2014 ndi 6ws – Fitzmier, Lundberg, Abelkop
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- Offshore drilling is popular with the public, specifically independents—approval is back to pre-Gulf spill levels, and technology is perceived safe
- Rasmussen Reports polls show high levels of support for offshore drilling
- Broad support for offshore drilling has rebounded to pre-Gulf spill levels
- Offshore drilling for natural gas is overwhelmingly popular with North Carolina voters
- North Carolina is the key state in determining the Senate majority
- Offshore drilling excites North Carolina voters because of the economic benefits
- The economy outweighs environmental concerns with voters
Drilling PopularAlaskaDrilling policies make dems win – GOP splitsPolitico, 14 – (“All Policy is Local, presented by Choose Energy: Welcome to Energy and the Midterms — Primary day in West Virginia, Nebraska — Outside spending roundup — Top Senate and House races”, Politico, 5/13/14, http://www.politico.com/story/2014/05/all-policy-is-local-presented-by-choose-energy-welcome-to-energy-and-the-midterms-primary-day-in-west-virginia-nebraska-106617.html)//EX Alaska: Sen. Mark Begich is another top target for Republicans. Like Landrieu, Begich tends to part with Democratic positions on issues like oil and gas drilling, but he turned heads earlier this year when he broke with Republicans Lisa Murkowski and Don Young on Alaska’s Pebble Mine. After the EPA released a report outlining a litany of potential pollution and habitat damage from large-scale mining activity in the Bristol Bay region, Begich said it poses too many risks to Alaska’s salmon fisheries. A top GOP challenger to Begich is Dan Sullivan, the former head of Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources. If polling and money continue to split among the GOP field ahead of the late-in-the-cycle Aug. 19 primary, Begich could benefit as the Republicans spend more time sniping at each other rather than taking aim at him. Also in the running are Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell and Joe Miller, the 2010 GOP nominee who lost to Murkowski’s write-in campaign. GeneralOffshore drilling is popular—the majority of polled voters across party lines supported increasing development policy due to the economic benefits—API has specifically been successful in public campaigningBoman 12 Karen, Senior Editor at Rigzone.com, "API: Poll Shows US Voters Link Energy Development, Economic Recovery", Aug 14 2012, www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/119997/API_Poll_Shows_US_Voters_Link_Energy_Development_Economic_Recovery A recent poll by the American Petroleum Institute (API) found that U.S. voters favor increased access to domestic oil and gas resources, and see oil and gas development as a way to create jobs. Seventy-one percent of the 1,016 registered voters polled by Harris Interactive in telephone interviews throughout the United States from August 9-12 said they supported opening more U.S. oil and natural gas resources for development. Republican voters and voters aged 55 years and older favored opening more oil and gas resource development. Eighty-five percent of Republican voters polled strongly or somewhat agreed with increasing access to U.S. energy resources, while 73 percent of voters over the age of 55 strongly or somewhat agreed with increased access. The poll also found that: 72 percent of independent voters either strongly or somewhat agreed with increased access to oil and gas resources 60 percent of Democrats strongly or somewhat agreed with increased access to oil and gas resources 72 percent of voters aged 35-54 strongly or somewhat agreed with increased access 66 percent of votes aged 18-34 strongly or somewhat agreed with increased access Ninety percent of those voters agreed that increased access to domestic resources could lead to more U.S.-based jobs. Ninety-five percent of voters identifying as Republicans strongly or somewhat agreed that increased oil and gas activity could result in more job creation. Ninety-three percent of voters aged 18-34 strongly or somewhat agreed that more oil and gas activity could lead to more jobs, according to the poll results. According to the results: 91 percent of independents believed increased domestic oil and gas access could lead to more jobs 85 percent of Democrats polled thought increased oil and gas access could result in job creation 90 percent of voters aged 55 and older believed more oil and gas development could lead to more jobs 89 percent of voters aged 35-54 agreed that greater access to hydrocarbon resources could lead to more U.S.