Toplines: Energy & Oil Companies

Survey of 1,000 Likely Voters

June 14, 2008

1* Who is more likely to solve the nation's energy problems-private companies or a government research program?

47% Private companies

30% Government research program

23% Not sure

2* If a windfall profits tax on oil companies was passed, would the price of gas go up, down, or stay about the same?

36% Up

15% Down

30% Stay the same

20% Not sure

3* Should the government nationalize all the oil companies and run them on a non-profit basis?

29% Yes

47% No

24% Not sure

4* What is more likely to bring down the price of gas and keep it down--higher fuel efficiency standards for automobiles or development of new energy sources?

14% Higher fuel efficiency standards

76% Development of new sources of energy

11% Not sure

5* Suppose a major oil company discovered an alternative energy source that would dramatically reduce the price of gas and other energy sources. If that new energy source would make a lot of money for the oil company, should the company be allowed to keep those profits?

52% Yes

29% No

19% Not sure

NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence