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BLITZER’S BLOG: The tea party movement: Who are they?
By CNN's Wolf Blitzer
(CNN) - Our brand new CNN/ORC International poll of Republicans across the country has some fascinating numbers on tea party activists. Some of these numbers probably will surprise you.
For one thing, Republicans are almost evenly divided between those who identify with the tea party movement and those who don’t. We asked Republicans: “Are you an active member or a supporter of the tea party movement?”
Of the respondents, 49% said yes; 51% said no. It doesn’t get a whole lot closer than that.
The poll also showed that tea party Republicans are more educated, older and more “born again” than non-tea party Republicans. More men also identify themselves as tea party Republicans.
Here are the specifics:
– Some 64% of tea party Republicans are college educated, compared with 53% of non-tea party Republicans.
– When it comes to age, 60% of tea party Republicans are 50 or older, compared with 42% of non-tea party Republicans.
– As for religion, 46% of tea party Republicans identify themselves as “born again,” compared with 40% of non-tea party Republicans.
– And 62% of tea party Republicans are male, compared with 45% of non-tea party Republicans.
The tea party movement in the United States is still relatively new. We are learning a lot more about these activists. I think it’s fair to say we have a lot more to learn, especially as we gear up for the 2012 election.
RELATED STORY: New CNN Poll: GOP divided over tea party movement
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American citizens,that's who they are ! Find the economic professors !
Freedom works and their sopporters/backers (aka the oil billionaire Koch brothers) want us to know the tea party are our friends! IOK "friends it is!" I say, and of course friends share right?!? so open up them wallets Koch brothers and share with the American public then there won't be a need for your baloney outfit freedom works or the goofy 4 member tea part you've bought and paid for !
Oh my!! Am I sounding like that class warefare liberal Obama ??? Well here's a little more news for the tea partiers , freedom works , and any ogf the other outfits the Koch brothers own! If you've got so much damn money you can stir up akl this trouble for middle class americans by buying the republican congress, the tea part and freedom works then you certianly have enought money to pay a little more in taxes to support middle class Americans. Lord knows you aren;t doing any good for anyone but youselve with the money you've spent so far you looser goofs!
Let’s take it back a few steps. Let’s look at Clinton and the NAFTA act. What positive thing came out of this for you? It wasn't until the end of the Bush term that the effects from that hit. If you notice all of our jobs went to China. They are not coming back. Yes, that is from NAFTA Act. Now, we are hitting rock bottom. No one is defending George Bush about how he spent so much. He did. The Tea Party is not here to defend George Bush or the Republican Party. The Tea Party is here so these things don't happen. The U.S. Government doesn't have enough income to support what they are spending. Taxing the rich doesn't fix that. We need jobs and exports. We need to sell our products to China not buy them. NAFTA is what destroyed this country not George Bush or Obama. We need someone in office to fix what Bill Clinton did for his rich business owners. YES RICH BUSINESS OWNERS. They are the only people that benefited from NAFTA.
So one idiot paints the picture for you? How do you know he/she was really a tea Party person? I also am sick. I have cancer. Yes I do have coverage but yes it still is expensive. When I was a kid we didn't have medical coverage. We paid for our services with cash. we were able to do that because medical costs were less expensive. Don't you think we should cut some of the costs for services? Maybe get rid of some of the frivolous law suits? Why are we going to have the government spend trillions of dollars to a INSURANCE company to cover everyone? The system needs to reformed BEFORE insuring the people.
Thats why we live in America. You can vote for whoever you want to. I only ask that you don't trash other peoples views and beliefs. I don't think anyone in America wants this country to fail. Most people want whats best for the country. Yes, the tea Party also. The Dems and Libs have been attacking them like crazy. Tell me then if they are a bunch of idiots, why are they such a threat to you and the rest of the left? If the Dems and Libs are so right then you should be able to defeat them with no problem. Open your ears and your mind to everything that all parties have to say before you judge. You might find out we are more the same than you think. Try something new. Don't register as a political party and listen to everyone. Dem, Rep, Ind. that just puts you on a team. Play no favorites and see what happens.
Lets see.......Lets have loyalty to the Union bosses, lets see........bank CEO's.....Hmmmmm.............GE.................let me guess only Obamas base...............Who is getting all the money from the government...............Yea these are poor people. At least Bill Gates and most other rich people make their money in the private sector not gov. handouts!!
O.K. you have a great sob story and I commend for your comeback. So as you ramble on about your greatness let me ask you a question, Why isn't the government cutting first? Why hasn't Obama finished spending the first check the Chinese wrote him? Why is Obama doing the same thing he did before? Why is he not investing in the private sector? Why is all of the money going to Union jobs? Why is the dollar losing so much value in the world? Why is the deficit growing so rapidly? Why are we setting up more entitlement programs when we can't pay for the ones we have? I ask you in all of your greatness........why?????? Finally, When you tax the rich, don't you think that the rich will charge you more for their services and really WE will be paying for the increase? Hmmmmmmm. It always comes to the middle class to pay for everything. You should know that by now!!
Wolf, did I really just hear you compare President Obama to bank robber Willie Sutton? I would expect that from the FOX but not from CNN – you sure you're on the right network? A bank robber? Really? Well then, what comparisons would you make for Wall Street bankers? Are they the "victims" that should evoke our sympathy? Maybe you should suggest a fundraiser on CNN for those poor banks. A tea party comment perhaps, maybe even a Lou Dobbs move, but Wolf Blitzer? I've been watching you ever since your courageous coverage of the first Iraq war but this comparison causes me to doubt your credibility. I hope you address this on the air.
There are two types of people in this country, the producers and the looters. Obama and his ilk are the looters, stealing wealth that has been created by the effort and skill of the producers. The Tea Party is the last refuge for the producers.
