These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
65% Oppose Nationalization of U.S. Oil Industry
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The Obama White House now says the massive oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico is the worst oil spill in U.S. history, but most voters still don't think a government takeover of the oil industry is a good remedy.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 16% think it would be a good idea for the government to nationalize all the oil companies and run them on a non-profit basis. Sixty-five percent (65%) disagree with that idea. Twenty percent (20%) are undecided.
This represents a drop in support for nationalization from two years ago. In J une 2008 , 29% favored nationalization of the oil industry and only 47% were opposed.
While 78% of Republicans and 76% of voters not affiliated with either major party oppose nationalization, Democrats are more divided over the question.
Similarly, 68% of Mainstream voters reject nationalizing the oil industry, but the Political Class is not so sure it's a bad idea.
Because of the eco-disaster in the Gulf, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, among others, has suggested that there may be a need for greater government regulation of offshore drilling. Forty-six percent (46%) of voters favor more government regulation of offshore oil drilling. Thirty-five percent (35%) oppose more regulation, while 19% are not sure.
Sixty-four percent (64%) of voters still believe offshore oil drilling should be allowed . This marks a rebound of sorts from 58% earlier this month right after the Gulf leak began . But 72% supported the resumption of offshore drilling just after President Obama lifted the longstanding ban on it in March .
The survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on May 22-23, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology .
Fifty-nine percent (59%) of Democratic voters and a plurality (45%) of unaffiliateds think more government regulation of offshore drilling is needed, but 50% of Republicans disagree.
The Political Class is much more emphatic. While Mainstream voters are evenly divided over the need for more government regulation, 81% of the Political Class see a need for more official oversight of offshore drilling.
Voters nationwide strongly believe that offshore oil drilling is important in terms of meeting U.S. energy needs, and most say it is not possible to drill offshore without any risk to the environment.
Seventy-six percent (76%) think offshore drilling is at least somewhat important in meeting the energy needs of the United States. That includes 47% who say it is Very Important. Just 15% say offshore drilling is not very or not at all important.
Twenty-four percent (24%) of voters say it is possible to drill offshore for oil without any risk to the environment. Fifty-seven percent (57%) disagree and say it's not possible to guarantee there is no environmental risk. Another 19% are not sure.
Republicans feel more strongly that offshore oil drilling is important to meeting the country's energy needs, and GOP voters are also more convinced that such drilling can be done without risk to the environment.
There's no question, however, that the oil rig incident has voters' attention. Ninety-one percent (91%) say they are following recent news stories about it at least somewhat closely.
Most voters remain concerned about the environmental problems associated with offshore drilling .
As the leak from the destroyed oil rig in the Gulf continues to spread, voters are becoming more critical of the president's handling of the crisis .