Voters: Do More, Talk Less Re: Environment

It is ironic that the day that the PPIC poll comes out showing that Californians want to see their state government be more aggressive in combatting global warming, the Republicans are trying to defang Attorney General Brown's ability to go after local polluters. Despite all of the national magazine covers and international praise, Arnold's approval rating on the environment dropped. It turns out the voters want less talk and more action. Shocker right? Merc:

Californians overwhelmingly believe global warming is a serious threat but they seem less than impressed with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's six-month, highly publicized international campaign on the problem, a poll released Wednesday shows.

Instead, Californians want more progress to protect the environment and say they are willing to pay for it, but have been disappointed so far this year, according to the survey by the San Francisco-based Public Policy Institute of California.

At least some of that dissatisfaction is directed at Schwarzenegger, whose approval rating has slipped 6 points since January, to 52 percent. More telling, his approval rating on handling environmental issues has plummeted from 55 percent in January, when he signed an executive order to curb greenhouse gas emissions, to 47 percent.

The negative press Arnold got around the CARB dustup probably accounts for part of this drop. The Merc's investigation of the flex fuel vehicles didn't help matters. Obviously there is no way to get quick gains on fixing global warming, but Arnold has spent way more time talking about passing AB 32, than he has on enacting the law. The voters are showing their displeasure. Perhaps he will learn to be in Sacramento more and jet setting around the globe less. I know... I have high hopes.

See also, Frank's post on the poll. Plenty more stats.