-based jobs Seventy-three percent of voters polled also support changing policies to allow more offshore development. More Republicans favored offshore drilling, with 85 percent supporting changes in policies. Support for increased offshore development by age groups was strongest among voters aged 18-34, with 78 percent voicing support. Seventy-five percent of voters polled support development of the Keystone XL Pipeline. More Republican voters favored the pipeline project, while support was split fairly evenly among the three age groups polled at around 75 percent. The poll results showed that 87 percent of voters agreed that access to more domestic oil and natural gas could help lower energy costs for consumers. Sixty-five percent of voters agreed that increases in energy taxes could drive up energy costs. The poll also found that 63 percent of voters think Washington is on the wrong track regarding U.S. energy policy.POLL RESULTS THE FRUIT OF API VOTE FOR ENERGY CAMPAIGN The poll results are the fruit borne of API's Vote for Energy campaign, a multi-million dollar effort launched in January to encourage discussion of U.S. energy policy and issues, said API President and CEO Jack Gerard in a conference call Tuesday. With 92 percent of voters polled saying that energy security and domestic oil and gas production are important issues for the November presidential election, API continues to lobby for a true all of the above energy policy with action and vision, not just lip service from the administration, Gerard said during the call. The results show that voters "clearly get" the issue of how oil and gas development can impact the nation's economy, Gerard said, pointing to the expansions in U.S. industries such as steel that have been made possible by expanded exploration and production activity. Now, API has taken its campaign to swing states Colorado, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina and Ohio, where both President Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney have been campaigning, to encourage discussion about the United States' energy future and the impact that oil and gas activity can have on the economy. API has also recruited 3 million grassroots supporters to support API's efforts, and said API has been speaking with candidates of both parties who are up for election this fall. "It's not about political parties, it's about good sound public policy," Gerard noted. "Having a pro-development business climate can have a positive impact on the economy." Offshore drilling is popular with the public, specifically independents—approval is back to pre-Gulf spill levels, and technology is perceived safeSwanson 13 Emily, reporter for the Huffington Post, "Offshore Drilling Support High As Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Trial Opens", Feb 28 2013, www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/28/offshore-drilling_n_2783337.html After the opening of a trial this week to assess BP's responsibility for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, a new HuffPost/YouGov poll finds that support for offshore drilling has returned to high levels, and more think that spills are isolated accidents rather than routine events.¶ According to the new survey, 58 percent of Americans favor increased offshore drilling, and only 28 percent are opposed. Among Republicans, support for drilling is near universal, with 86 percent saying that they support expanded drilling. Most independents also said they support drilling, 58 percent to 26 percent. Democrats were divided on the issue, with 41 percent saying they favored and 40 percent saying they were opposed to increased drilling.¶ Support for increased drilling has recovered nearly to where it was before the Gulf oil spill. A YouGov/Economist poll conducted the month before the spill found that support for increased drilling outstripped opposition 62 percent to 24 percent. Support dropped as low as 44 percent in another YouGov/Economist poll taken after the spill, in June of 2010, with 40 percent saying they opposed expanded drilling at that time.¶ By a 50 percent to 30 percent margin, respondents to the HuffPost/YouGov survey were more likely to say that drilling technology is safe and that spills are rare accidents -- rather than say that the technology is unreliable and routine spills inevitable.
