# Let's Get Real

*Published:* 2009-08-17
*Author:* Jim Marston

![](http://www.residentpro.co.uk/images/survey.jpg)It sounds like our Texas Senators have been reading [forged constituent letters](http://www.grist.org/article/2009-08-06-forged-letters-not-the-first-of-accces-misrepresentations/) from the coal industry more than they’ve been listening to what Texas citizens are really saying. In July, [Senator Cornyn claimed](http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/072209/loc_467394198.shtml) that Texans “are growing concerned that they will be significantly impacted by higher energy and farm input costs.” Meanwhile, [Senator Hutchison seems to think](http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/062609dnmetenergyclimate.caa0b38.html) that the bill passed by the House “disproportionately attacks energy-producing states like Texas.” Well, that’s not what real Texans are thinking.

National and statewide polls tell the real story: Texans agree with the rest of the country on the need for strong federal action on climate change. [Last week’s Zogby poll](http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/08/11/poll-position-new-zogby-poll-shows-71-support-for-waxman-markey/) shows that 71 percent of likely voters favor the American Clean Energy and Security Act recently passed by the House of Representatives. In fact, according to Zogby, “two-thirds (67 percent) believe Congress is either doing the right amount (22 percent) or should be doing more (45 percent) to address global warming.”

Two other Texas polls were released last week showing that Texans’ support of climate change regulation mirrors the national perspective. As reported by [Texas Climate News](http://www.texasclimatenews.org/FeatureStories/8609Texansarentsodifferentonclimate/tabid/1124/Default.aspx), the Texas Lyceum Poll and the Houston Area Survey both showed that a majority of Texans understand that human activities have led to climate change and that cap-and-trade legislation is instrumental in stopping further damage to our way of life.

It’s time for our Senators to stop listening to their lobbyist friends and listen to actual Texans who want to see cap and trade legislation happen.