Bill Scher: Headlines You Won't See: Americans Support Clean Energy

[marmar]

from OurFuture.org:



Headlines You Won't See: Americans Support Clean Energy
By Bill Scher

July 31st, 2008 - 9:04am ET


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pollsters keeping asking this summer about coastal drilling, and support has certainly risen in the wake of a coordinated conservative propaganda campaign and the absence of an effective coordinated response. Blaring headlines have followed: "Americans favor offshore drilling!"

But there is other poll data that indicates such support is not terribly deep, and pales in comparison to support for investment in clean energy and energy-efficiency.

1. Yesterday's CNN poll found 69% supported coastal drilling, but only 51% believed it would lower gas prices. And that's without a real coordinated effort to get the facts out about how painfully little coastal drilling would affect prices.

2. Also in that CNN poll, when voters are asked which presidential candidate would do a better job on gas prices, coastal drilling opponent Barack Obama beats coastal drilling supporter John McCain, 51% to 40%. Obama has emphasized the need to invest in clean energy and use less oil, and that forward-thinking approach appears to resonate more than the drill, drill, drill mantra.

3. The headlines in California today talk up a Public Policy Institute of California poll showing support for coastal drilling rising from 41% to 51%.

But PPIC's own analysis says: "California adults narrowly support allowing more oil drilling off the California coast and narrowly oppose building more nuclear power plants, with deeply divided opinions across party lines. By comparison, there is solid support and consensus for increasing fuel efficiency of automobiles and increasing federal funding for research on alternative energy sources." (Emphasis added) ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/headlines-you-wont-see-americans-support-clean-energy