Shifting Opinions About Climate Change

The site for the climate change documentary "Not Evil Just Wrong" linked today to results of a new Pew Research Center poll about "global warming."  From April 2008 to October 2009, the percentage of people polled who believe that solid evidence of "global warming" exists has dropped 14%.  The poll also finds that only 36% of respondents who DO believe in "global warming" think that human activity is to blame.  Even among Democrats, the percentage who believe that "global warming" is a serious problem is only 49%.  As for cap and trade legislation, the poll found, disturbingly, that 55% of those polled knew nothing about the legislation and another 30% knew only a little.

Source:  Pew Research Center for People & the Press, October 22, 2009.

It is distressing that Congress likely will pass some form of legislation this year limiting greenhouse gas emissions and imposing a cap and trade system when so few people know anything about it.  If the legislation becomes law, the American people will start paying attention when the price they pay for everything increases due to the increased cost of energy.