Poll: Despite spill, support for oil drilling high

[peejay 327]

Poll: Despite spill, support for oil drilling high

Majority of Americans also back Ariz.'s new controversial immigration law

By Mark Murray

Deputy political director

NBC News

updated 5:33 p.m. CT, Wed., May 12, 2010

WASHINGTON - Drill, baby, drill.

Even after the recent — and highly publicized — oil spill in the Gulf Coast, that’s the overwhelming sentiment from the public, with six in 10 Americans supporting more offshore drilling, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

In addition, a majority believes that the potential economic benefits of offshore drilling outweigh its potential harm to the environment.

Those aren’t the only striking results from this survey, which was conducted after several significant and newsworthy events:

• Nearly two-thirds of Americans back Arizona’s new controversial immigration law;
  

• After the failed car bomb in Times Square, 58 percent of respondents say they’re worried this country will experience another terrorist attack, the highest percentage on this question in almost five years;
  

• And in the wake of the federal government’s fraud charges against Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs, a clear majority thinks that the biggest concern about the financial reform legislation moving through Congress is that it won’t go far enough to rein in Wall Street’s perceived excesses.
  

The more things change ...

Yet given these events and findings, perhaps the biggest takeaway from the poll is that the overall political environment remains virtually unchanged.

Half of the nation still approves of President Barack Obama’s job performance; Republicans continue to enjoy an enthusiasm advantage heading into the upcoming midterm elections; and more than eight in 10 remain dissatisfied about the economy.

“The more things change, the more they stay the same,” says Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff. “The dynamics of 2010 are overriding any of these huge events that are happening.”

Adds McInturff, “We have a corrosive economy, and that economy is continuing to be a weight on the political system.”

The poll — which was conducted May 6-10 of 1,000 adults, and which has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points — comes after the explosion of an oil rig in the Gulf Coast and its subsequent spill.

Offshore drilling, immigration, terrorism

Despite the spill, 60 percent say they support allowing for more drilling off U.S. coasts, and 53 percent believe that offshore drilling’s potential economic benefits outweigh its potential harm to the environment.

The public is split on the federal government’s response to the spill: 45 percent say it has not done enough, while 43 percent say it has done enough.

By comparison, 50 percent say that British Petroleum, which leased the oil rig, has not done enough, versus 37 percent who think that it has.

Another significant event in recent weeks was Arizona’s new anti-illegal immigration law, which makes it a state crime for a person to be in the country illegally. It also requires local and state law enforcement officials to question people about their immigration status if they suspect those persons are in the country illegally.

Sixty-four percent favor this law, and 34 percent oppose it. But those numbers are essentially reversed among Latinos — with 70 percent of them opposing the law, and only 27 percent supporting it.

Even though almost two-thirds of the public supports Arizona’s law, nearly an identical number (66 percent) believe it will lead to the discrimination of Latino immigrants who reside in the U.S. legally.

A third event that took place in recent days was the failed car bombing in New York’s Times Square. According to the poll, 58 percent say they are worried that the United States will experience another major terrorist attack — the highest score on this question since 2005.

What’s more, a majority of Americans (52 percent) say they are willing to give up personal freedoms and civil liberties to prevent another terrorist attack. And another majority (51 percent) approve of using racial or ethnic profiling to combat terrorism.

Asked which of these recent stories concerned them more, 38 percent cited the Gulf Coast spill, 31 percent said the failed Times Square bombing, 19 percent mentioned Arizona’s new immigration law and 8 percent said the charges against Goldman Sachs.

Obama, the midterms and health care

Despite these events — as well as the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s nearly 1,000-point temporary drop last Thursday (which occurred as this poll was being conducted) — the political environment remains surprisingly stable.

Obama’s overall approval rating sits at 50 percent, a two-point increase from March.

Also, the approval of his handling of the economy is now a net-positive 48 percent to 46 percent, versus his net-negative 47 percent to 50 percent rating from two months ago.

And a combined 69 percent say they like the president personally, even if some don’t approve of his policies. But that is down from the combined 75 percent who said they personally liked him in January.

Looking ahead to the November midterm elections, Democrats and Republicans are tied on the generic ballot question — with 44 percent preferring a Democratic-controlled Congress and 44 percent preferring a GOP-controlled Congress.

In fact, it’s only the second time in the past seven years in the poll when Republicans have pulled exactly even with Democrats on this question (and the first time was January 2010).

Republicans also enjoy a significant advantage among those most enthusiastic about the midterms — they prefer the GOP controlling Congress by 20 points.

Opinions of the health care legislation, which Obama signed into law back in March, haven’t changed much, either.

In the poll, 38 percent think Obama’s health plan is a good idea, while 44 percent say it’s a bad idea — only a slight improvement from the 36 percent to 48 percent good/bad score before the legislation passed.

That said, 55 percent say they are more likely to support a congressional candidate who believes the new law should be given a chance to work, compared with 42 percent who will back a candidate supporting the law’s repeal.

Still sour on the economy, Congress

Perceptions of the U.S. economy also haven’t changed much, despite data (like the 290,000 jobs created in April) pointing to a recovery.

A whopping 81 percent say they’re dissatisfied with the economy, and 76 percent believe the country is still mired in a recession.

“The grassroots is not feeling the economic recovery yet,” says Hart, the Democratic pollster.

And the grim outlook extends to other topics — 56 percent think country is headed on the wrong track, 72 percent disapprove of Congress and both the Democratic and Republican parties have negative favorable ratings.

