longer being applied to everyone’s paycheck in a couple weeks. People won’t care about anything except where their $30-$50 went.
My compelling question is when are the prices of the “Evil Black Rifles”(TM), Ammo and Magazines going to go to pre-newton levels? And when will CheaperThanDirt once again be CheaperThanDirt?
First, Cheaper Than Dirt never had the best prices online. I shop regularly and never purchased anything from them. Secondly, why would I shop with and support a merchant that does not support 2A?
So, CTD goes on the list with Dick’s, plus the others for some of the same stupidity.
Prices could begin going down fairly quickly if the near-panic buying slows back to the brisk-business level we have seen for the last four years. Don’t expect stock-levels to return to previous levels for quite some time since the demand over the last several years was already enough to show occasional weaknesses in the supply chain.
Shopping with CTD was always tricky. They would offer the same product through many warehouses (up to 7 of them, I think) and often prices were different at each location. If you didn’t pay attention you could easily place an order requiring shipment from multiple warehouses and really rack-up the shipping costs.
Cheaper than Dirt is DOA.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/01/gun-control-doesnt-survive-christmas-153146.html
Meh. Notice that the highest search volumes were in states that are typically more gun friendly. That would lead me to conclude that the spike in searchs was driven by gun OWNERS trying to decide how big a threat the proposed “ban” will be.
We still need to stay on the offensive. We need to be the ones driving the discussion, and asking why we don’t have a standard for armed security in our schools. We need to reassess how the NRA gets our message out the rest of the time, when there aren’t shootings. We need to educate the populace on the AR platform. We need to reasses our own positions on mental health care and social programs where it can be addressed. Unfortunately, this will happen again. And if we haven’t taught more people to think independently, we will lose our rights.
Well said.
Well since the grabbers are waiting for the next shooting, everyone should try to have the grabbers removed.
Excellent idea. That is what ALL of us should be working at 24/7/365. Add to that to elect a few honest, hardworking types who are REALLY interested in helping fix a few things.
Lets see what happens today. DiFi is supposed to introduce her ban everything and register what’s left legislation today.
Internet searches (as you mentioned) don’t equal national interest. My guess is that there are now more people in support of new gun control laws and that can range from creating a national database of insane people to banning ‘assault rifles’. There are now many more people who are first-time proud gun owners and others considering buying their first gun. Teachers and school officials are now increasingly making plans to arms themselves too. There are good things coming from the tragedy. RIP to the children and teachers.
Totally agree. This debate and assault on our rights is far from over.
Don’t let search terms give you a false sense of security. A friend of mine who is a gun-owner and lives in Jersey even wrote his Congressional reps, and even Feinstein, to tell them he supports a magazine restriction since he’s already subject to it in Jersey. Then he said he asked them to back off taking his guns. I tried to school him on how much that hurts him in the long run but he would have none of it. This is the true threat to our rights and search terms are meaningless when dealing with folks like this. The likes of Feinstein and her ilk will work in the background.
Respectfully, I don’t think this is the case. The Anti’s have attacked with renewed fervor, and they have been supported by a media that is more comfortable with gun control than facts and statistics. DiFi introduces her AWB 2.0 and Magazine Ban (probably with input from Skynet), and Illinois delves even further into the depths. Meanwhile AR prices, 5.56 ammo, and AR accessories have gone through the roof in pricing. I don’t even want to shot my ARs – which were lost in a kayaking accident anyways – because ammo cost is nuts. Your beloved 300 AAC ammo is hard to find as well.
We have galvanized our core, but we face an uphill battle of ignorance and deception. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
“which were lost in a kayaking accident anyways”
No joke?!?! I lost my rifle on a pig hunt earlier this year. Pigs really will eat anything I guess.
False Flags are a VERY real thing that have been used throughout history to promote various agendas of the ruling class, i.e. Fast and Furious.
Don’t think for a second that a government that will willingly ship tens of thousands of real assualt rifles along with gernades and RPGs to Mexican Drug Cartels won’t hesitate to hoodwink and fleece the sheeple yet again.
Complacency will kill, apathy is complicity……so Stay Frosty and Godspeed!
Good comment. I sometimes hear from people in conversation that such and such politician is such an xxxxx (ie low intelligent person) because of their actions on an issue. However, what many people fail to realize is that powerful and wealthy politicians and officials have different agendas, priorities, and values than the common person.
An example is that Obama does not want guns in public schools since he has a bigger goal of disarming the people for tighter subject control. Obama does not have to worry about his kids since they are under tight security by men armed with fully automatic weapons. Politicians do not care about the suffering of an individual or group of people or large numbers of people. Those children and their teachers who were massacred in CT because the school was a gun free zone and the teachers unarmed died because of leaders like Obama who have molded the modern American culture. Obama then jumped in immediately and used the massacre to further his political agenda. Another example of government creating a problem and then adding fuel to the fire with an even worse solution. The man is a global fascist.
I agree that False Flags have been used by governments for thousands of years to manipulate and motivate their subjects to support various action. ‘Fast and Furious’ is a good example of an attempted false flag that mostly failed. Gun stores in the border states still must report multiple gun buys to the feds. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that 911 was an operation the USG was in on that launched the War of Terror or the explosion aboard the USS Main in Havana’s harbor that kicked off the Spanish American War.
Governments are not your friends, neighbors, and customers living with you on Main Street. Governments are located, high-up on the hillsides looking down upon you, in tall castles defended by guards willing to kill and die when ordered to do so.
hopefully enough people figured out that sandy hook was bullshit and decided that sabotaging constitutional rights from a situation with so many discrepancies is a bad idea. maybe not. the year is still young and we are still f–ked economically.
