Poll finds 60 percent of Americans support domestic energy production over increased imports

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A new poll from Consumer Energy (CEA) has found that the majority of Americans believe immediate domestic energy production is the only way to bring down high gasoline prices.

The poll found that only 8 percent felt that the United States should ask foreign countries to produce more.

“These results demonstrate that the solution to high gas prices is obvious to the majority of Americans – produce more domestic energy, including unleashing oil and gas,” CEA President David Holt said. “Overwhelmingly, Americans of all political stripes and demographics support more American energy production, and they all agree that the White House is not doing enough to bring prices down.”

The poll found that 63 percent of Americans felt the White House was not doing enough to lower gasoline prices for consumers. Of those, 68 percent identified as independents and 42 percent as Democrats.

“The obvious solution is usually the best one, especially when it can create American jobs, help protect the global environment, and bring energy prices back down to affordable levels. We urge the White House to stop looking for irresponsible options in all the wrong places like Venezuela and Iran when the easy, obvious choice is to produce energy in America for Americans.”

The study also found that 86 percent of those polled said they were personally affected by high gas prices. The results were similar across demographics. For example, 52 percent of urban voters felt the White House wasn’t doing enough to bring down gas prices, while 63 percent of suburban voters and 73 percent of rural voters felt the same. The poll respondents identified inflation as the issue most impacting the country right now.