A record-high number of Americans now believe the media are exaggerating the seriousness of global warming.
Coming weeks after President Barack Obama proposed a cap-and-trade strategy to curb supposedly harmful carbon dioxide emissions, one has to wonder how much press attention this just-released Gallup poll will garner.
After all, the numbers go quite counter to Nobel Laureate Al Gore's claims of a consensus concerning this matter:
Although a majority of Americans believe the seriousness of global warming is either correctly portrayed in the news or underestimated, a record-high 41% now say it is exaggerated. This represents the highest level of public skepticism about mainstream reporting on global warming seen in more than a decade of Gallup polling on the subject.
As recently as 2006, significantly more Americans thought the news underestimated the seriousness of global warming than said it exaggerated it, 38% vs. 30%. Now, according to Gallup's 2009 Environment survey, more Americans say the problem is exaggerated rather than underestimated, 41% vs. 28%.
Of great concern to climate alarmists in the media has to be the growing skepticism by Independent voters:
Since 1997, Republicans have grown increasingly likely to believe media coverage of global warming is exaggerated, and that trend continues in the 2009 survey; however, this year marks a relatively sharp increase among independents as well. In just the past year, Republican doubters grew from 59% to 66%, and independents from 33% to 44%, while the rate among Democrats remained close to 20%.
Also worrisome for global warming believers should be the public's declining concern over this issue:
The 2009 Gallup Environment survey measured public concern about eight specific environmental issues. Not only does global warming rank last on the basis of the total percentage concerned either a great deal or a fair amount, but it is the only issue for which public concern dropped significantly in the past year.
The ominous conclusion for folks like Gore:
[W]ith only 34% of Americans saying they worry "a great deal" about the problem, most Americans do not view the issue in the same dire terms as the many prominent leaders advancing global warming as an issue. Importantly, Gallup's annual March update on the environment shows a drop in public concern about global warming across several different measures, suggesting that the global warming message may have lost some footing with Americans over the past year.
Now THAT'S what I call a convenient truth.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Doesn't matter now....the
March 11, 2009 - 16:24 ET by oldArmyDoesn't matter now....the debate is over.
Nobel Prize is already hanging on Al's wall.
What really helps me when I'm depressed....I just think about the $30 million Nancy Pelosi gave to my friend and yours.....the Marsh Mouse. Knowing that really helps me get through all the bad economic news and job loss out there.
I just got my secret decoder pin....first message was...
"Be Sure To Buy Your Carbon Credit"
so hurry up...and help stuff Al's pocket.
GO GLOBAL WARMING!!!
because who doesn't want cheaper orange juice and more days out on the golf course.....
Carbon Credits
March 11, 2009 - 19:25 ET by NorthCoasterI got my free $1,000,000 carbon credit certificate the other week.
I WONDER...
March 12, 2009 - 03:25 ET by danybhoyShould I buy a crapload of "carbon credits" with my gov't sponsered Citi card, & then not pay the balance? Then I could ask to be bailed out of my bad credit situation. That way, the gov't that will be making me buy "carbon credits" will bail out the gov't controled bank, & that means I'm "carbon neutral".
My credit rating might suck after that, but I would feel better about my use of the earth's resources. I don't use public transportation, I drive EVERYWHERE, hell, when I go golfing, it's a 72 mile roundtrip.
"Carbon credits" = environmental emotional bribery, it's a scam. Look, when I see people with "Terapass" bumper stickers proclaiming their "carbon neutrality" because the money they pay to fraudsters like "Terapass" goes to plant trees somewhere in the 3rd world. Screw that, when I buy wood or paper products, I trust that Boise Cascade, Weyerhauser, & Geogia Pacific will work hard to replace the timber they have cut by replanting. It trust that it is in their best buisiness interest to do this, they have been in buisiness for a while, so it seems to be working. No "Terapass" guilt ridden "carbon cerdits" for me, thank you.
"The Fairness Doctrine = Jim Crow laws for Conservatives". Jim Quinn from "Quinn & Rose"
Carbon offsets
March 12, 2009 - 10:52 ET by NorthCoasterHere is the link for the site with the free carbon offsets.
Enjoy!
http://www.freecarbonoffsets.com/home.do;jsessionid=B7413C0C951E1CB2611FA63C5EC395A5
Thank you
March 12, 2009 - 12:11 ET by CobraManThank you! I just awarded myself 200,000,000 credits! That should take care of me for the rest of the winter season.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus.
The US Supreme Court
Good evening Cobre
March 12, 2009 - 12:14 ET by cocodrieThose credits are great but be careful.
One awsheet for having your thermostat below 80 degrees wipes out 100,000,000 of those hard earned credits.
Jesus Loves You
Debits
March 12, 2009 - 14:31 ET by slickwillie2001I am selling Carbon Debits. For every $100 you send me, a small child is taken out of school in Brazil, and given an axe to chop down a tree in the rain forest. For this you get 100,000 debits. Supplies are limited.
oldarmy
March 11, 2009 - 21:51 ET by nofateHere's a link so everyone can get in on the good times!
"The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves."
michaelyon-online.com
nofate
March 12, 2009 - 10:48 ET by NorthCoasterBoy, those people with the tin hats are really stylin!
Marsh Mouse?
March 11, 2009 - 22:06 ET by JerWhat really helps me when I'm depressed....I just think about the $30 million Nancy Pelosi gave to my friend and yours.....the Marsh Mouse. Knowing that really helps me get through all the bad economic news and job loss out there.
Don't tell me that fable is still floating around.
Jer
It hard to believe in
March 11, 2009 - 16:24 ET by kbassIt hard to believe in global warming with record cold and snow. Gore is such a joke!
1984
March 11, 2009 - 16:35 ET by slickwillie2001Here's the last resort of the scurrilous liberal position: it doesn't matter if it's a fraud, because it's still so good for us!
"Mr. Brokaw: In three seconds, which is all we have left, what do you say to those skeptics who say, -you know, I just don't believe climate change is real. There are even some scientists who say it's based too much on computer models, not enough on empirical evidence.
Mr. Tom Friedman: What I say is if climate change is a hoax, it's the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the United States of America. Because everything we would do to get ready for climate change, to build this new green industry, would make us more respected, more entrepreneurial, more competitive, more healthy as a country."
(http://www.msnbc.msn...)
This is incredible stuff, from one of the most influential liberals in the world. Truth doesn't matter! We don't need no stinking facts!
People are going to keep
March 11, 2009 - 16:39 ET by bigtimerPeople are going to keep joining with the doubters about all of this pure BS of algore's...especially since the last two winters in my area of the NW has been breaking records all over the place...we did again the last two nights, heck it was 11 below here this morning, Spokane and surrounding areas broke records too for the last few days...
Algore is going to have to give up on his planetary emergency dream ...one way or the other, unfortunately, I feel it is too late with what all of this is still going to cost us with the greening, smart power jobs, cap and trade...on and on...
I hope people rebel in 2010...that is all we can do, I feel gas prices, along with heating our homes, groceries, etc... the prices will rise.
One can hope...and I am.
It seems that people are starting to think for themselves
March 11, 2009 - 16:40 ET by richb313It seems as if people are starting to think for themselves if you read the results of the polls, but what the poll says to me is that an Increasing number of Americans think the claims are exaggerated but they still believe in Man Made Global Warming. I am afraid they have already had too much koolaid. They believe it was OK to exagerate in order to get this in thier minds. That is what I take from this survey. When the survey question that is asked is something like this, "Do you believe that The Man Made Global Warming Theory is Wrong?" then I will have more hope. Until then I am afraid that this boat has already sailed and the TRUTH matters not.
"Bottom Line: Americans
March 11, 2009 - 16:44 ET by ckc1227"Bottom Line:
Americans generally believe global warming is real."
Which, generally, is a meaningless statement. The vast majority of Americans believe gravity is real, but that doesn't mean they believe it is caused by man driving SUVs, and if only the governmente would tax us more, then we'd be able to control gravity.
Bottom line: It's not about it being real, it's about whether man is causing it, and whether man can lower the temperature if only America would tax its citizens more. I would say no to both.