Whistling awfully loud past the graveyard…
The nature of our opposition can be compared to the US Army vs Iraqi Insurgency. Like the Insurgents ,the gun control backers don’t have a uniform nor are the rank and file members obvious. The ringleaders line Feinstein are of course visible much like Uday and Kusay were,but the typical insurgent was industingushable from the average Iraqi. Some insurgents worked for the police even, much like many gun owners support magazine restrictions.
The only way to fight this monster is the same way the USA did- chop off the head of the beast. We need to deny the rights violators like Schumer and Rahm Emmanuel a place to operate. Instead of sending SF, what we must do is change minds and make gun rights a national issue and not a political one. Without figureheads in the media legitimizing the ignorant religion of gun control extremism , their movement will run out of gas.
the US tried to do that several times and was not successful because insurgencies dont have “heads”. Hell, Iraq is currently embroiled in a “low level war”…again…one year after we left.
http://www.businessinsider.com/iraq-a-year-after-us-withdrawal-2013-1
besides that point, i certainly get what you mean. hearts and minds in favor of the constitution is going to be a nigh insurmountable mountain to scale…and im not very optimistic that im on the winning side.
I hate to say it, but I think even if we did make this a national issue (by which I presume you mean to bring in the broad “undecided” populace) that the dust will still settle to the left of our position. I think a consensus of average, never-going-to-own-a-gun Americans, even if fully educated to the point of complete understanding of our point of view, will still get hung up on the “need” for an “assault weapon.” They will always see the next massacre through the lens, even partially, of “easy” access to guns enabling it.
Now you could have said the same thing for the Civil Rights movement 60 or so years ago. So the answer is to engage the populace but also to stick to our guns (I know I know) that we are RIGHT and continue to build our just freedom one difficult step at a time, hoping that we one day reach the promised land. I also won’t hold my breath.
Sweet! Now if everyone could stop buying evil black rifles so the price will drop and I can get one without taking out a second mortgage, that would be great. Thanks.
Guys we have to stay on top of this, keep writing your reps.
Once we defeat this recent action we need to go on the offensive and take back lost ground. We need to banish gun-free zones and continue the great work Alan Gura and others have accomplished towards shall-issue and constitutional carry.
After that we need to work to peel back the GCA of 68 and the NFA. Remember this recent push is just like the establishment of the NFA; very few crimes committed with NFA type weapons. However since prohibition was ending, the federal gubmint wanted to keep those employees on the payroll, thus creating the NFA.
Some good new I say too keep the pressure up on your Reps and Senators kill the ban. But the polls show the mood for BIG bans int there.
Do not expect much help from the GOP, Obama now owns their balls. Too bad the used to be a worthy party, but no more. We are on our own.
Not so fast. Several high level Republicans already said no to any AWB. Sen Lindsy Graham Sen Grassley Rep Louie Gomert ect its not over.
Really? Let’s see. Obama wanted 1.6 trillion in taxes. Boehner said he was willing to accept 800 billion. Final result was 600 billion and the budget separated from the tax bomb. Compromises usually split the difference, not give one side more than it asked for. That doesn’t sound like an Obama victory to me.
Who is to say the tax “compromise” wasn’t bought on the understanding that much of the talk of gun & magazine bans just quietly “goes away”?
Such a “compromise” must surely have cost Obama dearly – IF the Republicans are doing their job.
Unfortunately that’s a pretty big “if” these days.
I don’t think just because Google analytics says that people aren’t searching that the politicians stop.
Diane will propose the new bill. We will see the Illinois legislature see new legislation. I am also convinced we will see new laws put for vote by Leland Yee here in California as well. My understanding is Colorado is also looking at possible legislation, but nothing proposed as of yet.
This is not the time to simply go away. In fact this works in our favor. The NRA, SAF, and GOA can lobby on our behalf and the politicians won’t be listening to them in front of TV cameras. The Antis as far as the public is concerned will go back to normal life, and not be blowing up their politicians phones and email, but WE WILL!
This will make the argument much more lopsided in our favor. So let the rest of the country forget, but we will not and we will continue to fight.
This is along the lines of logic that gun voters have a long memory and do not forgive or forget! Politicians want air time if they think it benefits them. The fact it is dropping out of the media is all good. they can quietly cash their check from the lobby groups and vote down all this nonsense. The only time will see significant action against us is if the Anti 2A groups are able to keep politicians pockets lined, and in front of the cameras.
Unfortunately I do not know the makeup of the Illinois congress. I do know with a super majority in California, any legislation might get passed, because the gun lobby groups will have no one who will listen.
On the federal level they might get passage in the Senate, but if the NRA, SAF, and GOA do their jobs it will die in the House, which would be a good thing. The other factor is if there are any Dems from gun friendly states they want to stay in power. We might get them to resist simply because unless their district is anti gun they WILL loose the next election if they were to vote for DiFi’s bill.
I agree its nice to know the people are mostly with us on this. But we must fight the National Socialist and keep our rights NRA is key and help our GOP members kill her bill. Your a wise man Sanchanim.
The bloody shirts being waved by the vulture like libtards these last several weeks are drying up and the pools of blood shrinking. They may have to wait for another tragedy to swoop in on dirty wings and appeal to emotional ignorance. This garbage makes me so angry I cant even express it properly in writing (though I have tried, as some on this forum may have noticed). For so many anti-gunners to not see the FREEDOM that they are potentially losing (and fighting no less, to lose) while supposedly being for individual freedom from ‘the man’ is…….just insane.
Comments are closed.