Rasmussen: Majority of American Don't Buy the Global Warming Shtick UPDATED

Ed Morrissey brings word of the latest Rasmussen poll:

The fallout of the University of East Anglia CRU e-mails threatens to smother the credibility of anthropogenic global-warming advocates — and the UN along with them. In a new survey conducted after the exposure of UEA-CRU’s behind-the-scenes chicanery, the Rasmussen poll indicates that a majority of respondents think AGW scientists have lied about their data. Only 26% think that such dishonesty and fraud is either not very likely or not at all likely:

Most Americans (52%) believe that there continues to be significant disagreement within the scientific community over global warming.

While many advocates of aggressive policy responses to global warming say a consensus exists, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 25% of adults think most scientists agree on the topic. Twenty-three percent (23%) are not sure. …

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of Americans say it’s at least somewhat likely that some scientists have falsified research data to support their own theories and beliefs about global warming. Thirty-five percent (35%) say it’s Very Likely. Just 26% say it’s not very or not at all likely that some scientists falsified data.

I don't find the results of the poll surprising. I consider my fellow citizens to be thoughtful and not easily swayed by illogical arguments that don't pass the smell test. But there is one segment of the poll that bugs the beans out of me:

Despite the protestations of “consensus” from the Obama administration — reiterated by Robert Gibbs yesterday — only a quarter of Americans actually believe that a global consensus exists among scientists. Only 22% believe that the UN, which sponsored the IPCC report based in large part of UEA-CRU findings, is a credible resource for AGW. And only 15% of all respondents think AGW is a higher priority than rebuilding the economy and creating jobs, against 71% who believe jobs and the economy should take priority.

Who are these people who believe dealing with the non-existent Global Warming should take priority over getting the economy straightened out and putting people back to work? I can only imagine that we are talking about: a) spoiled brat college students who are still living on Mommy and Daddy's dime and b) people who are wealthy enough that they don't have to worry about Cap and Trade sending their electric bills through the roof. Does anybody think that "climate crusader" Leonardo DiCaprio gives a rat's ass what his utility bill is? What are the chances he even knows what is utility bill is?

I doubt that people who believe in Global Warming have any understanding of the unintended consequences of their good(?) intentions. Currently this issue is being driven by people who do not have a dog in the fight. I don't want this economy further damaged by people who will be unaffected or worse, profit, from decisions based on junk science.

Morrissey believes that Cap and Trade is dead:

This makes the job-killing cap-and-trade bill a political nightmare for Democrats, especially once the CRU scandal really captures the public imagination. No one will support higher energy prices and the economic handicaps they will impose for a cause rife with perceived falsehoods, misrepresentations, and flat-out fraud. The cap-and-trade bill has already been considered close to dead, thanks to Harry Reid’s rescheduling of it to the spring of an election year. This should convince all but the most radical Democrats on Capitol Hill to give up the effort entirely.

Bottom line-our elected officials won't walk away from Cap and Trade because of concerns about the economy, but they will run away from it out of concerns for their political careers.

UPDATE I

The Daley Gator has a report on the hypocrisy of the United Nations Climate Change Conference which begins this Monday in Copenhagen. It looks like the delegates to the conference need to buy a butt load of "offsets" from Al Gore to make up for the carbon they are going to pump into the environment while "saving the Earth."

UPDATE II

From Instapundit: CLIMATEGATE FALLOUT? Al Gore “Abruptly” Cancels Personal Appearance In Copenhagen.

Apparently 3,000 schmucks paid upwards of $1,200 for a picture with Big Al and a "light snack." The reasons for the cancellation aren't clear but maybe it has something to do with this:

Pajamas Media founder Roger L. Simon and independent filmmaker Lionel Chetwynd -- both members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Oscar nominees -- have called on the academy to rescind Mr. Gore's Oscars in light of the Climategate revelations.

"In the history of the academy, not to my knowledge has an Oscar ever been rescinded. I think they should rescind this one," Mr. Simon said Thursday.

Maybe the Academy could replace Gore's Oscar with a fictional award to honor Gore's peddling of the fictional Global Warming.

More at:

Memeorandum
Riehl World View
American Power
Michelle Malkin
Don Surber
Pajamas Media