Noel... That's a great
March 11, 2009 - 17:22 ET by Clear thinkerNoel...
That's a great picture of Al Gore. He looks like he's having a huge brain-fart!
Marines Smell A Rat
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
great video link
March 11, 2009 - 17:34 ET by clinging to my guns and my religionthanks! that pretty much said it all, didn't it?
"i believe he will not stop until we are all jobless, homeless, hungry, and cold!"
Al Gore. Global warming
March 11, 2009 - 17:35 ET by danboAl Gore.
Global warming protest.
The warning.
The science of warmers.
Consensus.
Limited Disclosure: I used to belong to the Sierra Club untill they went crazier. Worse of all, I was bribed by Exxon with free New Orleans Saints glasses with fill ups in the 70's.
All Gore, All the Time
March 11, 2009 - 18:34 ET by dboAl Gore's house.
"What's the cause" is the important question...
March 11, 2009 - 18:09 ET by wyogatorWhat's the cause is the important question for future policy and spending decisions. The Gallup study completely misses this important distinction. The study summary stated:
"Americans generally believe global warming is real. That sets the U.S. public apart from the global-warming skeptics who assembled this week in New York City to try to debunk the science behind climate change."
Many of these skeptics believe that warming has been occurring. They either don't believe that man is causing it, or they disagree about the ability of the computer models to forecast future warming (or cooling), or they don't think we can do anything to change it. It appears that Gallup knows nothing about these nuances and their importance in the policy debate.
They need to add one question to their study. To those who answer affirmatively that global warming is happening they need to ask: Do you believe the warming is a natural phenomena or is man-made.
Learn about my daughter's Ugandan home for orphans with AIDS at
www.africaourownhome.org
Ya'll may like this
March 11, 2009 - 18:14 ET by jdlybrandI got a letter from the Sierra Club asking for a donation for their "Sequoia Conservation Project". Seeing as how they sent a postage paid envelope I decided to respond as follows.
Dear Tree hugging, One piece of toilet paper using, Environmental Wacko, Hypocrites: Please find enclosed NOT ONE DAMN DIME for your conservation efforts on my behalf. I find it laughable that you would request funds from me on paper, via US Mail, that I'm guessing came from a dead tree. If you ever send another piece of crap request like this to my address; I'm going to come to California and personally shove a bunch of dead spotted owls up your collective asses.
For some reason I felt a lot better afterward.
Sierra Club
March 11, 2009 - 19:12 ET by ConservativeFLLove it, great post!
"Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the democrats believe every day is April 15." Ronald Reagan
Al Gore-Hypocrite of the Year
March 11, 2009 - 18:50 ET by dboWell, it's time for March madness. We're down to the final 64. No, I'm not talking college basketball here. I'm talking about the hypocrite of the year awards over at deceiver.com. Al Gore is the number 1 seed in the exciting politicos division. His first round match-up is against King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. Come on everybody, let's get behind Gore and give him one more award to put on his mantle. You can vote here.
Gore
March 11, 2009 - 18:56 ET by jdlybrandNow there's a slam dunk if I ever saw one.
The good people of
March 11, 2009 - 19:22 ET by TN MomThe good people of Tennessee saw through Democrat Al Gore a long time ago and voted him out (see election 2000)!
You will remember when he was making his movie and giving speechs about Global Warming, reporters in TN (Knoxville Sentinal ?) busted Gore for spending gazillions to heat/cool his huge TN mansion.
Reminds me of Democrat Tim Geithner, Treasury Sec., did NOT pay his taxes, now he wants the IRS to crack down on us regular people.
Just another
March 11, 2009 - 19:32 ET by NorthCoasterJust another of Obama's "New Politicians"---------NOT
Just Chicago Politics gone wild!
