Broad Public Support Still Exists For Obama Programs on Energy

A significant majority of Americans supports President Obama’s efforts to overhaul energy policy and a slight majority favors a controversial program to place a cap and price on carbon dioxide emissions, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll. The poll found that nearly 60 percent of Americans back administration and congressional efforts to combat climate change and develop renewable energy and 55 percent approve of Obama’s handling of the issue, compared with 30 percent who do not. A smaller majority, 52 to 43 percent, supports the cap-and-trade bill passed by the House of Representatives and now before the U.S. Senate. Support for a cap-and-trade plan grew slightly among independents, with a slight majority now favoring it, and only 5 percent of those polled said global warming is not an issue. Public support for wind power, solar power, and electric cars is overwhelming, with 80 to 90 percent of respondents approving of a shift to these technologies. In a separate report, the Washington Post describes how well-funded public relations campaigns by the oil and coal industries attacking the cap-and-trade bill are dwarfing efforts by environmentalists.