Polluters and Energy Companies vs. Wisconsin Values
Two new polls out this morning that paint a very different picture of Wisconsinites’ attitudes toward state policy to curb climate change and help bring about a new green economy in Wisconsin. First, one from the Forest County Potawatomi Community which shows an ‘overwhelming majority’ of voters ‘ 70% — in Wisconsin support the state taking action to curb carbon emissions. Additionally, voters from across the political spectrum support action to reduce emissions: 53% of Republicans, 67% of independents and 87% of Democrats.
The Potawatomi poll also touches on an important part of the climate change debate that conservatives often leave out: the move toward renewable energy will create new manufacturing and technology jobs in the state.
Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce has another poll out, which basically says Wisconsinites think global climate change is a ‘national’ and ‘international’ problem and the state shouldn’t do anything special to protect our clean air, water and green spaces. And of course, WMC’s poll questions are full of the same type of hyperbole and scare tactics it uses in its gutter-scraping political ads, some of which you can find at One Wisconsin Now’s WMC Watch.
Furthermore, is it any surprise that an organization whose Board of Directors feature the CEO and/or Presidents of Intgrys Energy Group, Wisconsin Power and Light, Northern States Power Company, American Transmission Company and Emerson Electric Company is against developing technologies that would cut into their gargantuan profits? That doesn’t include the wide range of manufacturers and construction companies and many others also represented on WMC’s board that would benefit tremendously from loosening of environmental regulations which aim to keep Wisconsin’s air and water clean and our residents safe.