Tea Partiers are the ones paying attention, and waiting. Every time they're called racist, greedy, angry or stupid, they note it and wait. These people are older, more patient, and know how politics works. And when it's time, they'll vote. They'll vote in their candidates in the primary. And then they'll vote in their candidates in the general. It's a slow burn of frustration, not the hot bright but short-lived burn of young passion. They know it'll mean chipping away a district at a time. But make no mistake, they'll chip. Seniors traditionally are the folks who show up in the local elections, too. Focus on Congress and the Presidency? The Tea Party voters are looking at the mayor and the school board and the judges and their state representatives. They're changing from the bottom as well as from the top. Silently. Slowly. Steadfastly. So be aware. The stereotyping and ranting is only encouragement to folks who have already been through numerous recessions, numerous congresses, numerous elections. They will change the tide, even if it takes years to do.
The Tea Party. A subsidiary of Koch Industries.
I think the only take-away I have from the Tea Party right now is the idiot who yelled out that it was best to let people die if they didn't buy health insurance. So, we live in the "best country in the world" – but our best then is that we let people die because they haven't spent their ENTIRE paychecks on an industry that rapes you at every turn?
Listen – I am that guy, I am 36 with asthma, I didn't ask for it, I certainly don't want it – but I have been denied coverage, given horrible coverage, over charged, et al from insurance companies. that have decided I am too high a risk.
So you tell me, how I am supposed to win if something terrible happens? I have the freedom to be f$ck$d over by the system – then have no one to back me up? It'll be easier to just start killing off all the weak, disabled, mentally disabled and start the Arian race all o0ver again.
The Tea Party *thinks* they are patriots, but all they are is a bunch of people who have no idea that freedom does not mean anarchy. They have lost the whole concept of what it means to be an American.
Oh, and BTW – I am NOT a liberal socialist who wants the government to be in mt life – but I do want an America that doesn't yell out "Yes" when you say "should they die" – I will fight against that "America" till my last breath.
Top Ten Things That Define The Tea Party
10. The Tea Party is all about Freedom, personal and otherwise
9. The Tea Party is True Grassroots, not top down authority
8. The Tea Party is for Protecting our Borders
7. The Tea Party is Against Big Government and the Nanny State
6. The Tea Party is Against Racism in all forms
5. The Tea Party is Against Globalism and the New World Order
4. The Tea Party is Against The Military Industrial Complex / War
3. The Tea Party Is Against Carbon Taxes and Global Warming Hype
2. The Tea Party is Anti-Federal Reserve and International Banks
1. The Tea Party is Anti-Tax
Not sure if everyone at the debate were the Tea Party people.......something does not sound right here....I feel maybe Ron Paul was asked questions that the others were not.....Hhhmmmmmmmmmmm.
Why this Independent conservative considers the Tea Party Republicans pseudo conservative and should not be given the time of day.
First, let me say that I am a 64 year old white gentleman, a baby boomer and have never agreed with my generation. I have felt and still feel a majority of them have and still are acting like spoiled brats.
In an interesting poll to define the demographics of the group; what turned up; was they are mostly older white males, born again Christians and small vocal percentage of old southern states rights advocates’. They are educated, but in my opinion not very intelligent.
They used to be liberals that have supposedly seen the light, and christened their new leadership Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Pat Robertson and likes.They need someone to follow because they are poor leaders.
This group of “Johnny Come Lately’s” caused a majority of the problems that we have today! They voted in the Great Society programs,”the great safety net”.
They were the ones that said we want to play, let the government handle it. They are the ones that have lived off the “slide of hand” account tricks and fast money tricks where you make money by exchanging paper. Now they want their money back!
I say to them “You caused this problem, you fix it up”! Stop complaining about the government you voted in! Forget your retirement and the good life, because was never threre! You played that away in your 30’s, 40’s and 50’s!
Get back to work and help clean up this mess! Help rebuild the new infrastructure! Help build the new technologies and for the first-time in your life lead by example and really work! You too long, lived on alcohol, drugs and "poor me" attitudes! Pull yourself up by the boot straps and get to work.
And before you come back with some inappropriate, dumb comment! I farmed for 15 years, lost most all it in the 80’s recession; never declared bankruptcy”; unlike Mr. Trump; went to work in the construction industry as laborer, work myself up to management, built a marketing business on the side. Paid off all of the outstanding bill to my creditors on the farming venture.
Had a family, rebuild a new nest egg for retirement, kept a small portion of the farm, brought a house and acreage. And have started a 3rd business @ 63.
And I am no high class sleek dressed executive, just a simple hard working person in blue jeans.
So, for you whining Tea Party Republicans pseudo conservative and your childish leadership.
Shut up, we are all going to have to pay for this mess and that means everyone rich and poor, so increase taxes across the board, cut the spending where it can, without destroying the safety net and start slowly weaning us off government programs, that promise something for nothing!
I am a 64 year old college educated born again Christian and totally opposed to the Tea Party. I was surprised to hear that 64% of the Tea Party followers were college educated–what college ? Bachmann, Palin and Perry all need to go back to college and take classes in science, higher level thinking skills-a whole quarter on the difference in fact and opinions, history. government , how to compromise and go ahead and throw in the teachings of Christ. I've probably left out some subject.
The public should be educated on the subject of Dominionism–so Americans will see where these Tea Party Leaders are getting their ideas-they are not the ideas of Christ ! Main line demoniations should educate their congregations before one of these Dominionist get in the White House !
Tea Party = Lord of the Fly s !
The problem with the Tea Party is the complete lack of sincerity. Throughout most of the past decade when a Republican Congress and president was launching two unfunded wars, two unfunded tax cuts, increasing discretionalry spending by 50% and doubling the national debt, they were silent. Many of them would respond to concerns about the spending with "deficits don't matter", "its a reasonable part of the GDP", "we're at war, you want the terrorists to win", "why do you hate America?" It was only after Obama won that the deficit became so important and guess what most of the deficit is directly attributable to Bush era spending policies that he had to continue.
What make them stand out is the personal hatred of the president by so many of them. It makes what was said about Bush seem minor in comparitson. I don't consider most of them racist, but do feel they have the same malady that causes most of us to cross the street when you see a group of young black men on the corner (admit it you do). There is that subconscious unease with Obama that makes it easy to believe anything said about it. the right has been very effective in exploiting this and face it older people have more unease with minorities than younger people.
But the results do not surprise me. The Tea Party is largely a group of people who do not see the world they grew up in. It is changing and they are afraid.
I don't consider most of them racist, but it
Tea Party = USA version of the Taliban......
Why is it that none of the so called network 'TALKING-HEADS", ( including you Wolf ), never ask these antiregulation Republicans like John Boehner or Mitt Romney, to name the specific regulations they believe are preventing job growth in America.Are they safety regulations, do they involve pollution, financial reporting or what ?. Badger them Wolf like only you can do, We, the American people, have been victimized many times by politicians who have gutted needed regulations behind closed doors, in order to line their pockets.Please,they will never answer these questions unless you pin them down.
Bravo, Mr. Reid. Well, Mr. Blitzer?
Here is 2
1 the Reps are trying to stop the NLRB from not allowing Boeing to fininsh their plant in S. Carolina that will employ at least 1000.
2 The EPA was forced to give up its planned Ozone emmisions Regulations aimed at industry that would have cost Billions and closed dozens of coal plants, cost jobs and raised the cost of energy to everyone. The Obama admin put a stop to it precisely because it would have cost jobs. Not to mention the onerous regs in the Dod Frank bill that are causing small banks around the country to struggle under its weight.
Just because CNN and the NYT don't report on these things doesn't mean they aren't happining. You need to get information from other places to learn what is not being reported here.
I'm not a Republican, but tend to vote that way. I'm actually a registered independant and consider myself VERY fiscally conservative and pretty libertarian minded in general.
And I'm a proud, card carrying Tea party backer.
It's not about race, it's not about trying to be anti-party (either one), it's only about keeping our public servant class in check. We got along very well without the monsterous oversight of the government that we have now and I (we) just want to get back to that. I would think that every American would want that..
THE ULTIMATE IN HYPOCRISY ...
Republicans are opposed to the lazy, free loading malcontents in America, who demand that others work to pay their way ... while they complain about those who have more than them. This shameful group, although considerable in number, are not the tea party ... they are the liberals, and democrats ... led by their leader, Barack Obama ... a man who publicly pushes for communism, while privately hanging out with Billionaires, like Buffet, and Soros ... and living like an extravagant capitalist.
In the meantime, his equally hypocritical wife, Michelle, demands that we eat rabbit food, while she gorges herself with lobster, $400 bottles of wine ... and, has a full time live-in pastry chef ... all paid for by us hard working tax payers.
Exactly when was it that we got along very well without government oversight? When food and drug companies weren't required to test their product sfor safety? When corporations could keep employees at lower than poverty levels?
This organization is an extremist group and fiscal terrorists. The members of Congress that belong to this extremist group's failure to adhere to one of the basic principles of our government caused the debt ceiling disaster and the downgrade of this country. Any group that is willing to sacrifice other people just to further their agenda are un-American and cruel. They claim that they want responsible government and yet they have not produced any legislation or even proposals to help repair the economy. They are supporting Gov. Perry’s candidacy. A governor of state that has an oil based economy but under his governorship he has taken a surplus to a debt hovering around $27B and is borrowing money from the same federal government he is criticizing. Members of this extremist group in S. Carolina have even talked about killing the President. They claim it was a joke. When has it ever been funny to joke about killing another human being let alone the President of the United States. The behavior and of this fiscal terrorist group has made American politics extremely toxic and hostile. My grandfather who I am now supplement my grandparents because of their lack of action. He said “Watch that group that’s how the Nazis got Germany”. This group does not have America’s best interest at heart. They want power and nothing more.
You sound like you are afraid of the Tea Party. Given your comments, I understand why. Liberals are always touting how open they are to other ideas but are shocked when they find out that there ARE other ideas. Hypocrisy is not an ideology I wish to be associated with. Your "facts" are distorted by the talking points of the left in an attempt to discredit a purely reasonable reaction by millions of Americans to a lack of fiscal restraint.
You simply have no valid argument here. You claim that the Tea Party are extremists, and terrorists, but give absolutely no evidence to back up that claim. You go on to say that "THEY" joke about killing the President, despite the fact that it was ONE member of ONE Tea Party group that made ONE joke on twitter. Then you make the absolute weakest, most cliche argument you can make against any political ideology by attempting to link them to the Nazis. Just a quick history lesson for you. The National Socialist party took control of the German government by being appointed Chancellor and then staging a terrorist attack on the Reichstag and declaring a state of emergency. He then suspended all civil liberties and constitutional constraints and assumed complete control of the state. The very idea of suspending Constitutional constraints is the furthest thing from the Tea Party agenda, in fact it is the exact opposite of their goal. Your grandpa gave you some shady, biased history if he told you otherwise. Open a book, and think for yourself. You are obviously blinded by rhetoric and bias.
Your boat is heading out to sea with a serious hole in it and the weather is also stormy where you are going. Come check us out one on one and you will see we are just common sense Americans that don't like the liberal left and our current potus That is printing and borrowing like a drunken sailor. That bull needs to stop as we are takeing on water fast and about to sink. God Bless America and all the freedom and liberties our fore Fathers fought and died for and God Bless our Troops.
Terrorists? Really? I think not. Because you don't agree with something, or you think someone is different doesn't make them a terrorist. I live in a neighborhood with many Yemen people and I don't call them terrorists unless they give me a reason too. Why don't you open your mind and understand what the movement is before opening your mouth. You might find out that we are all looking for the same thing. We just need to figure out how to get there.
There are basically 2 kinds of people in the tea party:
1. Rich white folk who are operatives for the Koch brothers.
2. The rabble that they dupe to picket, protest and politic on their behalf.
If we are going to make gross simplifications and sweeping generalizations, there are only two types of liberals.
