Poll: uranium mining favored narrowly, but corporate welfare is a huge hit

By Norman Leahy | Thursday, December 22nd, 2011 | Catch-All

Quinnipiac didn’t poll Virginians on the presidential sweepstakes alone. The University’s polling unit also asked questions about issues ranging from conception to gun control to uranium mining. and it’s on the latter issues that some interesting data emerge:

…43 percent say mining should be allowed because of economic benefits while 41 percent are opposed because of environmental concerns…

That’s a two point shift in the pro-mining direction since the question was last asked at the end of June. Inside the headline number we see:

“There is a large gender gap on the issue of removing the uranium ban,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “Men want to lift it 53 – 33 percent while women want to keep the restriction 47 – 34 percent. Education also seems to affect attitude, with college graduates opposed to mining 47 – 40 percent, while those without a degree in favor of mining 45 – 37 percent.”

Support for uranium mining is 62 – 24 percent among Republicans while independent voters split 42 – 43 percent. Democrats oppose mining 54 – 29 percent.

Read into those numbers what you will. One thing is somewhat clear, though: Republicans who either sit on the fence or oppose mining had best be careful.

And in light of the news today that Amazon will be building distribution centers in Chesterfield and Dinwiddie counties, with a generous dollop of state, regional and local aid (though none dare call it corporate welfare), the Quinnipiac survey asked this question:

The state of Virginia has sought to convince businesses to move to the commonwealth by offering them tax credits or subsidies. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?

By a 62-25 margin, the Virginians polled said it was a good idea. More disturbingly for those of us who cling (fruitlessly, it seems) to the idea that free markets and not government check writers ought to determine where businesses locate, a whopping 76 percent of Republicans agree with the idea, as did 67 percent of independents and 54 percent of Democrats. Those with college degrees really like it (71 percent). Those with household incomes over $100,000 like it, too (70 percent).

To judge by these results, then, state capitalism has carried the day. And that’s damned depressing.

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