Final Frequencies (n=1000)
NATIONAL SURVEY
The Mellman Group, Inc.
December 21, 2012
Hello. My name is _[FIRST NAME ONLY]_. I'm calling long distance from ______. We are conducting
a public opinion survey and I would like to ask you some questions. We are not selling anything, and I will
not ask you for a contribution or donation. Could I please speak with [ASK FOR NAME ON LIST. IF
NOT AVAILABLE, SCHEDULE TIME FOR A CALLBACK. YOU MAY ONLY SPEAK WITH
ANOTHER HOUSEHOLD MEMBER IF THEIR NAME IS ON THE LIST.]
[RECORD, BUT DO NOT ASK, GENDER:]
male .................................................................................... 47
female ................................................................................. 53
1.
We all lead busy lives, but did you happen to vote in the presidential election last month?
Yes............................................................................ 100
No ............................................................................. TERMINATE
[VOL.] DK/not sure ................................................. TERMINATE
Overall, do you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable
impression of
? [READ NAME FROM LIST BELOW] If you haven't heard of the person or
group {6}, or if you don't know enough about them to have an impression {5}, just say so and we will
move on.
[ROTATE BY QUESTION Q.2-Q.7]
2. __Barack Obama .................................................................
3. __Environmental groups .....................................................
4. __Wall Street banks ............................................................
5. __The Democrats in Congress ............................................
6. __The Republicans in Congress ..........................................
7. __Companies that emit carbon pollution ............................
very
fav
smwt
fav
smwt
unfav
very
unfav
don’t
know
never
heard
39
26
6
19
13
4
18
35
14
28
22
9
14
13
23
19
21
29
26
12
34
25
36
40
3
13
20
9
9
18
0
2
2
0
0
1
National Survey – The Mellman Group, Inc. (December 21, 2012)
8.
9.
_____
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2
Which is a better way to reduce the nation’s deficit?
[ROTATE STATEMENTS]
__Statement A: tax carbon dioxide pollution from big polluters such as oil, gas, and other
companies
OR
__Statement B: cut spending on programs like education, Social Security, Medicare and
environmental protection
[IF A OR B, ASK:] Do you feel that way strongly or not so strongly?
Statement A, strongly ............................................... 59 67
Statement A, not strongly ......................................... 8
Statement B, not strongly ......................................... 5
Statement B, strongly ............................................... 10 15
[VOL] Both .............................................................. 5
[VOL] Neither.......................................................... 10
[VOL] No opinion/Not sure/dk................................ 3
Which comes closer to your point of view about solving our budget problems?
[ROTATE STATEMENTS]
__Statement A: Taxing oil and gas companies based on how much carbon pollution they emit
to get the deficit under control will cost American jobs.
OR
__Statement B: Taxing oil and gas companies based on how much carbon pollution they emit
to get the deficit under control will not affect American jobs.
OR
__Statement C: Taxing oil and gas companies based on how much carbon pollution they emit
to get the deficit under control will create new American jobs.
[IF STATEMENT A/B/C, ASK:] Do you feel that way strongly or not so strongly?
Statement A, strongly ............................................... 23 28
Statement A, not so strongly .................................... 5
Statement B, strongly ............................................... 21 28
Statement B, not so strongly .................................... 7
Statement C, strongly ............................................... 18 25
Statement C, not so strongly .................................... 7
[VOL] Not sure/DK ................................................. 18
National Survey – The Mellman Group, Inc. (December 21, 2012)
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3
[SPLIT SAMPLE X]
10. Now I’m going to describe (a/another) proposal for helping solve our budget problems and ask your
opinion. The proposal would put a tax on carbon emissions. Such a tax would reduce the use of fossil
fuels that contribute to climate change, encourage U.S. companies to move to cleaner forms of
energy use, increase efficiency of existing fossil fuels, and help develop new technologies.
Individuals and households would receive tax credits to reduce or eliminate the impact of this tax on
their energy bills.
The revenue raised would be used to help solve our budget problems.
Do you favor or oppose this proposal? [IF FAVOR/OPPOSE, ASK] Is that strongly or not so
strongly?
Favor, strongly ......................................................... 51 70
Favor, not so strongly ............................................... 18
Oppose, not so strongly ............................................ 5
Oppose, strongly ...................................................... 16 21
[VOL] Not sure/DK ................................................. 9
[SPLIT SAMPLE Y]
11. Now I’m going to describe (a/another) proposal for helping solve our budget problems and ask your
opinion. The proposal would put a tax on carbon emissions. Such a tax would reduce the use of fossil
fuels that contribute to climate change, encourage U.S. companies to move to cleaner forms of
energy use, increase efficiency of existing fossil fuels, and help develop new technologies.
Individuals and households would receive tax credits to reduce or eliminate the impact of this tax on
their energy bills.
The revenue raised would be used to help solve our budget problems and fund programs that help
deal with the effects of climate change and create clean energy jobs.
Do you favor or oppose this proposal? [IF FAVOR/OPPOSE, ASK] Is that strongly or not so
strongly?
