49% Want to Protect U.S. Businesses From New European Policy

Nearly half of American voters would support laws to protect U.S. business from a European Union (EU) policy that imposes strict environmental, climate, and social justice rules on companies.

A new telephone and online survey by Rasmussen Reports and the Heartland Institute finds that 49% of Likely U.S. Voters would support a U.S. federal or state law that would protect American companies from being required to comply with the EU’s new supply chain law, including 30% who would Strongly Support such measures. Thirty-eight percent (38%) are opposed to protecting American companies from the new European Union policy, including 21% who Strongly Oppose such protection, while 14% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Under the EU’s new Corporate Sustainability and Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), many large American businesses, as well as small and medium-sized companies in their supply chains, will be forced to adhere to European rules or else pay a large fine or face lawsuits. While 43% of U.S. voters support efforts by the European Union to control American business practices, including 21% who Strongly Support the EU’s efforts, 46% are opposed, including 33% who Strongly Oppose efforts like the CSDDD. Another 11% are not sure.

“It is highly concerning that 43 percent of respondents support the European Union’s efforts to impose their economic policies and value systems upon the rest of the world, including the United States, thereby completely circumventing our national sovereignty and democratic processes,” said Jack McPherrin, research fellow at the Heartland Institute.

“Equally concerning is that 38 percent of respondents would not support any effort to protect the United States from essentially becoming a vassal state of the European Union. Hopefully, as Americans begin to receive more information about this problem, they will oppose it in greater numbers.”

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The survey of 2,466 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on July 5-12, 2024 by Rasmussen Reports and the Heartland Institute. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Only 30% of voters are familiar with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scores, which are a kind of social credit scoring system used by financial institutions, investors, and some governments. Fifty-seven percent (57%) aren’t familiar with ESG scores, while 13% are not sure.

Among voters who are familiar with ESG, 62% would support a law to stop financial institutions like banks and insurance companies from using non-financial ESG scores when evaluating individuals and businesses applying for products or services, such as a loan, including 42% who would Strongly Support such a law. Thirty-two percent (32%) oppose a law to prevent the use of ESG scores by financial institutions, including 18% who Strongly Oppose such a law.

Forty-four percent (44%) of voters would support a law to stop large public corporations from refusing to do business with people based on their political or religious views, practices, or associations, including 28% who would Strongly Support such a law. Forty percent (40%) are opposed, including 25% who would Strongly Oppose such a law, while 16% are not sure.

Twenty-seven percent (27%) of Democrats, 30% of Republicans and 33% of voters not affiliated with either major party are familiar with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scores. Among those familiar with ESG scores, 67% of Democrats, 64% of Republicans and 57% of unaffiliated voters would support a law to stop financial institutions from using ESG scores when evaluating individuals and businesses applying for products or services.

While 60% of Democrats support efforts by the European Union to control American business practices, only 26% of Republicans and 42% of unaffiliated voters support such EU efforts.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of Republicans, 43% of Democrats and 48% of unaffiliated voters would support a U.S. federal or state law that would protect American companies from being required to comply with the EU’s new supply chain law.

“It is encouraging that a strong majority (62 percent) of Americans who are familiar with what ESG entails support legislation that would restrict the ability of financial institutions using ESG to discriminate against companies and individuals who do not have a sufficiently high social credit score,” the Heartland Institute’s McPherrin said. “It has become increasingly likely that Republicans will control the presidency and both chambers of Congress in 2025. This poll suggests that any actions taken by our elected representatives to combat corporatist ESG policies pushed by oligarchic controllers and subservient unelected bureaucrats would be well-received by a strong majority of the American public.”

Despite concerns about climate change, increased domestic oil and gas production is favored by a majority of voters in key “battleground” states in this year’s presidential election. 

A majority of voters say the recent assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump has made them less confident in the Secret Service, and even more worry that Trump will be targeted again.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to the public as well as to Platinum Members.

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