U.S. Voters Love Clean Energy, SOTU Swing Voter Reactions Show

January 26th, 2012 by Zachary Shahan

I’ve written many, many times about the overwhelming support for clean energy in the U.S. Unfortunately, a certain portion of our Congressional leaders, as well as billionaires in the oil industry, are trying to attack that support for clean energy by running smear campaigns and spewing complete lies (we’ve covered several of these more times than I can remember). Apparently, so far, Americans aren’t buying it. Check out these results from an analysis of 50 swing voters watching the State of the Union address this week:

Not surprisingly, the moment in the speech that brought the most positive reaction was Obama’s mention of the death of Osama bin Laden. It drew an average reading of 80 on the 0-100 scale used by the meters. Obama’s call for more investment in renewable energy drew nearly as strong a reaction, however, said Andrew Baumann, another of the pollsters who conducted the study. The passages of the speech that talked about phasing out subsidies for oil companies and competing with China and Germany for new developments in wind power and solar energy did particularly well.

Of course, an analysis of a focus group of 50 isn’t definitive, but I’ve yet to see any real evidence that Koch and GOP smear campaigns and misinformation regarding Solyndra, loan guarantees, and clean energy are having much effect. It really seems like a bad political move for these folks to make clean energy the supposed enemy of the U.S.

I understand that their fortunes are tied to us remaining addicted to fossil fuels, but I think they’d be better off just continuing their hidden policy attacks on clean energy than also trying to make it a political issue. But that’s just my two cents.

h/t Climate Progress | ground-mounted solar panels via shutterstock

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Tags: clean energy support, Congress, GOP, renewable energy support, Republicans, u.s. solar, US Clean Energy, US renewable Energy, US Solar Energy, voters solar

About the Author

Zachary Shahan spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as the director/chief editor. Otherwise, he's probably enthusiastically fulfilling his duties as the director/editor of Solar Love, EV Obsession, Planetsave, or Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and wind energy expert. If you would like him to speak at a related conference or event, connect with him via social media. You can connect with Zach on any popular social networking site you like. Links to all of his main social media profiles are on ZacharyShahan.com.

Anonymous

I wish people would want to put just a little more money toward clean energy. I would happily pay a little more for cleaner air. If people wanted clean air as much as they want their cell phone toys and expensive phone plans, clean energy could happen faster, pulled by consumer demand. It’s going to happen , probably sooner than some expect.
- http://cleantechnica.com/ Zachary Shahan
  
  Well, they actually do! But I think utility companies need to find out a better way of making it possible for them to.
http://www.flash-ebrochure.com/EBrochures/24597_Green_Cage_Security_3/index.htm Green Cage Security, Inc.

This type of content is the syrup on my pancakes!!
- http://cleantechnica.com/ Zachary Shahan
  
  Haha, mine too.
Kendall Kessler

I liked your article. I wish people that make money from our dependence on oil would realize it is in all our best interests to make changes.