Are the teabaggers really anything more than Bush's 20% and a few Ron Paul idiots?

[LostInAnomie]

That seems to be the basic make up from what I've seen. They are more of a hodgepodge of groups than a unified group. You have gun nuts, abortion nuts, birthers, and a smattering of other neo-con/dominionists (basically the Bush's 20%). You also seem to have the "destroy the fed", Ayn Randian, Ron Paul hold outs that pop up.

Is this the basic composition of the "populist" movement that we are supposed to fear?

[RevCheesehead]

1. well, there's that excruciatingly high pile of BS....

other than that, probably not.

[EFerrari]

2. No. That's them.

The same people who cash their SS check to buy the materials to make their misspelled signs "No Deth Panels!".

[OutNow]

3. And Add The Racists

There is a lot of simmering anger among the racists and bigots out there that we elected a black man as President. Most don't feel comfortable just claiming that they don't like Obama because of his skin color, but the weird mix of "patriot" and "less government" wackos gives them cover to voice their bigoted opinions.

Scratch a teabagger, find a racist.

[PearliePoo2]

5. yup

I work with a RePuke guy like this...he's north Florida. Calls Obama "little feller" and "boy".
Pronounces his name O'Bamma. Hasn't used the N word yet, but it won't surprise me if he does.
I told him not to speak to me about anything that is not work related.

[AlinPA]

4. Sinclair Lewis's "It Can't Happen Here" tells of the rise of a president who becomes a dictator

to "save the nation from welfare cheats, sex, crime, and a liberal press". The motivations of the voters was not exactly the same as today's republicans but the intellect of his "base" was just like today's republican party base, the hodgepodge of groups that you mention.