Amy Klobuchar (DFL), discusses S. 3268 (Stop Excessive Energy Speculation Act of 2008) on the floor of the United States Senate:
In related news, it appears that the canard of drill now, drill everywhere, drill is the only solution we have is having little affect on the voting public. A new poll out has an overwhelming majority supporting investment in renewable energy sources over increased drilling on public lands and they don't believe that increased drilling will bring down gasoline prices.
A significant majority of Americans (63%) said that the Presidents proposal to open up public lands to oil and gas drilling is more likely to enrich oil companies than to lower gas prices for American consumers. A substantial majority (66%) said that the small percentage of public lands still protected from oil drilling should remain off limits because they are valuable natural resources that cannot be replaced.
When asked the question, Do you think that allowing oil companies to drill in public lands and offshore areas that are currently off limits to drilling will result in lower gas prices for American consumers or not?, 54% of poll respondents said they did not believe more drilling would lower gas prices. Although Americans were initially divided on a general question of opening protected public lands and offshore areas to drilling, with a slight majority (53%) in favor, and 41% opposed, the poll found that support for drilling weakened significantly when those polled were presented with other energy policy options. When asked the question: Looking to the future, which one of the following do you think should be a more important priority for government: Investing in new energy technology including renewable fuels and more efficient automobiles, or expanding exploration and drilling for more oil?, more than three-quarters (76%) of respondents favored new technology and renewables, and only a small number (19%) favored expanded oil drilling.
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2 responses to "MNMuseTube: Klobuchar (Energy Speculation)"
There's a name for this type of poll. That name is outlier.
Of all the polling I've seen on this issue, this is the only one that isn't lopsided in favor of drilling. Most polls I've seen have been in the 75%-25% neighborhood.
BTW, here's a poll that suggests the poll you cited is crap:
Zogby Poll: 74% Support Off-Shore Oil Drilling in U.S. Coastal Waters