Americans Favor GHG Regulation, Despite Potential For Higher Energy Costs

A super-majority of Americans support the regulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) by the federal government, while recognizing that doing so might increase energy costs in the short-term.  In other words, the lies perpetrated on the American people by climate change denying Cons and their allies are falling on deaf ears.  Their false messaging is no longer working – Americans are beginning to realize the dangers involved with continuing along the path we’ve been on and are supporting efforts to change to a better path.

To complete the picture, this is all happening despite a profound lack of interaction between even President Obama and Americans, but in a larger sense, climate change realists and Americans.  Very little effort has been made thus far to generate large-scale communication to Americans about the Waxman-Markey climate action plan, for instance.  The wonks are doing their thing in their little bubble and the American people are being left to fend off Con talking points coming from every corporate media source out there.  I know Al Gore and Van Jones and many other individuals are doing their best to educate Americans about the dangers of climate change, but I would feel much more confident about climate change legislation if more large-scale messaging was being conducted.

Back to the primary subject of this post, ABC and the Washington Post conducted a telephone poll from April 21-24 of 1,072 adults.  They were looking for hot-button issues and GHG regulation made the list (I recommend taking a peek at some of the other questions – their wording is absolutely horrible).  The first question and the response breakdown were as follows:

Do you think the federal government should or should not regulate the release of greenhouse gases from sources like power plants, cars and factories in an effort to reduce global warming?  Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?

Should: 75%  (strongly: 54%, somewhat: 21%)

Should not: 21%  (strongly: 12%, somewhat: 9%)

No opinion: 4%

Those are pretty strong results considering the amount of money fossil-fuel corporations have blown on full-page newspaper and television advertising.  I would say that as of now, thankfully, they’re not getting their money’s worth.  75% of those polled think GHGs should be regulated.  That’s actually quite amazing taking the entire set of current events into account.

Quick Hit: Colorado’s Energy Efficiency Stimulus Funding

As part of the stimulus spending championed by President Obama and passed by the Democratic-led Congress, Colorado will receive more than $128.7 Million for weatherization funding and energy efficiency grants.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Colorado will receive $128,753,213 in weatherization and energy efficiency funding – including $79,531,213 for the Weatherization Assistance Program and $49,222,000 for the State Energy Program.

Weatherization and energy efficiency are two methods of keeping energy costs down.  Here’s how the Obama administration is playing this: weatherization, energy efficiency and other programs go into effect as soon as possible, saving energy consumers money right away.  A carbon cap-and-trade program goes into effect in the next couple of years, which will have the effect of raising energy prices as the program spins up and a price for carbon is settled on.  As Americans continue to use energy efficient programs (power generation, appliances, etc.), the raising energy prices don’t impact their budgets severely enough to disrupt their lifestyles.  These kinds of things are being thought through by Obama and others.  The right-wing reactionaries are desperately trying to tie into populist anger – I don’t think it’s going to get them very far as people do the math at their kitchen tables.

Oh, and as this funding is spent in Colorado, programs are expanded, which requires more employees.  Thus, good paying jobs are created and the economy finds a bottom.  A lot of people win under Obama’s plan.