1. The very young, or intellectually challenged who have never been forced to reconcile idealism and reality.
2. People who directly benefit from a large authoritarian government.
I am Tea Party because of Common Sense is their platform. And I don't even know the koch Brothers
and the only ones picketing around me are the union thugs in wisconcin. In my book you must be on
entitlement from the government or else Your would see the light if you was a hard working tax pay person in America.
You need to screw in a bigger bulb so as to see your way out of the socalist tunnel you seem to be in
Take Care
Who is the Tea Party? I will tell you. Hard working middle class that is tired of carrying the burden of lazy liberals that want everything handed to them. The dollar is worthless because of borrowing and all Obama cares about is Union government jobs and not the non union people. We are sick and tired about carrying the burden of overspending and taking advantage of the working middle class while watching you lazy libs suck what few dollars we have left out of our pockets!!!
Education or background is not the issue with the tea party. They could have a PHD for all I care. My problem with them is their method on how they want to govern and if they believe what they truly believe when it comes to making sacrifices. Honestly if you want to look at government spending you have to look at government as a whole. Small government philosophsy does not work either because its been tried time and time again and it got us into this economic mess when there was deregulation of the banks.
First, the T-party doesn't exist.
Second, not one person can claim ownership of the so-called movement.
Third, all I've seen is a bunch of lunatics carrying stuffed monkeys and Hitler flags full of hatred and dismay.
Last, its all about big money cheering these crowds and not-so-smart people falling for their trick to influence elections in the USA. Obama's, now, that was a movement and I was proud to be part of it.
100% of them are clueless. We've never failed to pay for a war in our history. We are now approximately year 17 (combined). Not a red cent of revenue raised. Some taxes need to go up now for only that reason.
*WHO ARE THEY?* There Americas finest uneducated religious nut jobs coming out to fight some unknown battle or cause that doesn't even exist!!! There the melting pot of stupidity and waste that just puts a big annoying stink in the air:) just sayin
Tea Party? Who are they? Pretty simple, a part of Rpublican party, retired old white fogies who are taking our country back in 17th century, sadly.
None of these numbers surprise me. The only thing that this poll did, in my opinion, was create work for someone. Kudos to CNN on that.
WCPO out of Cincinnati reported the last debate a week ago a local poll for the Cincinnati Tea Party, and they quote (look it up on google), Ron Paul as leading going in and leading after the debate.
CNN doesn't report this. WCPO – Cincinnati does.
Whoever these people are....they're NOT good for our country. Too extreme, angry, mean, divisive and does NOT have clue about the changing world we live in.
Extreme to me is not being able to balance a budget and spending and printing money to insure my grandchildren will either have a tax burden so large that they will be reduced to poverty soon. Common Sense and term limitations and some good old Tea Party conservitive plans. Government waste and fraud is totaly out of hand and to correct this we must down size the Federal Government and get rid of all the RED Tape that is hurting private enterprise. We don't have current leaders that not only never did, but could not manage a car wash.
The Tea Party is the last refuge of old, angry white men. Demographic trends show that this is a perfect way to ensure the GOP will never again elect a president.
Yep, certainly didn't work out for them in that last Congressional election.
I know who the Tea Party is and I don't want anything to do with them, except to defeat them.
50% are 50 and older? OK...we'll just wait for a few years and they'll be gone. End of Tea Party.
and 99% of tea party users don't know that the tea party was funded completely at the beginning by the Koch brothers who own billion dollar oil and paper companies. What they also don't know is that eliminating the EPA, unions, minimum wadge etc.. Is what the Koch brothers want and they have said it publicly. This will make them billions more, and that is their motivation behind the tea party, because evidently the 40 billion in personal wealth they have isn't enough they want corporations to be in charge not the government and are ripping it up from the inside.
This is text from the David H. Koch wiki page, what he stood for when he ran for vice president:
The Clark–Koch ticket promised to abolish Social Security, the Federal Reserve Board, welfare, minimum-wage laws, corporate taxes, all price supports and subsidies for agriculture and business, and U.S. Federal agencies including the SEC, EPA, ICC, FTC, OSHA, FBI, CIA, and DOE.[2][12] The ticket proposed legalization of prostitution, recreational drugs, and suicide.[2] The ticket received 921,128 votes, 1.06% of the total nationwide vote
THIS IS THE TEA PARTY! This is the final goal, make no mistake about it! Slave labor wadges, no health care, no corporate taxes, legal drugs, and 0 government over site for any kind of corporate abuse. 0 accountability. If the tea party wins this will not be the america you know today!
God forbid some evil, rich, white (apparently this is important in this thread) person give charitable donations to libertarian economic think tanks that openly oppose corporate welfare, corporate subsidies, bailouts, tariffs on foreign competitors, and government usage mandates. Those mean old Koch brothers must be totally corrupt if they believe in a free market and oppose government handouts to corporations.
Hmm old angry religious gun toting white men. Yeah that about sums up the tea clan.
I'm ashamed to admit it but this proves my theory that the majority of Tea Party activists are older, retired folks with not much to do and a lot of time on their hands. Plus, many have no idea what the consequences of their extreme behavior and tactics will do to the country at large and specifically to mainstreet. Many are FOX tabloid watchers and let themselves be worked into a frenzy by the sleazy journalism tactics of Rupert Murdoch. Amazing!
Picture any of the hopeful Candidates standing next to Vladimir Putin
Oh lets do a poll are liberal democrats, start with Obama's district in Chicago and also ask have you ever been arrested have you ever been convicted of a felony then you will have a glimpse of liberal Obama democrats.......