Less research has been undertaken into public attitudes toward offshore drilling and the work that has been done has generally utilized poll data rather than more in-depth techniques. A series of polls conducted by Rasmussen Reports have found consistently high levels of support for offshore drilling (although not quite as high as for wind development). In June 2008, support levels were at 67% (Rasmussen Reports, 2008a). They increased marginally to 68% in November of that year (Rasmussen Reports, 2008b) – around the time the ocean attitudes survey herein was conducted – and remained at that level one year later (Rasmussen Reports, 2009). Interestingly, support for drilling specifically offshore appears to be higher than support for oil and gas expansion in general as shown by the above Gallup poll. Broad support for offshore drilling has rebounded to pre-Gulf spill levelsPRC 12 Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research, "As Gas Prices Pinch, Support for Oil and Gas Production Grows", March 19 2012, www.people-press.org/2012/03/19/as-gas-prices-pinch-support-for-oil-and-gas-production-grows/ At a time of rising gas prices, the public’s energy priorities have changed. More Americans continue to view the development of alternative energy sources as a higher priority than the increased production of oil, coal and natural gas, but the gap has narrowed considerably over the past year.¶ Moreover, support for allowing more offshore oil and gas drilling in U.S. waters, which plummeted during the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, has recovered to pre-spill levels. Nearly two-thirds (65%) favor allowing increased offshore drilling, up from 57% a year ago and 44% in June 2010, during the Gulf spill.¶ The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted March 7-11, 2012 among 1,503 adults, finds that 52% say the more important priority for addressing the nation’s energy supply is to develop alternative sources, such as wind, solar and hydrogen technology, while 39% see expanding the exploration and production of oil, coal and natural gas as the greater priority.¶ A year ago, the public viewed the development of alternative energy sources as the more important priority by a much wider margin (63% to 29%). Since then, support for expanding production of oil and other traditional sources has increased among most demographic and political groups and the shift among Republicans has been particularly pronounced.¶ In March 2011, Republicans were evenly divided over how to address the energy supply: 47% said the more important priority was to develop alternative sources, while 44% said it was to expand exploration and production of oil, coal and natural gas. In the current survey, just a third of Republicans (33%) view development of alternatives as more important, while 59% say the more important priority is to expand exploration and production of oil and other traditional energy sources.¶ As in past Pew Research Center surveys, there continues to be broad public support for an array of policies aimed at addressing the nation’s energy supply: 78% favor requiring better fuel efficiency for cars, trucks and SUVs; 69% favor more federal funding for research on wind, solar and hydrogen technology; and 65% favor spending more on subway, rail and bus systems.¶ But while support for each of these policies has been steady or down modestly in recent years, support for allowing more offshore oil and gas drilling in U.S. waters has increased. Currently, more than twice as many favor than oppose increased offshore drilling (65% vs. 31%). In June 2010, only 44% favored more offshore drilling while 52% were opposed. The balance of opinion today is almost identical to what it was in February 2010, two months before the Gulf oil disaster (63% favor, 31% oppose). North CarolinaOffshore drilling for natural gas is overwhelmingly popular with North Carolina votersTrout 6/2/14 Katie, Operations Director at Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina, and former Managing Editor at John W. Pope Civitas Institute, "Over Half of NC Voters Support Offshore Drilling", June 2 2014, civitasreview.com/polling/over-half-of-nc-voters-support-offshore-drilling/ A recent Civitas poll finds that 56 percent of North Carolina voters support drilling off the state’s coast for oil and natural gas. Thirty-seven percent were opposed and 7 percent had no opinion. Support for oil exploration off the coast has remained consistently strong in Civitas polling results. The May 2009 poll found 71 percent of voters in support of offshore oil exploration; though voters are clear that the oil rigs should be out of sight from the shoreline. The numbers climb higher to 74 percent in support of drilling if voters find out that the deposits are mainly cleaner, safer natural gas which does not cause the environmental or safety problems of oil if there is a leak or spill. And despite the recent catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf, only 12 percent of voters’ opinions changed in saying they supported it before the spill but now oppose it. Fifty-seven percent continue to support drilling for oil and natural gas even as the cleanup effort continues. A new oil rig off the coast of North Carolina may still be a ways off, however, as state legislators are considering a bill that would adjust the listed pros and cons of drilling submitted by a legislative committee in 2009. The group will meet with the Governor on Thursday, June 3 to discuss offshore drilling and its effects on the state. North Carolina voters understand the benefits that offshore drilling would have on the state’s economy which is currently struggling with record unemployment.
Kyle, Managing Editor at Sabato's Crystal Ball, Communications Director at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, "10 Maps That Explain the 2014 Midterms", May 5 2014, www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/05/10-maps-that-explain-the-2014-midterms-106347.html#.U6kMUvldW5o Perhaps the key Senate race in the country is in North Carolina, a Republican-leaning swing state that both sides suspect could decide the Senate majority. Adjust your eyes when looking at the maps above, which feature, on the left, Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan’s victory over Republican Elizabeth Dole in 2008 and, on the right, Republican Sen. Richard Burr’s victory over Democrat Elaine Marshall two years later. In this case, blue is for Republicans, and red is for Democrats. (These maps are from Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections, a first-rate resource for election watchers.) Hagan took slightly more than 54 percent of the two-party vote against Dole in 2008, four points better than Obama performed on the same ballot. Two years later, incumbent Burr performed a bit better than Hagan in his reelection bid, winning 56 percent of the two-party vote. In each of these elections, the winner of the state also won Raleigh’s Wake County. Hagan took the county by 15 points in 2008; Burr won it by a point in 2010. Wake is North Carolina’s second-biggest county, but it consistently casts more votes than the biggest—Mecklenburg, home to Charlotte. Because Florida and Ohio, with their famous, key counties like Hillsborough (Tampa) and Hamilton (Cincinnati), don’t feature Senate races this year, Wake might very well be the key county this year. Hagan needs to win it again, and not just by a few points, which will be a challenge given the significant turnout problems Democrats face in North Carolina midterms.
