Now let me read you four statements about the environment and please tell me which comes closest to your own view. On the national poll, voters overwhelmingly called for government to play a larger role in protecting the environment. In every state polled, at least 40 percent of voters called for stronger enforcement of existing laws. In no state in which research was conducted did more than 15 percent of voters believe environmental laws should be weakened. A strong majority of voters overwhelmingly reject the notion that we must choose between the environment and the economy.
Voters recognize compatibility between a clean environment and a strong economy.
Growing consciousness about the environment, environmental gains made over the past 30 years, and the current vibrant economy have created an atmosphere in which voters are unwilling to make a tradeoff between a clean environment and a strong economy. Voters strongly reject the notion that we must choose between a strong economy and a clean environment. This is a false choice for most voters. In every state polled, over two-thirds of voters believe we can have both a clean environment and healthy economy at the same time without having to choose one over the other. Across the board, a strong majority of voters, knowing nothing else about a candidate, favor the pro-environment candidate.