Let's start the poll with me and my hubby. Shall we? I'm retired USAF, never been arrested, B.S. in Adult Education, currently working on a MSW. My hubby is an active duty officer in the USAF, B.S. in Computer Science , MBA from Boston Univ. never been arrested. Oh, but I'm African American and my hubby is a Nationalized Mexican-American, but you'd say we only voted for Obama because he's black...Think again! I wouldn't vote for Cain if my life depended on it because I'm against just about EVERYTHING the Tea Party and most Republicans stand for and if you care to test my theory why don't you? Put your money where your mouth is and let Cain run against Pres. Obama.
Obama/Biden 2012!
No..President Obama was never arrested....but 80% of the tea party has...lets just start with alan west....your whipping boy
Apparently going to college makes you dumber and getting older rmakes you more foolish.
Yes we do have a lot more to learn. Like how this Tea Party feels about extremism & fascism. And why the republican candidates cater to them and not the american people. Even in the debates everything they say is based on whether or not they think the Tea Party will like what they hear. They bash Obama then can't even answer a simple question for the american people and that question is "what would you do"
I think it's high time Mr Blitzer admitted to the nation that he is a card-carrying member of the Tea Party. Probably should move to Fox.
They are a bunch of stupid ignorant fools, that was proven when they started shouting "yes let him die'. They don't know what they are asking for until there will be no more social security or other government programs to help us when we are down, we get taxed for this reason. They are a bunch of wackos, racist pigs that don't deserve any attention because they are not helping our citizens they are hurting us. That in my opinion is not American.
Looks like CNN can't even get this right..Sounds about like how they help promote the WMD lie when it came to Iraq....Universities around the country has found something totally different about the tea party..Like most are hateful towards blacks or any other race..And that they are not educated to say the least..
I am disappointed in CNN for hosting and supporting Tea Party which supports racist views
Seems to me the tea party is mostly a bunch of old, white men, retired or laid off, who are bitter because they lost money in the market and just want to get into somebody's face about it. I say bring 'em on and let's get this distraction over with.
What's the racial makeup of the tea party? Now that's an interesting question.
Yea right. One thing for sure, looking over the teaparty crowd I just see old a$$ wrinkle hateful faces staring back at the camera. Born again? NOT! Repatriated hate for the change this country has undergone and the facing loss of their majority
status. Fear not boomer; All of you will be born somewhere else in about twenty years, and then, maybe, America can move on without all the hate and bitterness your generation lived and produced.
The poll simply identifies a clear divide within the Republican part itself and that is an issue for the 2012 elections.
If the teaparty manage to be as divisive on employment legislation and restricting the Gang of 12's results /recommendations i.e defeating them even. Then I see Republicand as a whole losing the presidential race and losing seats in the House.
The senate is more difficult but I believe DEMS will keep a majority.
Regards,
Hodgson.
Who are they? A bunch of elderly conservative hillbillies who chose the moniker of "Tea Party" to liken themselves to those who protested "taxation without representation" some two hundred and fifty years ago, even though their current movement started when Americans ENJOYED THE LARGEST INCOME TAX BREAK IN AMERICAN HISTORY in 2008. They all have differing views on politics, most of them radical in nature, and often conflicting from state to state. The only thing all Tea Partiers have in common is that they hate Barrack Obama and for the most part have no clue what is going on in American politics, beyond what their pastor's tell them on Sunday morning.
I think, overall, that the Tea party is detrimental to our country. This is America and people have the right to express their views, but they have shown themselves to be extremists.As we saw with the Debt Ceiling debate, they hold to very rigid and radical ideology that even says that the word "compromise" is dirty or evil.They felt that they were right in bringing our government to the brink of default, just to get everything that they wanted. Eric Cantor, the number2 man in the House has become their point man, and their antics caused John Boehner to walk away from a 4/1 deal with the president that in the end, cost us the downgrading of our bond rating.They use bullying tactics, even with their own, threatening primary challengers to all who don't toe the line. .Most of the Republican presidential candidates have embraced them; and their effect on them was seen, when the question was posed to them at a debate, and they all said that they wouldn't even take a 10/1, spending cuts to revenue deal.That is irrational.Their influence and hold is scary.
Go Tea party, YOU ROCK
A certain portion of our population (i.e. Tea Party folks) tend t use the pro-life and anti homosexual agend as a strategy to control their backers. It seems that the Tea partiers have bulging wallets because of their "lower taxes, lower taxes" chants. Lower taxes means that the rich are taking advantage of those who aren't as fortunate. Tea Party leaders dangle the pro-life and anti homosexual carrots, and all other political ideas fall by the wayside. I say that the sorry mess we are in today is a direct result of the rich conservatives. Who are the rich conservatives? Why, they Are G.W. Bush's base of voters. If you don't believe that, then you've not listened closely enough to what ex President Bush had to say about the elite. He said "Some people call you the elite. I call you my base". You can see and hear Mr. Bush on "Farenheit 911". You don't have to take the film producer's word for it... Just listen to it for yourselves. That was George Bush speaking, not someone putting words in his mouth. Tea Party folks are mainly rich, white, and conservative...oh, and tend to be a bit older. That's nothing new. I'm white so don't go around saying that some black man is just being racial. You Tea Partiers are just too far removed from everyday problems to care about the rest of us. At least, that is my opinion
The rich are rich because the rest of you don't have the skills to become rich. There isn't a members only club. Anyone can be rich if you apply yourself. If you raise taxes on the rich, they can raise your price on what they sell and pass the increase to you. Why not. Who do you think is going to pay for these tax hikes. The rich????? No, you are when you buy their services. Think about it for a min. Maybe it will register...................
Nice Article Wolf. Thanks. I am an American and Loyal to Liberty and Sound Money Policies !!!!!!
I second that and all in favor join in the reality of electing leaders next time around in 2012. We need to change course or sink. It is that simple. The writeing is on the wall for all to see. The government can not give to anybody that it first take away from somebody else or just plain prints more dollars to do so. This is a one way road to a big disaster.
They're as American as baseball, hotdogs, apple pie, and ... and ... well, I was trying to think of an American car company that's not owned by the government and doesn't outsource its jobs to cheap overseas labor. Is there one?