Mark, adjunct professor at George Mason University, reporter and editor for more than 30 years, "East Coast Voters Look Offshore for Energy", Oct 17 2013, energytomorrow.org/blog/2013/october/east-coast-voters-look-offshore-for-energy Three more polls, three more states where strong majorities support oil and natural gas drilling off America’s coasts – for jobs, a stronger economy and a more-secure energy future. Harris Interactive surveys conducted recently in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina found support for offshore drilling among registered voters ranged from 64 percent (Florida) to 77 percent (South Carolina). As was true earlier this week in a poll of Virginia voters on offshore drilling, developing offshore energy goes along with the belief that more access to U.S. energy reserves and more drilling will lead to significant economic benefits and increased U.S. energy security. More polling results from the three states: Agree that increased production of domestic oil and natural gas resources could help strengthen America’s energy security: FL 88 percent; NC 89 percent; SC 87 percent. Agree that increased production of domestic oil and natural gas resources could lead to more jobs in the U.S.: FL 92 percent; NC 91 percent; SC 93 percent. Agree that producing more domestic oil and natural gas could help lower energy costs for consumers: FL 83 percent; NC 80 percent; SC 87 percent. Agree that increased production of domestic oil and natural gas resources could help stimulate the economy: FL 89 percent; NC 87 percent; SC 91 percent. Agree that producing more domestic oil and natural gas could benefit federal and state budgets through lease payments, royalty fees and other sources of revenue: FL 83 percent; NC 81 percent; SC 81 percent Support for increased production of domestic oil and natural gas resources located here in the U.S.: FL 73 percent; NC 77 percent; SC 78 percent. These numbers are a great big clue for policymakers in Washington as they consider allowing new seismic surveying off the coasts of the four Mid-Atlantic states. Significant majorities of people living in those states – majorities that cut across party lines – view America’s energy wealth as the catalyst for greater individual and national prosperity. A game-changer. Dave Mica of the Florida Petroleum Council: “Floridians and residents of other coastal states are in the same boat in support of offshore drilling. We can create good-paying jobs and strengthen our local economy by allowing more oil and natural gas production here in the Sunshine State. As Governor Scott just announced in Daytona Beach, an oil and gas technology firm will add 100 jobs in our state to support exploration and production in other states. The multiplier effect for high tech and engineering jobs will be tremendous if additional access to exploration is granted in Florida both onshore and offshore.” David McGowan of the North Carolina Petroleum Council: “North Carolina voters continue to support energy production in this state. The path from the earliest phase of planning an offshore lease sale to the first day of production can take more than 10 years. North Carolina has the opportunity to produce energy off its coast and create jobs to fuel our economy while also ensuring the protection of the environmental resources that make our state such a special place.” Kay Clamp of the South Carolina Petroleum Council: “South Carolinians want every opportunity to create jobs and boost the state economy. The United States is leading the world in energy development, and allowing South Carolina to produce offshore energy could mean increased revenues to ease the pressure on government budgets.” North Carolina keyBarnes 5/6/14 Fred, political commentator for the Weekly Standard, "Tillis Wins, Boosts GOP's 2014 Hopes", May 6 2014, www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/tillis-wins-boosts-gops-2014-hopes_791090.html The Tillis victory was important for two reasons. One, he is regarded, especially by Democrats, as the only Republican capable of defeating Hagan. Not that Hagan is a strong incumbent—she isn’t—but she will have millions to target against the Republican nominee, plus aid from Democratic super PACs. Tillis alone is seen as equipped to withstand a withering negative campaign. Second, North Carolina is the key state in the fall election. Without it, Republicans are unlikely to gain the six Senate seats needed to take control of the Senate and oust Reid as majority leader. With it, Republican prospects of seizing the Senate are far brighter. “North Carolina now becomes ground zero in the fight for the Senate,” said Republican consultant Marc Rotterman. “Hagan is on the wrong side of nearly every issue.” She is particularly vulnerable on Obamacare, which she voted for. Like President Obama, Hagan promised that those who wished to keep their current health insurance could do so. That turned out to be untrue. Hagan has stumbled badly in trying to find a way to combat attacks on Obamacare. Her campaign presents Hagan as a problem-solving senator eager to compromise with Republicans in Washington. Her record in the Senate, however, is that of a party-line Democrat. Now she is playing down her connection with the Democratic party. And when Obama visited the state recently, she declined to appear with him. Tillis’s political strength comes from his instrumental part in the success of Republicans in enacting a sweeping conservative agenda after they won the governorship and both houses of the legislature in the 2012 election Republicans cut personal and business taxes, curbed regulations, slashed spending, and changed election law to require voters to show ID.
