GOP Still Denying Global Climate Change

As we grow ever nearer to the tipping point (the point at which action will not prevent global disasters) on global climate change (commonly called global warming), there has been no movement at all in Congress to do anything about it. And the reason for that is because there is no way a bill to rein in the use of carbon-based fuels could pass the Republican-controlled Congress -- and everybody in Washington knows it. In fact, the science-denying GOP in the House still wants to increase the use of CO2-emitting fuels and cut funds for the EPA -- just the opposite of what needs to be done.

President Obama has all but given up on trying to get a bill through Congress that would cap the burning of carbon-based fuels, and now is trying to do all he can through EPA rules. But even those rather feeble efforts are being obstructed by the House, as they continually try to block new EPA rules and defund the EPA itself.

What is it going to take for the House to change and vote to control production of greenhouse gases? It's going to take a significant majority of the Republican base voters to change their attitude about global warming, and join Independents and Democrats in wanting to see some action. I think it would take at least 60% of the GOP base to climb on board before most House GOP members would consider changing their votes -- and as the chart above shows, we are a long way from that.

According to a new Gallup Poll (conducted March 7th through 10th of a nationwide sample of 1,022 adults -- with a 4 point margin of error), shows that only 40% of Republicans worry about global warming (either a great deal or a fair amount). That number has been as high as 47% as recently as 2007, but the Republican worry about global warming quickly dropped to 35% after President Obama was elected (and went down to 33% and then 30% in the next two years). Was that 17 point drop just because an African-American was elected president? Probably, because the global warming situation certainly hasn't improved.

Here are some other numbers from the poll (with the percentages given being those answering yes to the particular question):

HAVE THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING ALREADY BEGUN TO HAPPEN?
Republicans...............39%
Independents...............52%
Democrats...............67%

DO MOST SCIENTISTS BELIEVE GLOBAL WARMING IS OCCURRING?
Republicans...............52%
Independents...............58%
Democrats...............74%

IS THE EARTH'S TEMPERATURE RISING BECAUSE OF HUMAN ACTIVITY?
Republicans...............39%
Independents...............50%
Democrats...............78%

WILL GLOBAL WARMING POSE A SERIOUS THREAT TO YOUR WAY OF LIFE IN YOUR LIFETIME?
Republicans...............18%
Independents...............30%
Democrats...............50%

DO YOU THINK THE SERIOUSNESS OF GLOBAL WARMING IS GENERALLY EXAGGERATED?
Republicans...............64%
Independents...............47%
Democrats...............17%