Environmental support dips vs. economy - poll (nearly three in four favor offshore drilling)

CNNMoney.com ^ | July 3, 2008 | David Goldman

[neverdem]

Americans still say protection should be a priority over the economy, but nearly three in four favor offshore drilling.

With the U.S. economy mired in a slump, Americans still believe saving the environment is more important than fixing the economy, according to a new poll released Thursday. But consumers are more closely divided on the issue than they have been in the past.

According to a CNN/Opinion Research poll, 49% of Americans say protection of the environment should be given priority, even at the risk of curbing economic growth. That compares to 44% of those surveyed who said the economy is the top priority, and the government should focus on economic growth even at the expense of the environment.

But environmental advocacy groups say the government may not have to make that choice.

"It's a false dichotomy," said Carroll Muffett, deputy campaigns director at Greenpeace. "In truth, what is truly good for the environment is what is truly good for the economy, because a shift to better energy solutions would create jobs."

Still, 73% of the more than 1,000 Americans surveyed from June 26 to 29 said they favored an expansion of offshore drilling for oil and natural gas in protected U.S. waters, even though many environmental advocacy groups have deemed offshore drilling as hazardous to the environment.

Though most U.S. oil production comes from offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, the government has imposed a...

--snip--

Furthermore, an increase in offshore drilling may be good for the economy.

"Revenues from oil and gas activities are the second largest revenue generator for the United States behind taxes," said Landry. "An expansion of offshore drilling would create high paying jobs for construction workers in the development phase and oil drillers when the platforms are ready to be used."

[goldstategop]

Translation: Americans are all for environmental protection: as long as it doesn't cost them their jobs and standard of living.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Rudder]

...a shift to better energy solutions would create jobs."

Only if you define "better energy solutions" as ones which create more jobs than they destroy. Otherwise, the statement is deceitful, green propaganda.

[neverdem]

Will the donkeys buy a clue? In a way, I hope they don't. The GOP needs to take back Congress.

Oil at $300 (Democrat-controlled Congress intends to destroy the middle class)

Ground Zero of National Paralysis - Rebuild the Towers, privately. Think of an Obama administration.

Is the Criminal-Justice System Racist? Heather Mac Donald destroys the claim.

The Americans Who Risked Everything (by Rush Limbaugh's father) MUST READ

From time to time, I’ll ping on noteworthy articles about politics, foreign and military affairs. FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.

[antiunion person]

This proves Americans are dummies. As long as it's not in their backyard, they are for it. As long as off shore drilling and wind farms don't block the view of the Kennedy Complex, it's a good thing. Americans are dummies, but politicians are totally brain dead.

[Libloather]

(nearly three in four favor offshore drilling)

And nine out of ten (maybe more) disapprove of the RAT Congress. During this election year, numbers mean things.

[Darkwolf377]

I’m sure Obama will be saying, without missing a blink, “Of course, I’ve always supported offshore drilling and expanding our refining capacity, and anyone who says otherwise is part of the racist Republican attack machine.”

[Darkwolf377]

blink = beat

[lexusppd]

Politicians are anything but brain dead. They are slick con artists. The American public by and large is uneducated and easily lead around by these scumbags.

A good analogy of this country would be to envision a street corner game of Three Card Monte being run by the pols and played by retards

[2ndDivisionVet]

“We can’t drive our SUVs and, you know, eat as much as we want and keep our homes on, you know, 72 degrees at all times, whether we’re living in the desert or we’re living in the tundra, and then just expect every other country is going to say OK, you know, you guys go ahead keep on using 25 percent of the world’s energy, even though you only account for 3 percent of the population, and we’ll be fine. Don’t worry about us. That’s not leadership.”

Senator Barack Obama

[Wonder Warthog]

"Translation: Americans are all for environmental protection: as long as it doesn't cost them their jobs and standard of living."

No. Americans are all for RATIONAL environmental protection, which protects both the environment AND "..their jobs and standard of living."

If the fanatically eco-conscious Scandinavians think drilling technology is sufficiently advanced to allow drilling in the North Sea, then it is safe enough to use off-shore ANYWHERE.

[MarkL]

I think that the media is surprised that public sentiment is turning away from the leftist green weenies on environmental issues. I’m not. There’s a very simple reason for it...

The “environmentalist movement” is primarily made up of leftists... You’ve got a bunch of well meaning, but pretty much clueless liberals (probably the vast majority of the supporters) and then far fewer hard core leftists who found a home in groups that support the incidental destruction of capitalism since the fall of the Soviet Union.

The problem is that the majority of well meaning liberals ARE liberal. By definition these are people willing to support ideas and causes as long as they don’t actually have to work or pay for those causes themselves. They don’t believe in individual responsibility.

Now that the effects of decades of opposition to new energy sources is coming home to roost through increased cost of living, they’re starting to rethink their moral views on the environment.

Mark

[Caipirabob]

“We can’t drive our SUVs and, you know, eat as much as we want and keep our homes on, you know, 72 degrees at all times, whether we’re living in the desert or we’re living in the tundra, and then just expect every other country is going to say OK, you know, you guys go ahead keep on using 25 percent of the world’s energy, even though you only account for 3 percent of the population, and we’ll be fine. Don’t worry about us. That’s not leadership.” - Senator Barack Obama

Don't you know that quoting Hussein word for word is just racist?!? ; )

[listenhillary]

I see the unemployed shackled to wheels to drive the electrical generators.

[stefanbatory]

“Furthermore, an increase in offshore drilling may be good for the economy.”

really?

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Chgogal]

We had four cat 4 or greater hurricanes in less than 12 months in the Gulf (Ivan, Katrina, Rita and Wilma) and not one oil spill - drill, drill, drill and drill some more.

Democrats - The NO Can Do Party!

[sweetiepiezer]

Love that little kid. lol

[sweetiepiezer]

Thanks for the ping.
Cannot understand why more isn’t being said about Gull Island.

Here is a link.
http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/gull_island_oil.html

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Translation: Americans are all for environmental protection: as long as it doesn't cost them their jobs and standard of living.

Yep.

Especially: Their freedom to move about, their life's savings.