The one true bright spot in the poll: General Motors, which has seen its favorable rating jump from 18 percent after its federal government bailout to 37 percent now.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37116587/ns/politics-more_politics

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Surprised by this? I'm not. After all, the immediate environmental damage is not expected in the backyard of most Americans. For America to wake up, we'd have to have a foot worth of oil cover along the entire coastline. When people would have to travel overseas to get to a usable and enjoyable beach, the sentiment would certainly change. Until then, the landlocked won't give a ** about a few miles of wasted coastline.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Surprised by this? I'm not. After all, the immediate environmental damage is not expected in the backyard of most Americans. For America to wake up, we'd have to have a foot worth of oil cover along the entire coastline. When people would have to travel overseas to get to a usable and enjoyable beach, the sentiment would certainly change. Until then, the landlocked won't give a ** about a few miles of wasted coastline.

I look at it this way. We will learn a lot about how to deal with this scenario in the future.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I look at it this way. We will learn a lot about how to deal with this scenario in the future.

Well, looking at the history of spills and accidents and damage, that learning curve isn't what it should be.

[alienlovechild 75]

I'm not. After all, the immediate environmental damage is not expected in the backyard of most Americans. For America to wake up, we'd have to have a foot worth of oil cover along the entire coastline. When people would have to travel overseas to get to a usable and enjoyable beach, the sentiment would certainly change. Until then, the landlocked won't give a ** about a few miles of wasted coastline.

Last time I checked, Louisiana is on the coast and a substantial portion of their economy comes from the oil industry. What about the UK and Norway and any other country drilling in the North Sea, think those nations could less about the environment?

We the need the oil or should we just put all our faith in Mexico with all its problems, Canada with its dirty tar shale oil, Venezuela with Chavez or a corrupt Nigerian government or the Middle East? No easy answers but it isn't this the only major oil rig disaster in the U.S. for 40 years? I hope this doesn't become another Three Mile Island where the country drops an entire industry out of fear because it can't weigh the options fairly.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Last time I checked, Louisiana is on the coast and a substantial portion of their economy comes from the oil industry.

Last I checked, this is a poll among Americans not just the folks in Louisiana. But why bother with the essentials, right?

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Well, looking at the history of spills and accidents and damage, that learning curve isn't what it should be.

What I mean is that some sort of emergency shut off plan will eventually be developed where the shut off system fails like in this case. So if another site is damaged, they can stop the disaster in a few days rather than a few weeks or even months.

But your right, a tested back up plan should have been on the books already.

What I mean is that some sort of emergency shut off plan will eventually be developed where the shut off system fails like in this case. So if another site is damaged, they can stop the disaster in a few days rather than a few weeks or even months.

But your right, a tested back up plan should have been on the books already.

Its a bit like eating at a place that has just reopened due to health code violations. You know it will be pretty clean.

Edited May 13, 2010 by Sousuke

[alienlovechild 75]

Last I checked, this is a poll among Americans not just the folks in Louisiana. But why bother with the essentials, right?

No, it just killed your theory that it's mostly landlocked areas in favor or drilling.

Louisiana has supported the oil industry for decades they should be more concerned than anyone. No response for the North Sea drilling either?

Luckily, people in Florida don't care about the environment as long as the messy oil to power their cars doesn't come from off their shores. Wait til the Cubans develop their oil fields offshore. Eventually, south Florida's beaches will have more than tanning oil to bask in.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

No, it just killed your theory that it's mostly landlocked areas in favor or drilling.

No you didn't. You just pulled that supposed point out of your backside and expect me to be impressed with it. I'm not. FWIW, FL was pretty solidly in the drill, baby, drill column. Gov. Christ is now proposing to cement the existing FL law against drilling off our shores into our state constitution by referendum. And I'll support that.

Edited May 13, 2010 by Mr. Big Dog

[peejay 327]

No you didn't. You just pulled that supposed point out of your backside and expect me to be impressed with it. I'm not. FWIW, FL was pretty solidly in the drill, baby, drill column. Gov. Christ is now proposing to cement the existing FL law against drilling off our shores into our state constitution by referendum. And I'll support that.

About like the California mentality...they love their cars and love living way out in the suburbs where they burn all kinds of gas to commute, but they can't be bothered with the inconvenient details. Better to let others sacrifice and bear the risks. Far be it from them to quit driving and quit using that dirty evil petroleum.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

About like the California mentality...they love their cars and love living way out in the suburbs where they burn all kinds of gas to commute, but they can't be bothered with the inconvenient details. Better to let others sacrifice and bear the risks. Far be it from them to quit driving and quit using that dirty evil petroleum.

The main difference being that w/o our beautiful beaches, FL would be some of the most undesirable swampland to live on. Oily beaches would be FL ultimate death sentence. We're kind of unique that way down here.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I wonder what the Australians think?

[Ban Hammer 14,364]

The main difference being that w/o our beautiful beaches, FL would be some of the most undesirable swampland to live on. Oily beaches would be FL ultimate death sentence. We're kind of unique that way down here.

on the bright side, you can now drive through the surf for an oil change and lube.

at least until the next hurricane comes by and sandblasts your car.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

on the bright side, you can now drive through the surf for an oil change and lube.

at least until the next hurricane comes by and sandblasts your car.

I appreciate the kind words of encouragement there, Chuck.

[Ban Hammer 14,364]

I appreciate the kind words of encouragement there, Chuck.

just remembering those times you was telling us about how warm it was there during this past winter.

Edited May 13, 2010 by charles!