Climate, Energy and Health: Americans Worried About the Future

On the heels of TIME's poll on the climate crisis, a new poll of priorities shows that Americans are almost as worried about U.S. dependence on foreign oil as they are about the war in Iraq.

According to a Reuters report: Almost half of the 1,000 Americans surveyed for the Public Agenda Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index gave U.S. policymakers a failing grade in weaning the country from foreign oil. Nearly 90 percent said the lack of energy independence jeopardizes national security.

But perhaps more interesting than the numbers is the interpretation of the legendary pollster, Daniel Yankelovich:

Daniel Yankelovich, chairman of Public Agenda, said the public reaches a "tipping point" when it is gravely worried about an issue and believes the government has the ability to change matters. When the index was first published in August 2005, only the Iraq war triggered a similar response, he said.

"This time we find that a second issue has reached a tipping point, which is energy independence, and you have a very strong increase in the number of Americans who are intensely worried about the problem," Yankelovich said in a conference call.

"Now with this issue having reached the tipping point in the public I think that that means the political complexion of that issue is about to change considerably," he added.

If energy is about to become a major issue, it needs to be more than a national security issue. It needs to be linked to the Climate Crisis, and to another issue which yet another poll places at the top of the list of U.S. voters' concerns: health care. Worry about getting adequate health care was stronger than worry about a terrorist attack.

The link between energy and the Climate Crisis in its long-term aspects is obvious. But health care is also related, partly due to the anticipated public health challenges as the Climate Crisis worsens, partly in a more basic way, as addressing comprehensive needs in a comprehensive and public way. Privatization of everything has failed. It has gone way too far into the public realm, where public solutions make much more sense, even if they don't make as many dollars for the already filfthy rich. And I do mean filthy.

They all three are problems that are going to worsen dramatically in the future. The Climate Crisis is guaranteed to worsen. Peak Oil is probably upon us, and the politics of the Middle East are worsening. Iraq is a tragedy of death and chaos. Iran is in turmoil, and now (one news story insists) Saudi Arabia may be joining Iran in trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Health care worsens as the costs increase and become a greater burden on businesses(all businesses, from Ford and Starbucks to small companies) and families. And the demographic bulge once known as the Baby Boomers will require the kind of healthcare which once described the initiative that became Medicare: medical care for the aged.

All of these challenges are better addressed sooner rather than later, when solutions will cost more in money and pain. People who are interested in government taking the minimum in taxes should be at the forefront in advocating for addressing these problems now. People who are interested in minimizing the suffering of human beings and the waste of precious resources should also be demanding leadership and action now. For in the now, Americans are worried about their health care, energy and the Climate Crisis. It's time for our brave leaders to step in front of the people and lead to solutions, instead of into cynical and self-serving fantasies.