POLL: People have no idea what cap-and-trade is

A new Rasmussen poll released today indicates the public debate over cap-and-trade is still undefined. In fact, people have no idea what it is.

Well, not NO idea.

Rasmussen asked voters what issue “cap and trade” dealt with, presenting three options: healthcare, Wall Street, or the environment.

Just 24% correctly chose “the environment.” 29% chose Wall Street, and 17% chose healthcare. A plurality–30%–said they didn’t know.

In the same poll, 69% of respondents said healthcare is a bigger priority than global warming (15% chose the latter.) That question is not arbitrary. Congressional negotiations over cap-and-trade are making progress, but many Democrats are nervous that the legislation will take a back seat to healthcare. From today’s NY Times:

[T]here is also a hint of nervousness that Waxman, who took over this year as the new chairman, may still stumble and be forced to drop the climate issue altogether — to begin work on health care — because of a lack of votes from some of his own moderate party members. Few dispute that would be a huge blow to President Obama’s domestic agenda.