Posted on 04/21/2010 5:37:56 AM PDT by IbJensen
The numbers are in.
Thanks to a new CBS News/New York Times poll, we now have a statistical picture of the tea party movement. There are few surprises.
It turns out that not quite 20 percent of Americans are tea party supporters. They tend to be white, Republican, male, over 45 and wealthier than the rest of us. Fifty-seven percent hold a favorable opinion of George W. Bush. And where most Republicans describe themselves as ``dissatisfied'' with Washington, tea partiers are apt to use a different term. They say they're angry.
It is a telling word, especially in light of another survey, this one from the University of Washington's Institute For the Study of Ethnicity, Race & Sexuality. That poll offers strong evidence that, contrary to the denials of tea party enthusiasts, President Obama's race plays a big role in their outrage. Indeed, researchers found a significant correlation between racial resentment and tea party zeal.
Respondents were read loaded statements such as this: ``It's really a matter of some people not trying hard enough; if blacks would only try harder, they could be just as well off as whites.'' Among those skeptical of the tea party, only 33 percent agreed with that statement. Among whites in general, 56 percent did. But among the tea party's most rabid followers,the number spikes to 73 percent.
As Dr. Christopher Parker, who led the study, observed via e-mail: ``[I]f one believes that blacks don't try hard enough, use slavery as an excuse, and . . . have received more than they deserve (racial resentment), they are 37 percent more likely than those who don't believe this . . . to support the tea party.''
Yes, he says, ideology plays a part. Yes, politics does, too. But as he put it in a follow-up conversation by phone, ``once you control for partisanship, party identification and ideology, there's still a significant, robust effect for race.''
Some of us needed no polling data to know this. Some of us needed only to observe the timing of the tea party's rise.
After all, if the tea partiers were truly only concerned about so-called ``tyranny,'' they'd have started howling when President Bush claimed he need not be bound by laws with which he disagreed.
If they were truly only worried about a ``socialist'' takeover of private industry, they'd have yelped when he took over troubled financial institutions.
If they were truly only anxious about the budget, they've have hollered when he spent a $128 billion surplus into a $407 billion deficit.
If they were truly outraged over their income taxes, they'd have screamed at Bush first, given that their taxes are the same as when he was in office.
It is telling that they ``discovered'' their burning concern over these things shortly after Barack Obama came to power.
And contrary to what some in the movement would argue, it is not the case that any criticism of Obama brings charges of racism. Columnist George F. Will accuses Obama of timidity, columnist Charles Krauthammer calls certain of his policies ``terminally naive,'' columnist Jonah Goldberg charges him with dirty politics. Yet there's been no national hue and cry accusing those conservatives of racial bias.
The reason is simple. Unlike certain tea partiers, they did not claim Obama favors white slavery. Or depict him as a witch doctor with a bone through his nose.
Or cry, ``I want my country back.''
For those of us trying to build a country that does not fear difference, a country where access to opportunity is not a function of skin color; for those of us seeking an America that will finally live out the true meaning of its creed, that battle cry of the tea partiers says all that need be said about the differences between them and the rest of us.
They are looking for the America that was.
We're searching for the one that ought to be.
It is not surprising to see the racist Pitts being a racist, and it is not surprising to see the left wing loons from the universities trotted out to give a pseudo-scientific blessing to his racist rants but what is surprising is that for once those of us that do care about the country (free market, democratic republic, government for the people, of the people and by the people) are not taking this crap anymore. We are not going to sit down. We are not going to shut up and Pitts and the rest of the race industry can scream all they want but we will not be marginalized.
You, Mr. Pitts, are the worst sort of racist hate monger but thankfully you are not smart enough to cover it up sufficiently so it is obvious to all that read your screeds.
the 'rats in Congress are richer by far than the tea partiers.
denial is not just a river in Egypt
yes, libs, do keep bashing middle aged white men as racists
and let’s just see what their wives, mothers, sisters, aunts and grandmothers do when they get to the polls this November
Typical; Mis-diagnose the problem, then, build a case against it based on that mis-diagnosis.
I sincerely doubt the profile this poll represents. As for the description, “...wealthier than the rest of us. ...,” it would be better stated as, “more conscientious and hard-working than those who don’t pay taxes.”
These guys are frantic. You can see it in the long drawn out, it’s all white males over 45. And only 20 percent support the tea party....blah...blah...blah. Not one positive statement, all negative and if it isn’t negative they will slant it that way. Even if they have to manipulate the facts into a pretzel to make it a negative. They are running scared.
The one thing these worthless leftists will never do is give from their own pockets to help the poor black people they claim to care so much about.
They consider it charity to steal from us.
Leftists are worthless vermin all.
“We’re searching for the one that ought to be.”
The left is always searching or trying to create a non existent Utopia yet are totally blind to the reality of human nature that surrounds them.
I no longer care about the events within the so-called African-American community.
Give them there own state and see how long Utopia lasts.
Leonard Pitts, jr , Leonard Pitts, jr hmmmm
Is his name on the To Be Slaughtered List?
Speak for yourself rich-boy!
“wealthier than the rest of us”
That pretty much gave it away. Another spoiled brat looking for Obamamoney.
Get over it already. We have schools, too many actually, all over this country. Everyone - no matter what color they are - has access to them. If a school is failing, talk to the left wing teachers union. Don't blame the "white people" for a lack of education or qualified employees.
We've been sacrificing financially for generations to fix the problem, but the funding never reaches the kids. Get rid of the scrounges above them, and the kids might actually have a chance to learn something. The left wing has failed them, and I believe it's on purpose. They need to keep the blacks dumbed down and locked in their inner city cages to guarantee their vote. Either they vote the way their masters tell them, or they don't get their monthly block of government cheese.
The "surplus" lie again. Had the impeached former president ever actually run a surplus, the outstanding debt would have receded in that year. Below is information from Treasury Direct demonstrating that the US debt never declined during clinton's term, indicating there was NO surplus.
1999 5,656.2
2000 5,628.7
2001 5,769.9
Oh Yeah, I forgot, socialism is great for spending other peoples money.......
If the left loses the black vote, they die. They MUST pretend, and I mean pretend, to be concerned about the plight of the blacks. In reality, they've been keeping these people down for generations. What have they ever done FOR them? It's obvious what they've done TO them. They've destroyed their families, aborted their children, trashed their schools, put them in cages they call "subsidized housing", smashed their self esteem, and blackened their souls - but hey, they got their vote. That's all that really matters, right?
Whay=WHY
I am so sick and tired of hearing the libs and MSM tell us who makes up the Tea Party. I am a member of my local Tea Party organization, and I am a married white female, age 41, and I am nowhere near wealthy! Good grief I wish they would get a grip! Oh and by the way..I would express disgust at this current president if he was white, black, orange or purple..so get rid of the racist card already!
Yes, this elitist asshat (who I’m sure makes way more money than I do) says I’m “wealthier” because I went to school to learn a trade so I could make a decent living.
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