public opinion

Democracy and Distrust

“Democracy and Distrust” is the title of a well-known book constitutional theory, which argues that courts should step in to correct dysfunctions in the democratic process.  But that’s not what I want to talk about right now.  Instead, I want to talk about public trust in the institutions that make democracy work: the media that …

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The Case for Cap-and-Trade

Dan asked for a vote, and being a good Legal Planetary citizen, I responded — voting very reluctantly for cap-and-trade. The biggest difficulty, as is the case with most polls, lies in the phrasing of the question:  “all things considered” what is “the best strategy” for controlling greenhouse gases.  The problem with this locution — perhaps unavoidable …

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What is the Best Approach to Controlling Carbon? You Be the Judge.

There’s a lot of disagreement about the best approach to controlling carbon.  We thought it might be a good idea to find out what you, our readers, think about the issue.  Here’s a quick poll: [polldaddy poll=5632574]

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Obama, the GOP, and the Environment

The NY Times has a Christmas Day editorial about the need for the President to take a strong stance in defense of EPA: Republicans in the next Congress are obviously set on limiting the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate a wide range of air pollutants — even if it …

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Californians still support action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to new report

California, for better or worse, is still a bellwether state on many public policy issues.  Public opinion here matters, not just as a predictor of our state’s future political direction, but also nationally.  And California’s residents’ opinions about environmental issues are particularly important, given our state’s leadership on environmental issues.  Right now, there is a …

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Popular Support for “Cap and Dividend”

According to a poll by Public Opinion Strategies, there seems to be strong public support for cap and dividend, at least if the question is framed positively.  Here is the question along with some key results: “Some Democratic and Republican Senators have proposed an overhaul to America’s energy system. The goal is to reduce pollution, …

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Googling Climate Change

I was curious about what information people would find if they were curious about climate change and took the easiest route by googling the phrase “climage change.”  It’s a mixed story.  The first listing on the page (presumably sponsored) is a Chevron site.  Right below that are “related searches” for climate change emails climate change …

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