Wow! I'll say we are learning a lot more about the tea party. That debate that CNN hosted with the tea party was brilliant! You really exposed who they are, and what they are about. Lets call them the "Lord of the Flies" Party! And you did it without even having to ask them a difficult question. Now we know they are callous, insensitive, and self serving. It might have been nice if someone would have reminded them that most people who don't have health insurance, don't have it because they can't afford it. When you see them applauding at death, you have to think "WOW these people really do not get the concept of empathy." We are all grateful you were able to uncover the way these Tea Party people think. I just hope that you will let every one know that was your game plan. Oh! I'm not being moderate enough, so you won't let me post? I'll sent it other places to show others what a good job you are doing
Thanks Len
They're not Republicans or Democrats; they're Americans. And they're backing and influencing the party that has the most respect for the Constitution, Fiscal Responsibility, and Personal Liberty.
Who are they, you ask?
Bought and paid for astro turfers who've claimed to have been around for eons. Interesting they never surfaced until Obama was inaugurated. Interesting how they had "support structure" almost immediately (Kochs/Armey) No one had ever heard of them any more than the "debt ceiling". That's right. Most of us never heard of a debt ceiling until Obama asked to increase it. They are pathetic liars who are nasty in broad daylight. They frighten the traditional GOP pols. They talk about the Constitution often and insist on moving backwards. As such they are apparently a$$ backwards. They have offered nothing and have demanded everything (from GOP or else). As such they are bullies. That's just the tip of the iceberg as to who they are. It just gets worse. I've spoken to a few. Hateful as all get out.
They're over 50? Guess they didn't know the tea party wants to screww them on their social security. bor again too? Well guess that doesn't surpise anyone....bible thumpers are hypocrites. Do as I say, not as I do. Most of them lie, cheat, drink, you name it...they know the sins well.
Ah. Another CNN poll to tell us what to think.
Despite being vastly overqualified, my pet goat has announced that it will seek the GOP presidential nomination.
http://www.mypetgoat2012.com
Here in Texas many in the T-party want to secede. It was suggested by Perry , and many tell me Texas first above the US It is scary because Perry will be good for Texas is his opinion but bad for the US.Be careful if you are T-Party because there are some extreme position in the party that you may not agree with.
There is one demographic you left out Wolf, They are mostly anglos. Very very few people of color. Is that a coincidence? Most likely not.
The most educated people in the US are Tea Partiers. Not suprising!!!!!!!!
What I find disturbing about American national politics now is the absence of GOP candidates advocating for national interests – for policies that would benefit your country as a whole. With the possible exception of the unusual Mr. Paul, the present gaggle of candidates appears to represent special interests groups only; usually the rich, the religious and the whites. But the majority of Americans I know are neither rich nor fanatically religious (they are just good folks) and there are a very significant and growing number of non whites in your country. If a Perry, a Romney, a Bachmann, etc, are elected as president, who would represent them and their interests and needs? Probably nobody. And your country will continue to be divided, dysfunctional and ultimately dangerous.
One thing is clear is many on the left have no idea who the TEA Party are or what they believe. They have developed a stereotype that is inaccurate and distorts the TEA Party views. They have developed an insane hatred for the TEA Party. And as evidenced by their ongoing identical hatred for Bush, they are not going to change. I don't know where people like many on the left come from. My parents taught me to keep an open mind, question everything and think for myself. They taught me that it is okay do disagree with someone but not to hate them. I think that is called tolerance, apparently a trait missing from the gene pool of those on the left that hate the TEA Party so much.
What if we really know who the T-partiers are? That's why you are not Americans, its the humble opinion of the majority of people living in that country. They elected Obama, forgot?
One hopes the tea party respondents were honest about their education. In pre-internet days, people of either side of political ideology debated with each other in person, and doubts can arise in positions taken. Now the web makes them all club together and tune out the other side completely. Hence the polarization. Those with web access can be virulent conservatives.
Instead of asking who are they? why not ask where were they? when Bush was quickly spending our surplus that Clinton left? where were they when Bush decided to invade Iraq? The tea party is more of an anti Obama movement then anything else. They cover up thier racism with words like, socialism, communism, marxism, & say things like " i want my country back" . When Obama's term is up so will the tea partys piss parade. There would have been no tea party had Clinton won.
DISMANTLE ENTITLEMENTS!!! Wait, what? As a Tea Partier I am receiving that Social Security and Medicare too? Nevermind...
Very scary extremist nutjobs who evidently support killing people via execution or if you don't have healthcare (and I thought they were against healthcare?) The Tea Pary Job Plan is very simple – let people die and then we won't need any new jobs. These Republicans are dangerous for America and its future.
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The tea party r bunch of baby boomers, that r spoiled rotten, they are sons and daughter of the greatest generation of Americans, they got everything laid for them by the sacrifices of their fathers, but they don't want sacrifice or compromise, spoiled babies.
What amazes me about the tea party is that they all claim to be "taxed enough already" yet it is the red states – whose residents typically vote republican – that are the biggest recipients of that federal spending. Yep, that's right folks, google it if you don't believe me. Let me give you an example: for every federal tax dollar Mississippi sends to Washington, the state gets back $2.02. Now, that is a pretty darn good rate of return on their dollar. Take a look at some other typically Republican states: Alaska, $1.84; Louisiana $1.78; West VA $1.76; and Virginia at $1.51.
Ironically, the blue states that typically vote for democrats are the bottom of the list for federal government dollars. For example: California gets about 81 cents for every dollar it sends to Washington; New Jersey gets 61 cents back; while Illinois gets back about 75 cents.
So, as a democrat, I do agree that we are taxed enough already so let's cut spending. From now on, Mississippi, for every dollar you send to Washington, you should get back one dollar and the same goes for all of those other red states that get back more than they send.
