Consensus on Guns

In reviewing several polls in which party affiliation is also disclosed, one actually cannot help but notice a remarkable consistency, across party lines, with regard to interpretation of the second amendment.

(source: Roper Center at University of Connecticut, via Lexis Nexis. Poll information is accessible by registering and logging in to iPoll, iPOLL Login)

Date: February 1999
Question: Do you favor or oppose a law which would require background checks before people--including gun dealers--could buy guns at gun shows?
Answer: Favor
Republican 81%
Democrat 85%
Independent 82%
Liberal 88%
Moderate 87%
Conservative 78%

Date: August 1997
Question: What does the Second Amendment (to the United States Constitution) protect?
Answer: "The right to bear arms / own a gun"
Republican 91%
Democrat 85%
Independent 87%

Date: August 1997
Question: The Second Amendment to the US (United States) Constitution reads as follows: 'A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.' Having heard that, do you feel that the Second Amendment guarantees individuals the right to own guns?
Answer: "Yes"
Republican 79%
Democrat 61%
Independent 67%

Date: August 1997
Question: Do you think this Amendment (Second Amendment to the United States Constitution) should guarantee individuals the right to own guns?
Answer: "Yes"
Republican 74%
Democrat 54%
Independent 64%

Date: September 1995
Question: I'd like your views on some positions a political candidate might take on different issues. On gun control, suppose a candidate said: I firmly believe in the Second Amendment right to bear arms, but I am willing to put up with some inconvenience in getting or having guns--like registration or waiting a certain amount of time--to make sure that I am a responsible citizen who should be allowed to have a gun. Do you think this position on gun control is... too conservative, too liberal, or about right?
Answer: "About right"
Republican 74%
Democrat 69%
Independent 71%

Date: April 1995
Question: Do you think armed citizen militia groups generally pose a grave danger to American society or are they mostly just groups of citizens lawfully exercising their rights to assemble and bear arms?
Answer: "Pose a danger"
Republican 56%
Democrat 66%
Independent 56%

This is not a left/right issue. Many on "the right" agree with those on "the left:"
Don’t Blame Liberals for Gun Control