The Tea Party folks are out in force today, and have been rallying this week in various places, to coincide with Tax Day. We’ve all seen news coverage of the tea partiers, we’ve seen their signs, hats, flags, and whatnot, but, really, who are these people? Are they just ordinary Americans who are fed up? Tools of the GOP? Upstanding patriots? Hopeless ignoramuses? A grassroots movement representing mainstream political thought? America’s village idiots? A new, extensive poll by CBS News and the New York Times answers some questions about the tea party movement, and presents an interesting picture of its supporters.
Among the general public, 18 percent identified themselves as Tea Party activists or supporters. The Tea Partiers are not representative of the population as a whole, however: they are mostly married white males, over 45, who are wealthier and more conservative than the U.S. norm. Most are Republicans. Read the poll for yourself — it really is an intriguing snapshot of the movement. Meanwhile, here are some interesting excerpts:
• Tea Partiers (TP’s) are more likely than the general public (25% – 11%) to think President Obama “favors blacks over whites.”
• TP’s get most of their news from FoxNews.
• Over half say Obama does not share their values, and his policies “favor the poor” (heaven forbid!).
• TP’s are more likely than the public, including Republicans, to think too much has been made of black Americans’ problems.
• Thirty percent of TP’s believe Obama was not born in America.
• Twenty-four percent of TP’s say it is sometimes justified for citizens to take violent action against the government, as opposed to the 16 percent of the general public that thinks so.
• Among TP’s, 53 percent think “shows hosted by people like Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity” are primarily real news shows, as opposed to the 24 percent of the general public that thinks so.
• Sarah Palin is viewed favorably by 66 percent of TP’s, although half of them say she would not be an effective president. Among the general public, two-thirds say she could not be an effective president.
Finally, a very telling result: 84 percent of Tea Partiers believe that “the views of the people involved in the Tea Party movement generally reflect the views of most Americans.” Among the general public, however, only 25 percent think the TP’s reflects their views.
This article appears in Apr 13-19, 2010.
married mom of 3, college grad, patriot, quiet personality, private, believe in small govt., individual rights, conservative values, afraid of the direction our country is headed.
You don’t even know who we are. MSM portrays us as racist, kooks. Why don’t you come out and meet us. I have never heard a bad word spoken except towards me when I was called a racist.
Tea Partiers are the lower tier of intelligence. Have nothing to add, but want to whine about everything. Lets march on taxes, when for the majority of Americans…they’ve just been lowered. Get a clue ppl.
Robin N:
Where the hell was the Tea Party five years ago when Bush and the Congressional GOP pissed away the surplus in record time, and went on a spending binge like there was no tomorrow?
The Tea Party is a pack of ignorant hypocrites.
“You rock Robin” – Frank Griffin.
Hilarious as living hell. Sounds like a good ol’ Ballantyne pat on the back comment.
You betcha!!!!!!! Wink!!!
And just how many whites do you see at these whoring teabag parties? Not a single damn one. That’s a fact! They are redneck, white, and most all racist. Whining about their country and their rights. Well we have rights too and this is our country G.D.-it!
Rosa Says:
April 14th, 2010 at 9:18 am
Figures that those G.D. teabaggers are going completely psycho again, and getting worse. Of course we see the bastard Frank Griffin continuing to go on and on stomping his feet like a little John McCain, still mad about the election and coming up with every known lie possible about President Obama. No need to go on about Frank Griffin and his silly dogshit though.
We are very proud of our President and I agree with Mr. Grooms. Vice President Biden needs to revisit these threats of sedition against the government. I say put every damned last one of the teabaggers on trial, and if anything bad does happen, every G.D. republican will have blood on their hands. I personally have ripped up every republican teabagger sign and poster that was put up that I can find by God.
Let them rile themselves up and start as much trouble and back-lash as they can. Bitching, crying, and sagging because they can’t have a republican in office that will give their rich asses a tax break and they can continue to be greedy and everyone else suffers.
Guess what? You’re wasting your time. That’s right. Don’t think for a minute that if keep this redneck insanity up, and take one wrong step, the government will react with it’s own military answer to your teabagging and bring order back. I say let them do it as harshly as needed so as to make a statement that you cannot threaten the peace and sanctity of average citizens, or threaten the government with militia or uprisings. You may just find yourself at the end of a government barrel.
So, keep on and see what happens, you little misguided minions of Fox News. The government will only put up with so much of your crap.
Teapartiers are white. Check. Mostly Republican. Check. Okay, so narrowing that down means that most must call themselves Christian. Probably Protestant, possibly Baptist. Okay, so most must believe in Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of heaven. Well, geez, if they’re this upset about stuff down here on Earth, I wonder how they’ll feel when they find out people of all races, social status, and intelligence are let in to heaven. Oh man, then they’ll get “taxed” for praise for ETERNITY!! Oh no, and there’ll be no guns – SHOCKING!! Well, at least maybe they’ll get to help Jesus kill the ones “left behind” at Armageddon…. wait, probably not.
Here’s to hoping these lunatic’s God isn’t as petty and short sighted as his followers.
Amen to God.
Two lines tell it all.
Most get their news from Fox and
Most think that Hannity and Beck are news shows.
I hear that the Tea Party is thinking of merging with the Republican Party. That is like saying that Chevrolet is thinking of linking with General Motors.
Do you think that the buffoons really don’t realize that the Tea Party was started by the Republicans and promoted by Fox News? Have they not noticed who most of the speakers who address the parties are?