A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 29% of voters favor nationalizing the oil industry. Just 47% are opposed and 24% are not sure.

The survey found that a plurality of Democrats (37%) believe the oil industry should be nationalized. Just 32% of voters in Barack Obama’s party disagree with that approach. Republicans oppose nationalizing the oil industry by a 66% to 16% margin. Unaffiliated voters are opposed by a 47% to 33% margin.

Nationalization is the process by which the government assumes complete control of a private industry and its assets. It has been a common practice in totalitarian dictatorships, but as recently as 2001 following the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. government nationalized the private airport security industry and moved it under the Transportation Security Administration.

Forty-seven percent (47%) of all voters say that private companies are more likely to solve the nation’s energy problems than a government research program. Thirty percent (30%) disagree and say the government research program is more likely to find the solution. Again, there is a huge partisan divide. Republicans, by a 71% to 15% margin, say private companies are likely to solve the problem. Democrats, by a 40% to 35% margin, say government research programs are the better bet. A modest plurality of unaffiliated voters place their trust the private company approach.

Ideologically, 43% of liberal voters say the government research program is more likely to solve the problem while 31% take the opposite view. Conservatives, by a 68% to 17% margin, say private companies will find the answer. Political moderates are evenly divided.

Just 52% of American voters believe that an oil company should be allowed to keep profits from any alternative energy source it discovers. Twenty-nine percent (29%) say the company should not be allowed to keep such profits while 19% are not sure. Democrats are evenly divided on the question. Republicans by a 4-to-1 margin, and unaffiliated voters by a 2-to-1 margin, say that the companies should be allowed to profit from discoveries that reduce the price of gas and other energy sources.

Thirty-six percent (36%) of voters say that passage of a windfall profits tax on oil companies would lead to higher gas prices. Thirty percent (30%) believe prices would remain about the same and 15% believe a windfall profits tax would lead to lower gas prices. Most liberal say that gas prices would be unchanged or drop.

Seventy-six percent (76%) say that development of new energy sources would do more than higher fuel efficiency standards to bring gas prices down--and keep them down. Just 14% believe higher fuel efficiency standards would be more effective.

Earlier surveys have found that higher gas prices have had a big lifestyle impact on half of all Americans. The number of Americans taking a summer vacation is down sharply this year. Seventy-one percent (71%) expect gas prices to reach $5 a gallon this summer.

Tomorrow (Tuesday), Rasmussen Reports will release new polling data on other energy related topics.

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