The fight over gun control: By the numbers
The NRA spends nearly a quarter of a billion dollars a year. The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence? $3 million
The tragic massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut last Friday morning has reinvigorated the national debate on gun control, prompting pollsters, policymakers, and advocates on both sides of the subject to revisit the long-dormant issue. As America adjusts to a post-Newtown landscape that could permanently change the discussion about guns in this country, here are some crucial numbers to keep in mind:
270 million
Privately owned firearms in the United States
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
9
Guns for every 10 people in America
55
Percentage of Republicans who had a gun in their house in 1975
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
50
Percentage of Republicans who had a gun in their house in 2010
45
Percentage of Democrats who had a gun in their house in 1975
22
Percentage of Democrats who had a gun in their house in 2010
50
Percentage of independents who had a gun in their house in 1975
30
Percentage of independents who had a gun in their house in 2010
57
Percentage of Americans who believe gun laws should be stricter
9
Percentage of Americans who believe gun laws should be less strict
More than 180,000
Americans who have signed a White House petition in the last few days asking for immediate gun control legislation
$719,596
Amount the NRA donated to political candidates in 2012
$634,146
NRA donations received by Republicans in 2012
$244 million
The NRA's total annual spending in 2010
$3 million
The total 2010 spending for the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence — the nation's largest pro-gun-control group
Sources: Politico, CBS News, WhiteHouse.gov, Washington Post (2, 3), New York Times, Slate
Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
-
Why more and more adults are reaching for soft toys
Under The Radar Does the popularity of the Squishmallow show Gen Z are 'scared to grow up'?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Magazine solutions - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
By The Week US Published
-
Magazine printables - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - December 27, 2024 / January 3, 2025
By The Week US Published