Global warming: How many Americans really care?

Statements from the White House, cabinet secretaries, congressional leadership, and mainstream media declare that man-made global warming is a planetary emergency Right Now! These most senior policymakers claim aggressive carbon mandates are necessary regardless of cost. With straight faces, United Nations officials, European Union technocrats, and President Obama’s climate czar, Carol Browner, chat about appropriate global governance structures to combat a near-term global catastrophe. The President’s Science Advisor, Dr. John Holdren, recently said earth’s climate system is reaching an irreversible tipping point unless drastic measures are taken.

What part of the U.S. population believes these dire pronouncements? Apparently, not that many Americans buy this apocalyptic scenario or support “economy transforming” controls on energy.

A March 2009 Gallup survey found the highest level of skepticism about man-made global warming in more than a decade. Of those polled, 41% thought the threat of global warming was exaggerated, compared to 28% who found the threat to be underestimated.

In two other national polls, voters ranked global warming the least important issue confronting the country. In a January 2009 Pew Research Center poll, global warming was ranked 20th of 20 issues. The economy, jobs, and terrorism were the top three issues for more than 80% surveyed. In the American Climate Values survey conducted by Eco-America in January 2008, only a small minority (18%) believes climate change is harmful and caused by mankind.

A May 2008 Wilson Research poll found a huge 91% of voters don’t want to pay for even the lowest cost estimates of carbon caps. And 71% responded that they are unwilling to pay more for electricity or gasoline to fight global warming.

So if you have not concluded that the planet is at the edge of a climatological precipice caused by human activity, you are not among a minority of deluded “climate deniers.” Even the sustained and elaborate global warming campaigns have not cracked the basic common sense of the majority of Americans who vote! Please awaken, sleeping giant.

– Kathleen Hartnett White