More than six in 10 Americans fault Congress and President Trump for not doing enough to prevent mass shootings, finds a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Most Americans continue to say these incidents are more reflective of problems identifying and addressing mental health issues than inadequate gun laws, the Post reports. In the poll, conducted after a gunman killed 17 people at a Florida high school last week, more than three-quarters–77 percent—said they think more effective mental health screening and treatment could have prevented the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The survey also shows that 58 percent of adults believe stricter gun control laws could have prevented the shooting. There was no rise in support for banning assault weapons compared with two years ago and the partisan divide on this policy is as stark as ever.
On the issue of whether allowing teachers to carry guns could have deterred the rampage, a proposal Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said is an option for schools, 42 percent said they agreed. While the poll illustrates differences over how to respond to gun violence, it also highlights the intense frustration with the lack of any policy response coming out of Washington despite a series of horrific shootings in recent years. A 77 percent majority says Congress is not doing enough to prevent mass shootings and 62 percent say the same of Trump. At least half feel “strongly” that Congress and the president have not taken adequate action. Majorities across party lines express frustration with Congress, while views of Trump are more divided. More than eight in 10 Democrats and two-thirds of independents say the president is not doing enough. More than six in 10 Republicans say Trump is taking sufficient action to prevent mass shootings, although more than one-quarter of fellow partisans, 28 percent, say he is not.