New poll looks at tea party views toward minorities

[Nova Magna Germania]

So, new political landscape in our southern neighbour from a Canadian perspective:

Democrats: Centrist, leaning right
Republicans: Very Right
Tea Party: Far Right

New poll looks at tea party views toward minorities

Posted by Andrew Garber


A new University of Washington poll suggests tea party supporters are not just angry about government spending and the new national health-care law.

"The data tells us this opposition and frustration with government is going hand in hand with a frustration and opposition to racial and ethnic minorities and gays and lesbians," said Matt Barreto, a political science professor and director of UW's Washington Poll.

The poll, which has a 2.3 percent margin of error, found that 35 percent of the voters surveyed "strongly" or "somewhat" approve of the tea party movement, 37 percent disapprove and 28 percent had no opinion or had not heard of the tea party.

The survey asked several questions related to race, immigration and gay rights.

For example, the survey asked voters if they support the law in Arizona that "requires police to question people they suspect are illegal immigrants for proof of legal status." The poll found 88 percent of voters who "strongly approve" of the Tea Party also support the Arizona law, compared to 52 percent of all voters surveyed.

Also, 52 percent of strong tea party supporters agreed with the statement that "compared to the size of their group, lesbians and gays have too much political power," compared to 25 percent of all voters surveyed.

The poll found 19 percent of all voters surveyed "strongly approve" of the tea party.

Barreto, citing a recent New York Times poll that found most tea party supporters approved of government spending for Social Security and Medicare, and research by fellow UW professor Christopher Parker, concludes "The tea party movement is not just about small government or frustration. It's (also) about a very specific frustration with government resources being used on minorities and gays and lesbians and people who are more diverse."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/p ... ty_vi.html

[Xsyne]

Oh my God this is the most shocking thing I have ever read who could have possibly predicted this.

[Panzerjaeger]

Oh my God this is the most shocking thing I have ever read who could have possibly predicted this.

[Ifreann]

Not terribly surprising.

[Yootopia]

Stupid poor people have stupid poor people opinions shocker.

[The Corparation]

The poll, which has a 2.3 percent margin of error, found that 35 percent of the voters surveyed "strongly" or "somewhat" approve

The poll found 19 percent of all voters surveyed "strongly approve" of the tea party.

This doesn't make sense, 35 or 19?

[Nova Magna Germania]

Stupid poor people have stupid poor people opinions shocker.

Tea party isnt poor.

[Yootopia]

The poll, which has a 2.3 percent margin of error, found that 35 percent of the voters surveyed "strongly" or "somewhat" approve

The poll found 19 percent of all voters surveyed "strongly approve" of the tea party.

This doesn't make sense, 35 or 19?

16% of them somewhat approve of the tea party, 19% strongly approve of it...

[The Corparation]

The poll, which has a 2.3 percent margin of error, found that 35 percent of the voters surveyed "strongly" or "somewhat" approve

The poll found 19 percent of all voters surveyed "strongly approve" of the tea party.

This doesn't make sense, 35 or 19?

16% of them somewhat approve of the tea party, 19% strongly approve of it...

That clears things up.

[Vittos Ordination]

Stupid poor people have stupid poor people opinions shocker.

Tea party isnt poor.

Nor particularly stupid in relation to the general voting public.

[Xsyne]

Oh my God this is the most shocking thing I have ever read who could have possibly predicted this.

No, seriously, how could anyone suspect that there may be an undercurrent of racism and homophobia in the tea party?

[North Wiedna]

These people are an embarassment to right wingers everywhere.

[Dyakovo]

Stupid poor people have stupid poor people opinions shocker.

Tea party isnt poor.

Nor particularly stupid in relation to the general voting public.

Which says more about the general voting public than it does about the tea-baggers.

[Tokos]

Wow, White Americans don't like other races very much. Shocker.

[The Corparation]

Oh my God this is the most shocking thing I have ever read who could have possibly predicted this.

No, seriously, how could anyone suspect that there may be an undercurrent of racism and homophobia in the tea party?

Wow every letter is a link. How long did that take you?

[Port Arcana]

Wow, so teabaggers hate ethnic and gender minorities, what a shock. Sarcasm aside though, it is interesting to actually have this on data.

[Aeas]

Jezus, why does anyone actually take them seriously..? *sigh*

[South Norwega]

Jezus, why does anyone actually take them seriously..? *sigh*

Because there are so many of them?

[Coccygia]

Stupid poor people have stupid poor people opinions shocker.

Tea party isnt poor.

Nor particularly stupid in relation to the general voting public.

You could say the same about possums, which are at least edible.

[Gordonisia]

Not very shocking, but the actual facts are helpful

[Virtualila]

These people are an embarassment to right wingers everywhere.

Indeed. I can only imagine how much the neutral leaning right-wingers want to hide everytime the Tea Party is brought up.

Now, imagine if the US suddenly had to deal with the arrival of a far left-wing group as well. *shudder*

[Milks Empire]

Oh my God this is the most shocking thing I have ever read who could have possibly predicted this.

No, seriously, how could anyone suspect that there may be an undercurrent of racism and homophobia in the tea party?

Undercurrent?
...

More like rampant waterfall!

[The Adrian Empire]

For example, the survey asked voters if they support the law in Arizona that "requires police to question people they suspect are illegal immigrants for proof of legal status." The poll found 88 percent of voters who "strongly approve" of the Tea Party also support the Arizona law, compared to 52 percent of all voters surveyed.

Also, 52 percent of strong tea party supporters agreed with the statement that "compared to the size of their group, lesbians and gays have too much political power," compared to 25 percent of all voters surveyed.

This is saddening, I never thought the Tea Party was perfect, far from it, but this (especially in the first case) goes completely against the principles which they claim to espouse, they it seems are neo-cons in liberties clothing. Though I still consider them to be doing more harm then good.

They are right about the homosexuals though, for a very small percentage of the population (2% I think, forgive me if I am wrong) they tend to be one of the more vocal communities, and very powerful in the sway of left-leaning voters but that isn't really a bad thing, just an example of a political activism, they are certainly in the right to protest, their civil liberties are still far less then the average person. One might point out in response that Tea Partiers probably only represent a slightly larger population of the United States.

[American Capitalist]

I have to seriously wonder why the Republican Party hasn't disassociated from most tea parties. Better to get them out of the way now rather then dealing with the political problems in the future. Sure a million voters or so are a lot to lose but it's better to get rid of the nuts now rather then having to deal with their problems later.

I miss the Republican Party during the Clinton years back when it was Conservative and could actually make some what decent arguments. Maybe it's because I didn't see any thing they did during those years I mean I'm 17 so I don't really know much about that time.

The Tea Party is nothing more then the Rights version of the Anti-War movement only with less good music and a little less stupid.

[Virtualila]

:palm: I have to seriously wonder why the Republican Party hasn't disassociated from most tea parties. Better to get them out of the way now rather then dealing with the political problems in the future. Sure a million voters or so are a lot to lose but it's better to get rid of the nuts now rather then having to deal with their problems later.

I miss the Republican Party during the Clinton years back when it was Conservative and could actually make some what decent arguments.

Aye. While I lean to the left, I do often enjoy finding common ground with the right-wingers. After all, pure leftism, as well as pure rightism, is a very, very dreadful thing. When politicans on both sides of the spectrum work together, instead of scrapping with each other for the sake of partisan bickery, democracy is at its finest.

Unfortunately, the Republicans of the past decade have really drifted over to the far right, which makes finding middle ground difficult. I would love to see them drift back towards central-rightism. I really would.