WASHINGTON — An Institute for Energy Research survey released today indicates a broad-based opposition to a carbon tax among registered voters. The survey has been featured in a number of news publications. Among today’s top stories were:
Conservative group launches broad anti-carbon tax campaign
Zack Colman
July 16, 2013
A conservative energy group is rolling out a multi-pronged push ahead of the August congressional recess that aims to put the carbon tax in its deathbed.
“We’re hoping to put the final nail in the coffin on the carbon tax. The proposal should be dead on arrival by the time lawmakers come back from August recess,” Benjamin Cole, a spokesman with the Institute for Energy Research and its advocacy arm, the American Energy Alliance, told The Hill in an interview detailing the plan.
The effort includes a new poll of American opinion on a carbon tax and an advertising campaign centered on five House members, among other elements.
As early as Thursday, AEA will launch a two-week radio advertising campaign that targets five House lawmakers — four Democrats and one Republican. Click here for the full article.
Most Americans oppose carbon taxes — poll
Jean Chemnick, E&E Reporter
July 16, 2013
A healthy majority of Americans oppose adoption of a carbon tax and would punish any elected official who voted for one, according to a new poll released today by the Institute for Energy Research, which opposes the policy.
The nationwide survey of 800 registered voters was conducted last week by the Tarrance Group and has an error margin of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
“Some people in Washington are considering a tax on … carbon dioxide emissions that would be paid by businesses of all sizes,” the survey told participants.
Fifty-four percent of Democrats and 16 percent of Republicans said they supported the tax described. The policy was slightly more popular among women (37 percent) than men (34 percent).
Fifty percent of those polled said they would be less likely to vote for a member of Congress if he or she supported a carbon tax, while 33 percent said they would be more likely to do so. The remaining 18 percent said it wouldn’t make a difference. Click here for the full article.
Poll: Carbon Tax costs lawmakers votes
Michael Bastasch
July 16, 2013
Since President Barack Obama called on Congress to take action on global warming, some lawmakers have been scrambling to garner support for a tax on carbon dioxide emissions.
However, supporting a carbon tax may cost them their seat, according to a new poll.
A poll by the Tarrance Group that surveyed 800 registered voters on behalf of the free-market Institute for Energy Research (IER) found that 50 percent of voters are less likely to re-elect their member of Congress if they support a carbon tax, while only 33 percent of voters are more likely to vote for them again.
This shouldn’t be surprising as most Americans — 59 percent — do not support a carbon tax, and 51 percent of voters say they are not willing to pay more every year for a carbon tax. Only 35 percent of voters favored a carbon tax.
“National leaders who support a carbon tax do so at their own peril,” said Thomas Pyle, president of IER. “Americans don’t buy the argument that a carbon tax will be used to help the environment or that businesses will just swallow the costs.” Click here for the full article.
To read the results of IER’s survey, click here.
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