The Wall Street Journal ran an article today saying that energy policy has taken over as the most pressing issue among voters:
A new Wall Street Journal/NBC news poll finds that energy — including gasoline and utility costs — ranks as the economic issue that voters say affects them the most personally.
The Wall Street Journal and Washingtonpost.com, show voters in each state say energy policy is more important to them than the war in Iraq.
This shift is undoubtedly a response to recent high energy prices. Ironically, the article shows poll numbers that indicate that Americans trusts Democrats to deal with energy policy much more so than they trust Republicans.
However, the greatest support for increasing energy taxes even higher (through cap-and-trade, government-mandated “efficiency” and other global warming taxes) tends to come from Democratic policymakers. Meanwhile, support for lowering energy prices through expansion of supply (such as new oil drilling) tends to come from Republican policymakers. (Of course, party affiliation is not necessarily a good indicator of policy position on these issues. Some notable Republicans who support higher energy prices and taxes include John McCain and Elizabeth Dole.)
Apparently, Americans are responding to high energy prices by turning to those who would make them higher.