Al Gore's Carbon Footprint
March 11, 2009 - 19:57 ET by PopularTechGore's home energy use: more than 20 times the national average (Tennesse Center for Policy Research)
- Al Gore's Inconvenient Electric Bill (FOX News)
- Al Gore's residence uses considerably more energy than the average American home = True (Snopes)
Gore’s personal electricity consumption up 10%, despite "energy-efficient" home renovations (Tennesse Center for Policy Research)
- Al Gore's Epic Hypocrisy (FOX News)
- Gore's Mansion Uses More Energy After 'Going Green' (CNSNews)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is Not Pollution
I hate to say it, but I
March 11, 2009 - 20:14 ET by BKeyserI hate to say it, but I think we're gonna have to bailout the Global Warming movement...
BK...Snow-Job!
March 11, 2009 - 20:17 ET by bigtimerYeah well, if that happens, I think millions of us had better send in snow-shovels to congress!
Uh Oh, Better Not Tell This Textbook Publisher
March 11, 2009 - 20:39 ET by BondPlainBondMarch 11, 2009
FoxNews
Bad Education
School Textbook Claims Global Warming 'No Longer in Dispute'
As in, it's a fact and there's no denying it.
The lies that are contained within the textbooks of our nation's youth are deliberate and numerous.
Alert
March 11, 2009 - 20:54 ET by jaywlTonight Discovery Channel at 10PM EST will have "Planet Earth, the Sequel". A quick search indicates it will star (as the inspiration at least) Environmental Defense Fund president Fred Krupp. He has Obama's ear and he sounds like a rational human being. It is his arguments and suppositions that will be important to understand in the coming debate. This guy is slick. Watch out for what the program doesn't say.
My friends, this issue and
March 12, 2009 - 00:53 ET by jdhawkMy friends, this issue and a whole host of others can not be changed by posting to a conservative blog. In fact, little if anything can be done until the 2010 elections. The dimocrats have enough votes in both houses and when they don't - no matter - there are enough RINOs to put them over the top in any issue you care to name.
So, the best thing that you all need to do is seek out the conservative groups in your town, county, or state and start going to the meetings. Find out who are the conservatives in the group are and get them elected. It will take your time, your money, and your votes to dislodge these socialists.
By the way, they, the dimocrats, have plenty of time, money, and votes to stop us if we let them. And, as can be seen by the recent legislation, they are filling the coffers of leftists groups with millions of dollars of government money.
Now is the time to stand up and be counted. Not a couple of weeks before the next election when you grouse around for an election guide. By that time, as we saw in the last election, the media and the dimocrats have picked our candidates for us. And, then we are screwed like this last November.
jdh.... You said it all.
March 12, 2009 - 00:56 ET by bigtimerjdh....
You said it all.
Noel, you know what will
March 12, 2009 - 01:01 ET by Carl KolchakNoel, you know what will probably happen is that there will be a new stimulus package passed with lots of earmarks for more money to go the Ministry of Truth, so much more information can be given out on a constant 24/7 basis to all inhabitants of Oceania.
GW Update
March 12, 2009 - 05:41 ET by MOONSTRUCK9 BELOW zero in northern Minnesota.
Al Bore is a crook!!
Gore is a moron and is wrong
March 12, 2009 - 08:24 ET by mattmGore is a moron and is wrong on everything...but still, most Minnesota voters voted for him....
MOONSTRUCK...
March 12, 2009 - 08:28 ET by danybhoyI went down the X-Cel Center for the afternoon session of the Class A Hockey Tourney, temp was 0* & about a -20* windchill. Cold as hell, we are supposed to get 6 inches of snow when the hockey tounament rolls into St.Paul, not below zero temps. I'll take the snow.
BTW, Warroad looked really good, even it was against Hutchenson, they looked good. St.Cloud Cathedral is a good club, but it's Warroad. Very interesting game Friday afternoon. Little Falls is the one club who could challenge Warroad.
"The Fairness Doctrine = Jim Crow laws for Conservatives". Jim Quinn from "Quinn & Rose"
Don't forget about "Earth Hour" night
March 12, 2009 - 12:11 ET by CobraManHay people, don't forget about the "Earth Hour " night on March 28. You know, when the entire country (nay, the entire world!) is supposed to shut off all lights for an hour. That's what my wife calls "International Home Break-In Hour."
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus.
The US Supreme Court