A couple data points…

…from Todd at The Blue State.

Brand new Rasmussen poll on gun control. 45% think the country needs stricter gun laws, and 37% disagree. The poll was taken after the Virginia shooting. After Dick Cheney shot his friend in the face, the same poll was taken. In that poll, it was 39% were for more gun safety laws, and were 52% opposed.

About as good a case for the cumbersome machinery of representative democracy as I've seen lately.