As for Virginia – the state that gets $1.51 for every dollar it sends to WA DC – all you republican people who live there should agree to give some of the money you receive back. I lived in VA a couple of years ago and worked for Fairfax County School District. Most of the elementary schools there have full time P.E. teachers, Art teachers and Music teachers. However, here in California, where I currently live, we are laying off teachers left and right. Not only do we not have Art, Music and P.E. teachers, we don't even have Librarians either. Our tax dollars here in Cali are funding Fairfax County Schools in VA and that's just plain wrong.
The bottom line is that all you TEA Party people think that you are taxed enough already and want to cut spending so let's start with your state – if you send a buck to WA DC then that is all you should get back – PERIOD! Do you hear me, Rep. Eric Cantor?
Wolf, you are better than this. 51% did not say no, a large portion of them said they had NO OPINION either way. Do not lie to us, we are smarter than that. Did you ask the question if it came down to a Tea Party Candidate or a liberal Dem, who would you vote for? Ridiculous.
Who are the Tea Partiers? Are you serious? We're learning more about the Tea Partiers? The MSM should have done their homework on Obama and their answer for dropping the ball is who are the Tea Partiers. Let's face it. The Democrats and especially Obama's MSM has to blame someone for the Republicans not caving in to the yelling and screaming of the Democrats as to why they won't support Obama and his socialist agenda to change our fundamentals and to transform this country. Let's not get off course here. The subject is not the Tea Partiers or the Republican candidates. It's Obama and how his far left ideology has ignored jobs for two and a half years and now he's trying to ride in on a white horse as if he had nothing to do with why the unemployment is 9.1. The MSM is expected to make fools of themselves for Obama, but don't come to us with who are the Tea Partiers as if they're out to destroy jobs, the economy, the deficit and the debt in the way Obama is.
Wow! I'll say we are learning a lot more about the tea party. That debate that CNN hosted with the tea party was brilliant! You really exposed who they are, and what they are about. Lets call them the "Lord of the Flies" Party! And you did it without even having to ask them a difficult question. Now we know they are callous, insensitive, and self serving. It might have been nice if someone would have reminded them that most people who don't have health insurance, don't have it because they can't afford it. When you see them applauding at death, you have to think "WOW these people really do not get the concept of empathy." We are all grateful you were able to uncover the way these Tea Party people think. I just hope that you will let every one know that was your game plan. Thanks Len
When the Tea Party advocates cutting spending, I'm with them.
When they look like a bunch of religious zealots, I'm not.
The teabaggers are a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Koch brothers and the other 400 wealthiest individuals in America. They are a group of low-information, angry voters, more than willing to be lead around by their emotions and persuaded to vote against their own self-interest.
One thing they have in abundance is pride – which makes them unwilling to consider that they are wrong and have been duped – once again.
Lastly, regarding their majority "born-again" status: My experience with people of this persuasion is that they are narrow-minded, judgmental and rigid in their belief that only they are really "Christian" and unlike everyone else will go to Heaven. They are also more than willing to harm and kill in the name of Christ (totally invalidating Christ's teachings of peace, love, forgiveness, tolerance and mercy).
All the world's a stage, and all the republicans merely players; they have their exits and their entrances,and all have in their time played many parts, and we learn all that glisters is not gold. We have seen the darkness in the heart of the GOP, it has no place in the light.
Our revels now are ended. These actors "Tea Party" (GOP), As foretold, were all ghost, melted into air, into thin air like the baseless fabric of their vision to give more to the rich, Their ritch in their high palaces, To worship solemn temples of their purses, The great globe itself, will shake crumble drained of any and all resource. All which we inherit, shall dissolve, And, like this insubstantial group fade into thin air and leave not a trace behind, but emptyness our wallets, and the destruction of these our lands.Our lives will become stuff of nightmares and despair!
Well here we go again the mighty GOP, do what we tell you mr President and Democrats on the supper commity or you get no deal. We are the people "Rich" people and we dont want the poor uneducated people getting a fair shake. The GOP dose support all you poor people to finding a job too help us rich make more money, procrate so we have more cheap labor for later when we need to get rid of you, or if you get sick just die save us some time and money.
PS: Vote republican we really care. About our money!
I'm more interested to see how many Blacks, Jews, Hispanics, and other groups are represented in the TP
Not really sure who they are but their position in the political spectrum is by definition fascist. "Fascism is traditionally described as "extreme right"
Whether they call themselves Tea Party activists or not, the greater Republican Party seems to be held on a tight chain by the movement, as we saw in the recent summer debt ceiling crisis. Really, Mitt Romney even or Huntsman who are generally not considered Tea Party activists are currently promoting about 90% of their agenda, with only a slightly looser social agenda, and an acknowledgement of current mainstream science (evolution, global warming, etc, other countries, etc)
So basically these born again educated Christians who are affiliated with the TeaParty must have the same educational level Perry received. How can you call yourself a born again Christian and celebrate/ applaud the execution of people. Better yet, how can you sit there and support someone dying when they don't have health care. Even better how can you justify the tax breaks the job creators are continuing to receive when no jobs are being created. There are billions of dollars sitting on balance sheets for some of these institutions. Gotta love the direction our country is headed it in.
Learn this- "the tea party movement in the United States is relatively new" and they are already a major party and growing. How refreshing!
i think you will find that the contemporary TeaParty narrative is a fiction authored more by Democratic Party opposition politics than reality, subsequently propagated by journalists either too lazy or too tied in to partisan POV to investigate for themselves.
reality is that TeaParty folk cut across the spectrum of American society, all races, all ages, all incomes, educations, and experiences. but their motivations are not what is reported by Speaker Pelosi and the recipients of talking point memos
i am TeaParty. i welcome open and honest discovery, however belated.
