Senator Dole Out of Step with North Carolinians: Poll Shows Dole Co-Sponsored
Lieberman-Warner Global Warming Bill Rejected by Overwhelming Majority in
Region
WASHINGTON, June 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Senator Elizabeth Dole
(R-NC), a co-sponsor of the America's Climate Security Act presently scheduled
for a key Senate vote at 9 AM Friday, is out of step with a majority of North
Carolinians, according to a new poll released by the National Center for
Public Policy Research.
The survey found 64% of likely voters in Outer South states (North
Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee) oppose spending more for
gasoline to reduce U.S. emissions. 74% of likely voters from the region oppose
spending more for electricity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
"Econometric studies conducted by researchers at Duke University, MIT, the
EPA, the National Association of Manufacturers and others have different
estimates of the cost of the America's Climate Security Act, but they all
agree it would increase energy costs," said David A. Ridenour, vice president
of the National Center for Public Policy Research. "North Carolinians don't
support further price increases of any kind in either gasoline or electricity.
By co-sponsoring this bill, Senator Dole is acting directly contrary to the
wishes of her constituents."
The America's Climate Security Act (S. 3036) -- also called "Lieberman-
Warner" after chief sponsors Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner
(R-VA) -- would place strict caps on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions
that power plants, fuel refiners and producers, chemical producers and other
manufacturers may release into the atmosphere. The proposal -- frequently
referred to as a "cap-and-trade" plan -- would also establish an emissions
trading system that would permit companies that emit fewer greenhouse gases
than they are allowed to sell the excess portion to companies exceeding their
allowances. The Act's sponsors claim the bill would reduce U.S. greenhouse
gas emissions up to 63% by 2050.
"The Lieberman-Warner bill would ration power, raise the cost of energy
and consumer goods, and effectively impose the largest tax increase in history
on the American people," said Ridenour. "Americans are already struggling
with rising costs. The least their elected representative can do is not make
matters worse."
Senator Dole explained her support, saying, "This is not a perfect bill,
but I believe its fundamental approach -- providing a market driven system --
is the right way to address climate change."
"Senator Dole is right that this bill isn't perfect, but wrong about
everything else," said Ridenour. "Markets aren't created by Washington, but
created by free people exercising free choices. Lieberman-Warner isn't the
right way to do anything but grow the power and scope of the federal
government. Even if its targets for reducing greenhouse emission could be met
-- and they can't -- any reductions in global temperatures would be
imperceptible."
The poll questions and cross-tabs are available to the press.
The National Center is a non-partisan educational foundation based in
Washington, DC established in 1982. It is a truly independent foundation,
with approximately 99% of its funding coming from some 72,000 active donors.
SOURCE National Center for Public Policy Research
David Almasi, +1-202-543-4110, for National Center for Public Policy Research
