New Poll Finds Majority of Americans Want Energy Independence

A new YouGov poll reveals that there is bipartisan agreement that the U.S. should strive to be energy independent. However, Americans are not united when it comes to domestic oil production.  

WHY IT MATTERS – President Joe Biden recently approved a project allowing drilling for oil on federal land in Alaska, a decision which has triggered lawsuits from environmental groups and backlash from his own party.  

Following this decision, YouGov proposed a series of questions to Republicans and Democrats regarding oil and energy independence:  

When asked if the U.S. should strive for energy independence, meaning that the country produces enough energy to meet its needs without relying on foreign sources of oil: 

  • 90 percent of Republicans believe that we should be energy independent  
  • 76 percent of Democrats believe that we should be energy independent  
  • 74 percent of Independents believe that we should be energy independent  

However, the unanimity faltered once the participants were asked, “do you believe that the U.S. should increase or decrease its domestic oil production?”  

  • 76 percent of Republicans believe it should be increased  
  • 37 percent of Democrats believe it should be increased  
  • 45 percent of Independents believe it should be increased  

The poll also found that the parties are split on what they would like the U.S. to focus its energy policy:  

  • The majority of Republicans want to find new sources of oil and developing new approaches to oil drilling  
  • The majority of Democrats want to develop alternate energy sources, such as wind, solar, and geothermal power 

THE BOTTOM LINE – Americans are bipartisan on the issue of energy independence and pulling back our reliance on foreign nations. The divide among how we obtain this energy could be the reason why we are unsuccessful with this effort. Hopefully a resolution will be developed to promote a bipartisan solution.  

GO DEEPER –