Survey: Americans don’t want taxes used on global warming
The Daily Progress/Megan Lovett
Anne Khademian (from left), Christopher Borick and Paul Posner, panelists from Virginia Tech, Muhlenberg College and George Mason University, respectively, share their findings at the National Conference on Climate Governance.
While a majority of Americans believe the Earth is warming, there is little support among the public to use tax money to address the issue, a new survey suggests.
Results of the survey were released Thursday as a two-day National Conference on Climate Governance began at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center of Public Affairs.
The survey is an expansion of one released in October that focused on Virginians’ attitudes about climate change.
That survey of 660 Virginians was conducted in early September and suggests that 40 percent of Virginians believe human activity — burning fossil fuels — is responsible for warmer weather.
The latest report added surveys conducted in California, Mississippi and Pennsylvania and roughly 600 other interviews done nationwide.
The survey finds that more than seven of 10 Americans surveyed — 72 percent — report believing there is “solid evidence the Earth is warming,” numbers that mirror findings of surveys conducted in 2006 and 2007 by the Pew Center.
However, the Miller Center reports that fewer than one in five Americans — 18 percent — believe addressing global warming should involve raising taxes on fossil fuels.
While the Miller Center report indicates that the belief the Earth is warming cuts across racial, age and education-level barriers, it does point to a partisan divide, with 53 percent of Republicans reporting a belief the Earth was warming, compared with 83 percent of Democrats.
Overall, 70 percent of Americans also reported thinking there should be “immediate government action” to combat global warming.
Those surveyed cited personal observations that included changing weather patterns [20 percent] and images of melting glaciers [20 percent] among their primary reasons for their belief in global warming. Roughly one in 10 people cited scientific research to explain their belief, while 2 percent cited Al Gore’s 2006 documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” spotlighting the global warming issue.
The No. 1 reason given by those surveyed who do not believe in global warming was a perception that the Earth’s climate is stable.
The survey was sponsored by the Miller Center and conducted by Barry Rabe of the University of Michigan and Christopher Borick of Muhlenberg College, located in Pennsylvania.
The National Conference on Climate Governance continues today at the Miller Center.
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Reader Reactions
There are many surveys like these it seems where a political question is raised, and people are polled as to what they think the policy should be. People forget that we live in a “Republic” (i.e. not a pure Democracy) with a Constitution and Bill of Rights. In that context, the question is “Do we have a right to force other people to pay (via taxes) for our causes?“ We can freely assemble, speak, and generate interest and support from others to finance such causes. But do we have a right to _force_ people to pay for our causes vis-a-vis a majority? Again, we’re not a Democracy. We’re a Republic with a Bill of Rights and a Consitution that protect the minority and preserve rights. People have a right to choose how they live and how they will direct their funds. People also have the right to assemble and solicit funds from others. But do people have the right to force others to pay for their cause? These are deeper questions we should be asking and surveying in this age as foundational and Constitutional American principles continue to wane.
Aaron Lee a normal Republican reporter written TITLE. The title does not correspond with what is in the article.
“Americans don’t want taxes used on global warming” is completely differant the “18 percent — believe addressing global warming should involve raising taxes on fossil fuels”.
NO, I would not want a tax on fossil fuel, but I would say yes to taxes for science and industry to find better ways to lower the use of fossil fuels.
Your article is what is wrong with America. You have written a story that is lopsided in reporting for your fossil fuel loving Republican Party.
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