Tea Party Supporters: Who They Are and What They Believe

[struggle4progress]

... Asked to volunteer what they don't like about Mr. Obama, the top answer, offered by 19 percent of Tea Party supporters, was that they just don't like him ... Sixty-three percent say they get the majority of their political and current events news on television from the Fox News Channel, compared to 23 percent of Americans overall ... An overwhelming majority of Tea Party supporters, 84 percent, say the views of the Tea Party movement reflect the views of most Americans. But Americans overall disagree: Just 25 percent say the Tea Party movement reflects their beliefs, while 36 percent say it does not ... Thirty percent of Tea Party supporters believe Mr. Obama was born in another country, despite ample evidence to the contrary. Another 29 percent say they don't know ...

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20002529-503544.html?tag=cbsContent;cbsCarousel

[belpejic]

1. A more accurate summary...

The Illustrated Tea Party Dictionary:

http://gawker.com/5506871/the-illustrated-tea-party-dictionary

[raccoon]

4. Great link, especially this definition:

America, the real America, Americans: this is code for white, conservative people who dwell within 49 of the 50 United States (Hawaii is suspicious), but preferably away from the coasts. Especially the east coast. America, the real America and Americans all love guns and God and hate abortion. Activities such as shooting things are American. Activities such as helping other people to do anything are un-American.

[ginnyinWI]

2. Authoritarians.

Remember John Dean's book, Conservatives Without Conscience? Tea party people are just the next incarnation of the authoritarian personality. They're willing to blindly follow whatever authority they have once deemed as valid, and will adjust all their facts to fit whatever the authority says. So they believe Sarah and Glenn and Rush without question. Makes life easy and simple, doesn't it?

Dean said in his book that these people make up 20-25% of the American adult population. Sounds about right per this poll. Good news is that we really don't have to worry about their leaders being elected as long as they keep on being so patently ridiculous that the independents won't buy what they're selling.

[Bluenorthwest]

3. A window into polls for anyone who cares

Look up the actual viewer numbers for Fox News. Then look at this statement that 25% say they get most of their news from FoxNews. There are over 300 million Americans. Good ratings on FoxNews equal three million at the top range. Less than 1% of the nation. So. Either the respondents lied, or the poll is fake, or the sample was wrong, or...well, something. Because 25% of 300 million is 75 million people, and that many do not watch Fox in a week. Even counting each view as a different person.

[classysassy]

5. The tea seabags and old tea hags

should go back to the bingo parlors and klan meetings and let americans of good will speak for truth and justice.