Fascinating that Gov. Scott Walker would promise to sign any concealed carry bill that comes to his desk.
Because that seems to be precisely what Wisconsin voters do not want.
According to a new poll commissioned by the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE) and conducted by Third Eye Strategies of Springfield, Va., “legislators should be aware that loosening the requirements for public gun carrying is the exact opposite of what voters want. Nearly unanimously, Wisconsinites believe there should be more, not fewer, requirements for public gun carriers, including criminal background checks (93%) and mandatory, “hands on” training (90%).”
Even if those numbers seem incredible to you, check out these:
- 60% of voters polled oppose changing the law to allow private citizens to carry concealed, loaded handguns in public; 32% support the change.
- 60% believe that loaded, concealed guns in public would make them feel less safe, while 21% disagree
- 8% would vote against a candidate who favors concealed carry, while 23% say they would be more likely to support that candidate
- Democrats and Independents are opposed to concealed carry. Only Republican men favor it (61% to 31%); Republican women are split, 48% opposed to 47% in favor.
501 voters were randomly selected for this poll, which drew from all corners of the state.
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While WAVE's poll shows that voters are clearly not in favor of making Wisconsin the 49th state in the nation to allow concealed carry, Republican voters, I'm hearing, are torn.
Well, let me make that more specific by saying tea partiers are torn.
You see, the tea party “patriots” believe that that “constitutional carry” is the way to go. No registration, permit, training, database, fingerprinting, tax, fee, license—nothing.
And they really don't like the fact that the constitutional carry bill was only introduced in the state Senate, and not the Assembly. A "shall-issue" permitting system has been introduced in both houses.
They feel that Republicans are screwing with them, taking their support in the next election for granted.
They're furious that WTMJ radio talkers Charlie Sykes and Jeff Wagner ridiculed the “constitutional carry” bill.
They're not happy that an amendment was added to the bill, which would require gun carriers to obtain a permit if they are within a Gun Free School zone, or within 1,000 feet of a school. But they're reluctantly supporting it and hoping that they can make changes in the future, either via the courts or a more-friendly Legislature. They're trying to get this pushed through the recall elections, and are urging supporters to contact Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, Sen. Alberta Darling, Sen. Sheila Harsdorf and Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald to git 'er done.
So we'll see if this very vocal minority gets its way, or if the state Legislature will vote against the will of the vast majority. It's not the first time that's happened this session…
UPDATE: The Senate Judiciary Committee just voted for the constitutional carry bill with just one amendment that requires the Wisconsin DOJ to issue permits to state residents who want to carry guns in other states. Other amendments—including one that would allow businesses that don't want gun owners on their property to ask gun owners to leave and another that would bar guns on the premises of social service or mental health agencies—were all voted down.
