ATR Energy Tax Hike Series: How Real Americans Feel About Energy Taxes

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) continues to oppose the Waxman-Markey, cap-and-trade, multi-billion dollar tax-increase being considered this week in the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

•    26% of registered voters polled support Cap and Trade, while 52% oppose the policy.

•    58% of voters polled say they are unwilling to pay any more than they currently pay for electricity to combat climate change.

•    Over 70% of respondents stated that, under Cap and Trade, the poor and middle class will have trouble paying their electric bills.

•    78% of all respondents stated that a $50 increase on their electric bill would be a hardship.

•    68% of voters polled disagree with the idea that Congress should enact a carbon tax to encourage consumers to cut back on their electricity usage.

•    Over half (50%) of the country opposes enacting a carbon tax to fund energy research.

•    When asked of issue priorities, 73% of respondents placed the economy first; health care is a distant second at 17%.

•    A recent CBS News/New York Times Poll1 shows that when the economy is taken out of issue priorities, health care, education and Social Security all beat out energy.

•    A recent Gallup Poll found that “a majority of Americans say economic growth should be given the priority, even if the environment suffers to some extent.”

Waxman-Markey will increase GDP loss by $9.6 trillion and cost 1,105,000 jobs.  Why is Obama giving political kick-backs to the environmental-left at the expense of American jobs?

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Click here for original polling memo.