I know that it seems like President Obama has a pretty full dance card these days… planning inaugural balls, raising the debt, taxing the rich and grabbing everyone’s guns. He may, however, still find an open spot for a meeting or two with his new EPA Chief now that Lisa Jackson is sailing off into the highly over-regulated sunset. But after stalling the Keystone Pipeline, putting coal fired plants and coal mines out of business and flushing America’s coffers into failed green technology plans and burning corn, what more could he possibly hope to accomplish?

How about that carbon tax? Yes, the brain trust at Chris Hayes’ show was talking about it before Christmas, but the idea is slowly creeping back into discussions on shows that people actually watch. And if the concept does make it out of the liberal trenches and into the halls of Congress, what sort of welcome should it expect to receive in the public square? According to one recent survey… not a very warm one.

A survey released today by the Institute for Energy Research concludes that voters overwhelmingly oppose a carbon tax, understand that such a tax will increase energy prices, and know that the idea of a tax swap is ridiculous. IER President Thomas J. Pyle said the following:

“These survey results are further proof that voters are wiser than many people in Washington. Voters know that a carbon tax will raise energy prices, will damage the economy, will hurt the poor and those on fixed incomes the most, and, if enacted, will result in higher taxes rather than some sort of tax swap. The fact that 67% of the respondents oppose a carbon tax is encouraging; it means that voters have not been deceived by those who favor imposing an energy tax.”

A few of the details from the survey include:

– 78% agree that a carbon tax will increase energy prices.
– 69% agree that a carbon tax will fall hardest on the poor, the elderly, and those on fixed incomes.
– 77% agree that a carbon tax will lead to them paying more for gasoline and electricity.
– 58% disagree that a carbon tax will lead to economic growth.

So obviously a national outcry against such an ill conceived plan means that Congress will just drop the whole thing like an apple with a worm in it, right? Not if your primary source of information is the New York Times. The idea is still alive and well, particularly among people who live in places where you don’t need a car. But will legislators listen? From the way the gun debate is going so far, I wouldn’t get your hopes up. The opinions of any given majority of Americans doesn’t seem to slow these folks down much these days.