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Will People Vote for Lower Gas Prices?by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady
A scientific national survey of 1001 Americans* found that what presidential and congressional candidates say about energy issues could have a big impact on the outcome of the 2008 elections. Nearly nine out of 10 Americans (89 percent) – including 95 percent of Democrats and 84 percent of both Republicans and Independents – say that “the views of candidates on energy-related issues -- such as gasoline prices, home heating oil prices, global warming and energy independence” will be an important factor in how they vote. 40mpg.org spokesperson Ailis Aaron Wolf said: “These survey findings suggest that $4-a-gallon gasoline could be a real tipping point for the public in terms of an even bigger rush for hybrids, clean diesels and other highly fuel-efficient vehicles. It is interesting to note in particular that young people who have been raised in a ‘high-cost fuel environment’ over the last decade are overwhelmingly inclined to abandon gas guzzlers in favorite of gas-sipping, climate-friendly vehicles.” Where do you cut back?
Hybrids looking better and better* More than two out of five Americans (44 percent) now are more likely “to buy a hybrid, clean-diesel or other more fuel-efficient vehicle” than they were six months ago. Strikingly, the group that is most likely to do so is sharply divided by age: two out of three 18-24 year olds (67 percent) and fewer than three out of 10 (29 percent) of those over the age of 65. When the number of Americans who are just as likely to buy a hybrid now as they were six months ago (28 percent) is factored in, the total of number of Americans who are more or as likely to buy highly fuel-efficient vehicles climbs to 72 percent. *conducted for the nonprofit and nonpartisan Civil Society Institute (CSI) think tank and its 40MPG.org project Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer and member of the Texas Automotive Writers Association. Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.chocolateAtlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com and www.teaAtlas.com |
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Opinion
Research Corporation Senior Researcher Graham Hueber said:
“Gas prices rising to $4 or higher will further tighten the
wobbly U.S. economy. Over half of Americans (52
percent) said that gas prices at $4 would cause them to ‘cut
back on … summer or end-of-year holiday travel’ and nearly
three out of five (58 percent) say they would ‘cut
back on your personal spending to help pay for higher
gasoline prices.’ Interestingly, Republicans (63
percent) were the most likely to cut back on personal
spending at the $4-a-gallon gasoline level, compared to 57
percent of Democrats and 49 percent of Independents.
If gasoline rises over $4 a gallon, nearly three out of five
Americans (58 percent) will cut back on travel plans, while
63 percent will pull back on their personal spending.”