A McClatchy-Ipsos poll from December 3-6 – taken at the height of the stolen email media feeding frenzy – found that that 70% of Americans believe that global warming is indeed a reality.
McClatchy also found that 52% of Americans polled still support passing “cap and trade” legislation in Congress. And that’s despite relentless attacks on climate science and the solutions – with big oil and other special energy interests having spent millions of dollars spreading falsehoods about clean energy reforms and the climate bill – as well as the weakest economy in 80 years.
Even more Americans – 69% of those polled – support cap and trade legislation if it will create a significant number of American jobs, even if it will cost them $10 a month, while 60% support cap and trade at a cost of $25 a month if it creates jobs.
The good news is that essentially every major independent analysis finds the cost around $10 a month:
- EPA releases economic analysis of Kerry-B0xer bill finding cost to U.S. households of under $10 a month, bill consistent with global effort to stabilize at 2°C warming
- Despite its many flaws, EIA analysis of climate bill finds $7 a month cost to families, massive retirement of dirty coal plants and 119 GW of new renewables by 2030 — plus a million barrels a day oil savings
- CBO stunner: Waxman-Markey cuts U.S. GHGs sharply but costs under $15 a month — without counting the efficiency savings
- The triumph of energy efficiency: Waxman-Markey could save $3,900 per household and create 650,000 jobs by 2030
And analysis shows the the bipartisan climate and clean energy bill will create 1.7 million clean energy jobs.
Significantly, this new poll is consistent with every other recent poll:
- New CNN poll finds “nearly six in 10 independents” support cap-and-trade (October)
- Yet another major poll finds “broad support” for clean energy and climate bill: “Support for the plan among independents has increased slightly” (August)
- 63% of likely voters (and 59% of independents) in AK, AR, IN, ME, MI, MO, MT, NC, NV, ND, NH, OH, PA, SD, VA, WV support the bill (see here, from September)
- Public opinion snapshot: Public backs key elements of global warming bill (July)
- Zogby: 71% of likely voters support House climate bill (August)
- Mark Mellman must read on climate messaging: “A strong public consensus has emerged on the reality and severity of global warming, as well as on the need for federal action” — ecoAmerica “could hardly be more wrong” (May)
Finally, recent polling from 3 key states — and 5 key districts — finds strong support for the bipartisan climate and clean energy bill (see here, from November):
- 75% of voters in Michigan favor.
- 68% of voters in Ohio favor.
- 67% of voters in Missouri favor.
- 61% of voters in Florida’s 2nd district support.
- 69% of voters in New Mexico’s 2nd district support.
- 63% of voters in Ohio’s 16th district support.
- 70% of voters in Virginia’s 5th district support.
- 68% of voters in Washington’s 8th district support.
So, yes, the public can see through the lies. Can 60+ Senators?
Tina Ramos, Special Assistant for Energy Policy at the Center for American Progress, helped with this post.
This piece originally appeared on Climate Progress.
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(Posted by Joe Romm in Politics at 9:24 AM)
