Lawrence Solomon
FP Comment
March 25, 2008

Public support for global warming, by some measures, is overwhelming. By other measures, public support more resembles lip-service. As, for example, when the public is asked to put its money where it’s mouth is.

In a public opinion poll last week of registered U.S. voters, only one in six were willing to pay an extra 50 cents a gallon to stave off global warming and almost half were unwilling to pay so much as a penny. In a Washington Post-ABC poll last November, Democratic voters were asked: What is the single most important issue in your choice for the Democratic candidate for president? Top of the list was “Iraq/War in Iraq,” the pick of 33% of responders. “Health care” came second at 26%, followed by “Economy/Jobs” at 10% and “Ethics/Honesty/Corruption in government” at 5%. Next came “Education” at 3%, “Environment” at 2%, “Foreign policy” at 2%, “Immigration/Illegal immigration at 2%, “Energy/Ethanol” at 1%, Terrorism/National security” at 1%. Also at 1% were “Abortion”, “Morals/Family values,” Federal budget deficit” and “Social Security.” As for “Global warming,” it came in with an “*”, denoting less that one half of one percent.