NASA global temperature record by station measurement

A new survey released by Yale University comes with good news and bad news on the state of scientific literacy in the US. This may be shocking to some readers — prepare yourselves! — the biggest political block in denial is the Teaparty wing of the Republican party. The study had some good news: all four political groups, which broke down in the poll as 39% Democrats, 25% Independents, 24% traditional Republicans, and 12% Teaparty Republicans, favored more research into renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power and providing tax rebates for people who purchase energy efficient vehicles or solar panels.

But when it comes to the science and the solution, the Teaparty is out on their own limb. Majorities of Democrats, Indies, and Republicans support international efforts to restrict greenhouses emissions. Teaparty Republicans oppose this, 55% oppose it strongly.

When asked if global was even happening, majorities of Democrats (78%), Indies (71%), and even traditional Republicans (53%) were able to read the global temperature record above produced by NASA and answer yes. Only 34% of Teaparty Republicans could do so and 53% of them answered with a flat no, it’s not happening. And here’s the tragically funny part:

Even though their views are at odds with the vast majority of climate scientists, Tea Partiers are also by far the most confident in their beliefs — more likely to say they are “very well informed” and that they “do not need any more information about global warming.” Note that this dovetails with earlier research finding that when you give those dismissive of global warming more information, it only serves to harden their doubts.

The entire GOP, and possibly the nation, is being utterly controlled by a small minority of know-nothing, born again, right-wing zealots who are not just dead wrong, they’re absolutely certain they are right.