Luntz
Poll Shows Broad Support for Grand Climate/Energy Bargain
February 3, 2010
In
his State of the Union speech, President Obama called for "making tough
decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development"
and for "building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the scourge of oil, gas, and nuclear
energy, stood up and applauded.
Oil,
gas, and nuclear energy executives probably fell over from the shock.
For Obama's movement in their direction, they have Senator Lindsey
Graham of South Carolina to thank.
Graham, a conservative
Republican, has gone out on a political limb in order to forge a
bipartisan climate and energy deal that would put a price on carbon
emissions. Such an agreement would rev up expanded use of clean,
made-in-America energy technologies and back down America’s dangerous
dependence on foreign oil.
Graham has made it clear to his
fellow Republicans that in order to get the expanded offshore and
nuclear energy development that they want in an energy package, they
need to accept a cap on carbon emissions.
As Graham told a business leaders group on February 3: "I
don't think you'll ever have energy independence the way I want it
until you start dealing with carbon pollution and pricing carbon. The
two are connected in my view - very much connected."
Obama
has moved in Republicans' direction. Now, it’s congressional
Republicans' turn to join with Graham and signal that they're willing
to deal.
A climate and energy package that caps carbon emissions
would enjoy broad public support, if citizens are convinced that it
would create jobs and deliver greater energy security.
New
public opinion data from Republican pollster Frank Luntz bears this
out. His latest survey delivered the following bottom lines:
Americans understand the dangers of oil addiction and want to cut our
country loose from OPEC's petro-despots.
They want more economic innovation that delivers more jobs. They want
clean air.
If people are convinced that a cap-and-trade plan would deliver those
goods, they're inclined to back it.
Regardless
of whether they're Republicans or Democrats. Regardless of whether the
scientists have it right or wrong on climate change.
A total of
57 percent said it is in America's interest to develop energy sources
that are clean, reliable, efficient, and safe, regardless of whether
climate change is happening or not. It's a "no-regrets" strategy – the
right thing to do no matter what.
As Luntz put it: "Americans
want clean, safe, healthy, secure energy. That's why Republicans and
Democrats alike strongly support action to address climate change.
Sure, Republicans are more concerned about the national security
component and Democrats the health component, but support for action
right now spans all partisan and ideological lines."
The Luntz
survey shows that voters are more pragmatic than politicians and
ideologues at both ends of the spectrum give them credit for. Americans
want businesses to become more energy-efficient and to create jobs for
Americans. They would support a cap-and-trade system to limit carbon
pollution that rewards businesses for reducing emissions and holds them
accountable if they don't.
Above all, voters want America to
pursue energy independence, producing its own energy with reliable
technology. The poll results show that the most attractive reason for
supporting a climate cap-and-trade plan would be spurring development
of clean, sustainable energy sources that free us from dependence on
Middle Eastern energy.
Nearly half, or 48 percent, said ending
America's dependence on foreign fuels should be the most important
environmental and economic goal.
The message for Democrats in
Congress is to work constructively with Republicans to draft climate
and energy legislation fulfilling goals that a broad majority of
Americans support.
The message for Republicans in Congress is to
work constructively with Democrats to draft climate and energy
legislation fulfilling goals that a broad majority of Americans support.
