Typical Teabagger is White, Male, Educated, Married, and Affluent

[Frodo]

Poll Finds Tea Party Backers Wealthier and More Educated

By KATE ZERNIKE and MEGAN THEE-BRENAN
Published: April 14, 2010
 
Tea party supporters are wealthier and more well-educated than the general public, tend to be Republican, white, male, and married, and their strong opposition to the Obama administration is more rooted in political ideology than anxiety about their personal economic situation, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

The 18 percent of Americans who identify themselves as Tea Party supporters look like Republicans in many ways, but they hold more conservative views on a range of issues and tend to be older than Republicans generally. They are also more likely than Republicans as a whole to describe themselves as “very conservative” and President Obama as “very liberal.”

And while most Republicans say they are “dissatisfied” with Washington, Tea Party supporters are more likely to classify themselves as “angry.”

Speculation and anecdotal evidence have often taken the place of concrete data about who supports the Tea Party movement, and the poll offers some surprising findings.

In some ways, Tea Party supporters look like the general public. For instance, despite their allusions to Revolutionary War-era tax protesters, most describe the amount they paid in taxes this year as “fair.” Most send their children to public schools, do not think Sarah Palin is qualified to be president, and, despite their push for smaller government, think that Social Security and Medicare are worth the cost. They are actually more likely than the general public to have returned their census forms, despite some conservative leaders urging a boycott.

Their fierce animosity toward Washington, and the president in particular, is rooted in deep pessimism about the direction of the country and the conviction that the policies of the Obama administration are disproportionately directed at helping the poor rather than the middle class or the rich.

The overwhelming majority of Tea Party supporters say Mr. Obama does not share the values most Americans live by, and that he does not understand the problems of people like themselves. More than half say the policies of the administration favor the poor, and 25 percent, compared with 11 percent of the general public, think that the administration favors blacks over whites. They are more likely than the general public, and Republicans, to say that too much has been made of the problems facing black people.

Asked what they are angry about, Tea Party supporters offered three main concerns: the recent health care overhaul, government spending, and a feeling that their opinions are not represented in Washington.

[HappyWarrior]

Really?  Who would have ever imagined?

[paul718]

Really?  Who would have ever imagined?

Are you being sarcastic?  I thought the common opinion was that the Tea Partiers are uneducated and/or poor.

[Free Palestine]

How terrible that educated white people are here in America!

[HappyWarrior]

Really?  Who would have ever imagined?

Are you being sarcastic?  I thought the common opinion was that the Tea Partiers are uneducated and/or poor.

I am being sarcastic, but most of these people are just jackasses who don't know anything better and business owners are more likely to have a problem with regulations.

[memphis]

Best part of the article is the end:

Some defended being on Social Security while fighting big government by saying that since they had paid into the system, they deserved the benefits.

Others could not explain the contradiction.

“That’s a conundrum, isn’t it?” asked Jodine White, 62, of Rocklin, Calif. “ I don’t know what to say. Maybe I don’t want smaller government. I guess I want smaller government and my Social Security.” She added, “I didn’t look at it from the perspective of losing things I need. I think I’ve changed my mind.”

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

Best part of the article is the end:

Some defended being on Social Security while fighting big government by saying that since they had paid into the system, they deserved the benefits.

Others could not explain the contradiction.

“That’s a conundrum, isn’t it?” asked Jodine White, 62, of Rocklin, Calif. “ I don’t know what to say. Maybe I don’t want smaller government. I guess I want smaller government and my Social Security.” She added, “I didn’t look at it from the perspective of losing things I need. I think I’ve changed my mind.”

Sorry, but the first group who actually had explanations is correct. The idea that people who are forced to pay taxes should then voluntarily refuse the services they themselves paid for is laughable.

[Sewer]

Educated?

[memphis]

It's not so much that people who've paid into a system shouldn't receive benefits. It's that it hasn't even occurred to many people who are protesting "big government" that they are dependent upon services the government offers

[Vepres]

It's not so much that people who've paid into a system shouldn't receive benefits. It's that it hasn't even occurred to many people who are protesting "big government" that they are dependent upon services the government offers

Protesting big gov't =/= anarchist just as advocating for universal healthcare =/= socialist.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Reminds me of that teabagger mentioned protesting Obama's visit somewhere who was listed as a FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE.

[memphis]

It's not so much that people who've paid into a system shouldn't receive benefits. It's that it hasn't even occurred to many people who are protesting "big government" that they are dependent upon services the government offers

Protesting big gov't =/= anarchist just as advocating for universal healthcare =/= socialist.

Did I ever say these people were anarchists? What I'm saying is that many people who are protesting the"big government" haven't even considered all that they benefit from the government.

[Vepres]

It's not so much that people who've paid into a system shouldn't receive benefits. It's that it hasn't even occurred to many people who are protesting "big government" that they are dependent upon services the government offers

Protesting big gov't =/= anarchist just as advocating for universal healthcare =/= socialist.

Did I ever say these people were anarchists? What I'm saying is that many people who are protesting the"big government" haven't even considered all that they benefit from the government.

You can support, say, paved roads and public schools and still think government is too big in other areas.

[dead0man]

Dontchaknow?  Everything is black and whte.

[opebo]

Ok, I have to say I find it funny that any affluent person would be that stupid, but even funnier that any affluent person would actually go out and do such nonsense as go to meetings and protests.

The fact that they're affluent and still doing such things is the best evidence so far that they are unhinged.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The top income tax rate in Germany in 1941 was 13.7%. I'm sure they would have approved. This compares to 81% in the US.
 

[memphis]

It's not so much that people who've paid into a system shouldn't receive benefits. It's that it hasn't even occurred to many people who are protesting "big government" that they are dependent upon services the government offers

Protesting big gov't =/= anarchist just as advocating for universal healthcare =/= socialist.

Did I ever say these people were anarchists? What I'm saying is that many people who are protesting the"big government" haven't even considered all that they benefit from the government.

You can support, say, paved roads and public schools and still think government is too big in other areas.

What I'm saying is that many of these people rail against "big government" without even realizing that they are the beneficiaries of governement largess. When you point this out the response is either "oh, I deserve it" or "I've never even thought about it before" Not even the tea partiers are going after the biggest parts of the budget (military, Medicare, Social security). The whole act is a farce and many of the participants don't even realize it.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I'm a teabagger? (I'm not affluent, just comfy)

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

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lulz

[King]

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lulz

I wonder how many would be educated without DeVry and the University of Phoenix.

[The Mikado]

I'm a teabagger? (I'm not affluent, just comfy)

Do you fantasize about teabagging the President or Members (so to speak) of Congress?  If not, you're not a teabagger.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I'm a teabagger? (I'm not affluent, just comfy)

Do you fantasize about teabagging the President or Members (so to speak) of Congress?  If not, you're not a teabagger.

Whew, what a relief.  Thanks, pal.