forces people who wouldn't otherwise dream of voting for Democrats, vote for Republicans.

Where it fails as miserably as it should every where else.

Only 34% or thereabouts of households have guns. If every one of them voted against gun control it would not be a winning strategy. Add in the fact that only a small portion of that 34% are rabid gun nuts and it's even more a non issue.

A pro control stance doesn't lose votes.

What loses votes is the rabid, loud, vociferous and tenatious tiny minority that makes multiple phone calls and closes down switchboards that costs votes. Until those of us who care about gun violence can match that ferver we will not get the attention we deserve.

Perhaps a better way to put it is unless we who are devoted to gun safety are as dedicated to our cause as they are to theirs we get the results we deserve.

Make calls, send emails, write LTTEs and be heard. It works.

Although we are sometimes accused of being "keyboard warriors," I know many gun control advocates (including me) that do as you suggest, and yes it does indeed work. Our voices ARE being heard.

Thanks for all that you do.

There are a lot of people around here who might be amiable towards a populist message but will not look beyond the message of the most aggressive Democratic party affiliated voices speaking in favor of restrictions. Many of my neighbors are very anti-wall street, anti-war, and generally feel exploited. But they will not listen at all to any politician with a D after their name as long as the Democrats have a reputation as 'gun grabbers'.

We have a severe image problem IMO.

The 3 recalls in Colorado where 33% of registered Democrats supported the recalls of Democratic Senators less than a year after Obama carried those districts by 20 points.

Gun control costs Senate majorities, House seats and enough state legislatures that the party is now in control of the least amount of state legislatures than at any time since before the Civil War.

Gun control makes the Democratic Party a regional party.

to actually believe (and promote the idea) that the fate of the Democratic Party in ANY election cycle hinges on a single issue stretches the imagination beyond the breaking point. Secondly, gun control vs. unlimited gun rights is only a "big" issue to a very small percentage of Americans. A large majority of American voters, in fact, are in favor of enacting various forms of gun control legislation. The idea that ALL American gun owners vote as an "anti-gun control" bloc is a right-wing gun lobby lie, and is beyond ridiculous.

The Colorado recalls that the gun lobby touts so proudly was a fleeting victory. Two of those seats were re-claimed by Democrats in the 2014 elections, and the common sense Colorado gun laws enacted by Democrats remain on the books. The further assertions that the NRA was outspent and still "won," does not count the untraceable (Citizens United) Koch Bros/ALEC money that was funneled into Colorado in support of their puppet Republican candidates.

Support for gun control does not cost Democrats elections, but rather support for the right-wing gun lobby by "Liberals" who promote the "Democrats are coming for your guns" lie is a contributing factor -- but mainly voter apathy costs Democrats elections. If "gun rights" extremists would put as much effort into getting out the Democratic vote as they do when screaming about non-existent "infringement" of their gun rights, Democrats might win even more elections.

The Second Amendment absolutist gang would never vote for a Democrat in the first place, and to my mind that's a good thing. I, for one, do not want to be associated with them in any way.