How do you feel about President Biden’s new executive order that aims to expand the number of US buyers subjected to background checks?

👍 Strongly agree (48%) – "Individuals need a background check to rent an apartment, borrow money, or teach children. It does not seem outrageous to require a background check before selling someone a tool specifically intended to kill things."

• "Guns need to be regulated. There should be mandatory & ongoing training, insurance for each weapon owned, backgound checks, and a mental health screenings. It won't catch everything or completely stop gun violence, but it would go a long way to decreasing the violence."
• "This country needs stronger gun control. I believe responsible, law-abiding adults can be permitted to own guns for specific purposes, but background checks are constitutional and necessary. The broader, the better. The next step should be a federal ban on assault weapons like semi-automatic rifles. Also constitutional; there is no reason a civilian needs this type of weapon."
• "As a gun owner, veteran's spouse, public school teacher, and parent living in a state that has some of the highest suicide rates in the nation, I support moves like this to help keep guns out of the hands of individuals who should be getting psychiatric treatment, not access to firearms."

📈 Agree/Somewhat agree (18%) – "On one hand, it’s a step in the right direction. On the other, I don’t think this will actually help at all. As long as mentally-stable law-abiding people can purchase guns, then more gun control would be welcomed."

• "I know it won't solve everything, but we need some sort of start to end this senselessness. Background checks seem responsible and a great step in the right direction."
• "The gun problem is not a gun problem per se. It's a people problem. Checking the background of people selling and distributing guns is a step towards filtering out those who have questionable practices."

🤷 Neutral (9%) – "I don't think it changes much, it isn't a ground breaking move. I don't really think gun control is the main solution with mass shootings, but also (and I am a gun owner) I don't think there is anything wrong or problematic about requiring background checks, and I think any rational and responsible gun owner would agree."

📉 Disagree/Somewhat disagree (12%) – "I don't believe that the increased background checks are going to reduce the amount of gun related casualties. The people who are committing these crimes will get their guns anyway, despite the heightened background checks (i.e. gangs, mass shooters, etc.)."

• "The use of background checks has not improved the gun violence problem in the slightest. More of the same won't have a positive effect. Law abiding citizens are not the ones committing crimes."

👎 Strongly disagree (13%) – "Getting tougher on law-abiding citizens is not the answer to solving issues with criminals who don't obey the law in the first place. Laws like this are strictly posturing on the left and make no sense. The bill of rights is clear and has stood up to the test of time even in the supreme court...those rights cannot be infringed."

• "Firearm regulations should only be determined by Congress. Anything that classifies more individuals as dealers places an undue burden on individuals, and quite frankly I'm afraid about what penalties will be imposed on those individuals (who are likely using guns legally and morally)."