Chances are those who are Republicans and even most Independents who are not an active member or supporter of the Tea Party either haven't involved themselves because they are too busy working for a living or they've believed the liberal propaganda machine which is spewing out it's own form of ...hmmm... information(?) I have relative who thinks the TeaParty is full of racists. Little wonder where he got that idea. I haven't met ONE Tea Party supporter who is racist. Although, I'm sure there could be a few. But we don't judge the whole movement by those 1 or 2.
Please start asking Presidential candidates why children of illegal aliens should get assistance with college tuition when hard working, law abiding U.S. citizens are denied reasonable help with their children's education. I am a tax payer with a daughter who graduated from high school with honors, and holds a 4.0 G.P.A. in college and we are faced with the possibility of not being able to afford continuing her education. No one is addressing the decrease in the incentives for the educated middle class to continue to hold this country together. As an educator I am faced every day with seeing money given to special education for students that will never be willing or able to contribute to our society, while honors programs and high achieving students are offered nothing.
I wish they would all go away. They are tearing this country apart with their inflexible ideologies and ignorance.
On raising the retirement age, I know it seems like an "easy" fix for a program in big trouble, but I suggest some folks actually do some data digging on this topic. Yes, the average life span has increased, from recent data, especially for the higher income folks who live about 6.5 years longer than those less fortunate. So, my question...if we raise the SS retirement age, won't SS just be a place for the low and mid-income levels to invest income they probably will never live to enjoy? If you are fortunate enough to live to 70, just how many of the declining jobs do you think you will be able to hold on to? Also, if you make it to 70, what quality of life will you have in your retirement? I suppose this basically turns SS into a nursing home pot as we all wheel around the halls thinking of all the things we might have been able to do if we'd been able to retire while we had a small amount of mental and physical health left to enjoy. Basically, if you want to have a decent retirement, you'd better be one of the lucky high income earners, in which case, SS is pretty irrelevant to you I suppose.
Having just got back from 3 weeks of International travel and seeing and reading all that's going on around the world in terms of how others handle their economies and countries I got to wondering about the Tea Party and their perspectives. I would love to know the following stats:
1) What percentage of people identifying as "Tea Party supporters" hold a current passport
2) Of those that do hold a passport what percentage has traveled internationally in the last 10 years and how many times.
I feel like these Tea party folks just don't have a sense of the different perspectives outside of America in terms of how things work only what they're told by the television channels they watch. For example, has anybody in the Tea Party actually talked to Europeans about how they like their socialized health care and how well it does or does not work?
birds of a feather, flocks together.
They are a bunch of greedy old racists who are out to destroy the president and don't care who they take with him. Like all Americans!
The fact that so many are born again should make us all very afraid. Our constitution commands a separation of church and state, something the religious right have no concept of. Roe V. Wade has been under attack for over 40 years now. The answer is simple, if you don't believe in abortion (and I don't) then don't have one and support groups like planned parenthood who prevent over 600,000 unwanted pregnancies every year. They need to stop trying to change the majority rule and work on a more "Christian" solution to unwanted pregnancies to gain my respect.
The statistics are intriguing although seem a bit cherry picked. How many people answered the poll and what regions of the country. I find the college education percentage difficult to swallow, as I have seen other polls suggesting the opposite. Bottom line is when will the tea party be challenged for their lack of specific focus other than hating everything the president does, even when they are the beneficiaries. I was very dissapointed in the debate questions this last go around as no one was held to real answers mostly to the questions which were inane.
Wow, it's really hard to believe that tea-partiers are better educated than their non tea party counterparts. That just blows me away.
No one, not any rational person should ever have any doubt what the Republicans / Tea Party would do, what their goals are and where their loyalty is. Their rhetoric is meaningless and only intended to deceive and manipulate as has been continually and totally proven. Bush-Cheney clearly demonstrated what their stubborn focus and arrogant loyalty was when they concentrated on serving Special Interests and the very wealthy few, while irresponsibly and belligerently giving the majority only apathy, the costs and an abundance of subterfuge to con the people and manipulate public opinion. The Republican Party totally supported that and now, along with the Tea Party, they clearly show it is what they want to return to and continue with, regardless of the costs to the people.
The indisputable evidence: they constantly put their political ambitions above all else, without any responsible concern for costs or solving problems; they fault and block all efforts while refusing to offer bipartisan cooperation or anything constructive; they vigorously fight to protect the interests of the very wealthy and completely ignore the needs of the country; they use third party groups, who collect substantial contributions from influential supporters, to coerce and intimidate their own people and squelch individual consciences in order to assure unity; they are cocky and arrogant, emboldened by past successes in conning the people and manipulating public opinion, like with the manipulation of the Christian block (2000 & continuing), the Swift-boat propaganda (2004) and the creation and support of the Tea Party with their emotional extremes (2010 & now), and they have no hesitation, no matter how obvious, in offering more subterfuge to rationalize their biased positions – examples: Tax Cuts for the wealthy, excessive considerations for oil companies, the proven fraudulent (by Bush-Cheney’s actions) “trickle down” theory, which just solicits political support; they constantly criticize but then any objective analysis clearly shows their positions always favor the few and provide the majority little more than rhetoric to rationalize; their bottom line is to return to “more of the same”, Bush-Cheney style, which has already greatly hurt the majority, most especially the total middle-class.
Once anyone can put the talk aside their intent and loyalty are completely clear and should be totally offensive to any average American. Wanting more from Obama, needing better results and faulting details in his positions are all understandable ... but he does deserve credit for honesty and conscientious effort, that which no one can credit the Republicans / Tea Party with. To not see this, to ignore all of it, to fail to understand where the Republicans / Tea Party literally want to go, who they totally favor and who they seek to totally deceive, is simply self-defeating for the average American. I don’t remember who said it but someone pointed out that with the Republicans (and the Tea Party) being so committed to the very few and completely dependent on the substantial and powerful support from them, that they have literally become completely incapable of responsibly governing for the majority. Any objective and rational analysis of their actions seems to fully substantiate that. If we want to return to the catastrophe of “more of the same”, then we can reject the obviousness of all of this.