Poll: 70 Percent Oppose Energy "Tax" Hikes
A new poll commissioned by the D.C.-based free-market energy think tank, the Institute for Energy Research, finds that 70 percent of Americans are opposed to the equivalent of increasing energy taxes. (I say "equivalent" in this case because the solons on Capitol Hill are actually proposing a cap-and-trade carbon rationing scheme that amounts to an energy tax hike.) Some results below:
Supporters of these taxes say they would reduce our dependency on foreign sources of oil, encourage greater energy efficiency, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels such as oil and coal, and benefit the environment by reducing global warming at relatively little cost.
Opponents of these taxes say they will significantly increase costs on all consumers, households and businesses causing prices for U.S. goods and services to increase, making America less competitive globally and lead to significant job losses.
After hearing this, do you support or oppose new energy taxes in order to limit greenhouse gas emissions and address global warming?
(14%) Strongly Support
(14%) Somewhat Support
(16%) Somewhat Oppose
(54%) Strongly Oppose
(2%) Undecided/DK (Do Not Read)
(0%) No answer/Refuse14. Consumers pay an average of 50 cents in state and federal taxes on a gallon of gasoline. Knowing this, how much more are you willing to pay for a gallon of gasoline in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address global warming?
(61%) I oppose any increase in gas taxes
(14%) 10 cents per gallon
(8%) 20 cents per gallon
(8%) 50 cents per gallon
(4%) 1 dollar per gallon
(2%) More than 1 dollar per gallon
(2%) Dk/Na (Do Not Read)
The pollsters also found that 70 percent don't believe that higher energy taxes will reduce global warming and that 65 percent say that they would be less likely to vote for congresscritters that support higher energy taxes.
Go here [pdf] for the complete IER poll results.