AT: EnvironmentThe economy outweighs environmental concerns with votersKromm 10 Chris, executive director at the Instiute for Southern Studies, "ALTERNATIVES, BABY, ALTERNATIVES: How to win the offshore drilling debate", July 8 2010, www.southernstudies.org/2010/07/alternatives-baby-alternatives-how-to-win-the-offshore-drilling-debate.html One of the most striking things we learned meeting with community leaders in the Gulf Coast recently is how deeply conflicted coastal residents are about offshore oil drilling. All of the people and groups Facing South talked to -- from Dulac, Louisiana to Moss Point, Mississippi -- were suffering in some way from the BP spill. But most, even bona-fide environmentalists, were at best ambivalent about calls to ban drilling in ocean waters. This was especially true of fishermen, despite the fact that BP's disaster has closed a third of Gulf waters and undermined their very livelihood. We quickly found out why: Many of the fishermen also worked on oil rigs in the off-season. And even those who didn't work on rigs knew that thousands of Gulf jobs depend on the energy industry; in the absence of alternatives, they're staying pro-drill. This highlights what may be the most critical point in the national debate over offshore oil drilling: The public is increasingly wary of drilling in our oceans in the wake of the BP disaster, but the only way environmentalists are going to cinch the debate is if they can offer compelling economic and energy alternatives. The polls clearly show a backlash against the "drill, baby, drill" mantra. The Pew Research Center has found a 19-point drop in support for increased offshore drilling since the spill: In February, 63% supported more offshore drilling; as of late June, a majority (52%) opposed it. A new Public Policy Polling survey in North Carolina, a state that was included in Obama's earlier plans to expand offshore projects, finds that for the first time a plurality (46%) in NC now oppose offshore drilling. But those anti-drilling views aren't shared in Gulf Coast states, even as BP's oil washes onto their shores. A Rasmussen poll in late June found 79% of likely Louisiana voters support offshore drilling and another found 70% support in Texas. Rasmussen's surveys have always found higher support for offshore drilling than their peers, but in this case their findings are in line with other polls. The overall message here: Even after our worst oil spill ever, only small majorities nationally oppose offshore drilling. And residents of states who rely on the oil economy still fiercely support it. In a simple pro/con debate over offshore drilling, there isn't enough political momentum to end the exploration and extraction of oil in the oceans. Directory: wp-content -> uploads -> 2014 2014 -> For want of a nail 2014 -> Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act of 2014 2014 -> Ihbb asian Championships 2014 middle school bowl Round 4 First Quarter 2014 -> Ihbb european Championships 2014 Bowl Round 4 First Quarter 2014 -> International History Bee and Bowl 2013-14 Asian Division Question Set Bowl Round Six 2014 -> United states patent and trademark office 2014 -> Coffs harbour eisteddfod vocal syllabus 2014 -> Listen News Programs Schedule pledge now 2014 -> Slow club announce third album complete surrender Download 0.68 Mb. Share with your friends:
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