WaPo/ABC News poll: Fewer Americans believe in global warming but most still support carbon redux

[alp227]

Fewer Americans believe in global warming, poll shows
by Juliet Eilperin
The Washington Post
November 25, 2009

The percentage of Americans who believe global warming is happening has dipped from 80 to 72 percent in the past year, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, even as a majority still support a national cap on greenhouse gas emissions.

The poll's findings -- which also show that 55 percent of respondents think the United States should curb its carbon output even if major developing nations such as China and India do less -- suggest increasing political polarization around the issue, just as the Obama administration and congressional Democrats are intensifying efforts to pass climate legislation and broker an international global warming pact.

The increase in climate skepticism is driven largely by a shift within the GOP. Since its peak 3 1/2 years ago, belief that climate change is happening is down sharply among Republicans -- 76 to 54 percent -- and independents -- 86 to 71 percent. It dipped more modestly among Democrats, from 92 to 86 percent. A majority of respondents still support legislation to cap emissions and trade pollution allowances, by 53 to 42 percent.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/24/AR2009112402989.html?wprss=rss_politics

[ananda]

1. Boy does that ever show..

.. how effective the corporate rightwing propaganda
machine is.

At least people still believe carbon reduction would
be a good thing.

[paulsby]

2. to me what is more interesting

is what % believe in anthropegenic GW. iow, only part of those who believe in gw overall, believe in the anthropegenic quality of it

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. Just like the number of people who think Iraq was responsible for 911 rises over time.

Our country's collective IQ drops as the lies and propaganda and lobbying increase.

[David__77]

4. There are other reasons beside climate to control emissions.

They are harmful to people's health. Hopefully we will not have to continually worry about this debate.

[Zoeisright]

5. There's that term 'belief' again. There's no 'belief' in science.

You either understand it or you don't. Science isn't taken on faith. Theories are verified or discarded based on replicable tests, peer reviewed research, and observation.

You either understand global warming or you don't.

And even if it wasn't true, what is so fucking bad about reducing pollutants???

[alp227]

6. Apparently the WaPo is using "believe" to be "neutral"

When it's really just pandering to the global warming denialists rather than reporting the facts...science backs facts...the scientific consensus is that global warming does exist and humankind has contributed to it.