Favor, strongly ......................................................... 54 72
Favor, not so strongly ............................................... 18
Oppose, not so strongly ............................................ 6
Oppose, strongly ...................................................... 16 22
[VOL] Not sure/DK ................................................. 6
National Survey – The Mellman Group, Inc. (December 21, 2012)
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4
Now I’m going to read you some things people are saying about this proposal and ask your opinion.
[ROTATE PARAGRAPHS]
__Opponents of the carbon tax say that with the economy in trouble and too many people struggling to find
jobs, this is the wrong time to pass a new tax on every business and consumer in America. We shouldn’t
raise taxes in a recession. The promised rebates, if they come at all, will not prevent consumers from having
to pay higher prices at the grocery store and at the gas pump. And there is no guarantee that companies will
actually reduce their carbon emissions, meaning we could all end up paying higher prices for nothing.
[SPLIT SAMPLE A]
__Supporters of the carbon tax proposal say that it will not only help curb the greenhouse gases that cause
global warming, but is also one of the simplest, most transparent, and least bureaucratic ways for us to raise
the money we need to solve our deficit problem. By taxing big oil and gas companies that are making
billions in profits, we can avoid cutting Medicare and Social Security benefits, or raising taxes on middle
class families. And part of the money would be given back to consumers to reduce the effect of the tax on
them.
12. Do you favor or oppose this proposal? [IF FAVOR/OPPOSE, ASK] Is that strongly or not so
strongly?
Favor, strongly ......................................................... 53 67
Favor, not so strongly ............................................... 13
Oppose, not so strongly ............................................ 6
Oppose, strongly ...................................................... 19 25
[VOL] Not sure/DK ................................................. 8
[SPLIT SAMPLE B]
__Supporters of the carbon tax proposal say that it creates market-based incentives for companies to reduce
their carbon pollution and invest in clean energy technologies that will create jobs and put Americans back to
work. The tax would help fund efforts to deal with the effects of global warming, helping us reduce the
impact of disasters like Hurricane Sandy that scientists say will happen more often on a warmer planet. And
part of the money would be given back to consumers to reduce the effect of the tax on them.
13. Do you favor or oppose this proposal? [IF FAVOR/OPPOSE, ASK] Is that strongly or not so
strongly?
Favor, strongly ......................................................... 45 64
Favor, not so strongly ............................................... 18
Oppose, not so strongly ............................................ 8
Oppose, strongly ...................................................... 20 29
[VOL] Not sure/DK ................................................. 8
National Survey – The Mellman Group, Inc. (December 21, 2012)
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5
[RESUME ASKING EVERYONE]
THANK YOU. THE FEW REMAINING QUESTIONS ARE FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSES
ONLY.
14. Generally speaking, do you think of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, an independent, or
something else? [IF REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT ASK:] Do you consider yourself a strong
(Republican/Democrat) or a not so strong (Republican/Democrat)? [IF INDEPENDENT ASK:]
Would you say that you lean more toward the Republicans or more toward the Democrats?
strong Republican ..................................................... 25 37
not so strong Republican .......................................... 7
independent leans Republican .................................. 5
independent ............................................................... 15
independent leans Democratic .................................. 6
not so strong Democrat ............................................. 5
strong Democrat........................................................ 33 44
dk/na/other ................................................................ 4
15. Do you consider yourself very liberal, somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat conservative or very
conservative? [IF MODERATE, ASK:] Do you tend to lean toward the liberal or conservative
side?
very liberal ................................................................ 13 32
somewhat liberal ....................................................... 12
moderate leans liberal ............................................... 6
moderate ................................................................... 26
moderate leans conservative ..................................... 5
somewhat conservative ............................................. 16
very conservative ...................................................... 19 40
DK/ref ....................................................................... 2
16. What is your age? [CODE ACTUAL AGE. REFUSED=99] ______
18-29 ......................................................................... 19
30-39 ......................................................................... 18
40-49 ......................................................................... 18
50-59 ......................................................................... 22
60+ ............................................................................ 23
na............................................................................... 0
17. What was the last level of schooling you completed?
less than high school graduate ..................................
high school graduate .................................................
some college .............................................................
college graduate ........................................................
post-graduate.............................................................
na...............................................................................
2
22
29
29
18
1
National Survey – The Mellman Group, Inc. (December 21, 2012)
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6
18. If you were asked to use one of these names for the economic class you belong to, which would you
say you belong in—upper class, upper middle-class, middle class, working class, or lower class?
upper class ................................................................ 1
upper middle-class .................................................... 13
middle-class .............................................................. 53
working class ............................................................ 25
lower class ................................................................ 6
don’t know (VOL).................................................... 1
other (VOL) .............................................................. 1
19. Do you, or does any member of your household, belong to a labor union?
yes, self ..................................................................... 8
yes, household........................................................... 3
yes, both .................................................................... 0
No ............................................................................. 88
Dk ............................................................................. 1
20.
Are you Latino, Hispanic, or of Spanish or Mexican descent?
yes ........................................................................... 10
no ............................................................................. 89
dk ............................................................................. 1
21.
Are you black, white, Asian, Native American or some other race?
black ........................................................................ 13
white ........................................................................ 73
Asian ....................................................................... 1
Native American ..................................................... 1
other......................................................................... 11
ref ............................................................................ 0
22. What is your zip code? __________
Thank you for answering these questions.