Tea Party less popular than atheists and Muslims

[one...two...tree 2,762]

In an op-ed article in the New York Times, Robert D. Putnam, a professor of public policy at Harvard, and David E. Campbell, a political scientist at Notre Dame, say they have collected data indicating that the tea party is "less popular than much maligned groups like 'atheists' and 'Muslims.'" But Campbell says the tea party was really an afterthought in their research.

"We didn't go into this study to look at the tea party," Campbell said in an interview with The Ticket.

The professors were following up on research they conducted in 2006 and 2007 for their book "American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us" and decided to add the tea party and atheists to their list of survey queries. By going back to many of the same respondents, the professors gleaned several interesting facts about the tea party.

One of their more surprising findings, Campbell concedes, (and one drawing national attention) is that the tea party drew a lower approval rating than Muslims and atheists. That put the tea party below 23 other entries--including Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, Republicans and Democrats--that the professors included on their survey of "a representative sample of 3,000 Americans."

By examining which respondents became supporters of the tea party, Campbell and Putnam's survey "casts doubt on the tea party's 'origin story,' " they write in the Times--though, in fairness, it's perhaps difficult to generalize on the movement's origins from a poll sample of 3,000 respondents.

Early tea partiers were described as "nonpartisan political neophytes," Campbell and Putnam write, but their findings showed that tea partiers were "highly partisan Republicans" who were more likely than others to have contacted government officials.

"They are overwhelmingly white, but even compared to other white Republicans, they had a low regard for immigrants and blacks long before Barack Obama was president, and they still do," they went on.

In addition to being socially conservative, the study found a close tie between religion and the tea party, whose supporters seek out "deeply religious" elected officials.

"This helps to explain why candidates like Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry are just as much about the public presentation of themselves as religious people as fiscal conservatives," Campbell told The Ticket.

Campbell said Tuesday that he does not regard his research as politically motivated. "I don't have a particular dog in this or any other political fight," he said.

"We actually didn't go into this study primarily to look at the tea party," he told the Ticket. "The primary purpose of the study is to update what we learned about religion in America."

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/survey-surprising-finding-tea-party-less-popular-atheists-160220531.html

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

The Party of Tea still polled higher than the Party of God, but not as high as the Party of Five. :wacko:

Edited August 17, 2011 by IR5FORMUMSIE

[Robert&Karen 264]

Saying the entire tea party is bad is like saying all muslims are bad.

[scandal 951]

Saying the entire tea party is bad is like saying all muslims are bad.

How about this.

I would say that angry people shouting and yelling and believing they've got Absolute Truth on their side, and that those who are not in their camp have no truth on their side, and who are not willing to listen to another point of view, are bad.

It's my perception that this statement applies to many, if not a majority, of the Tea Party members.

It's my perception that it applies to a minority of Muslims.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

How about this.

I would say that angry people shouting and yelling and believing they've got Absolute Truth on their side, and that those who are not in their camp have no truth on their side, and who are not willing to listen to another point of view, are bad.

It's my perception that this statement applies to many, if not a majority, of the Tea Party members.

It's my perception that it applies to a minority of Muslims.

Only a Sith deals in absolutes.

Saying the entire tea party is bad is like saying all muslims are bad.

I like a garden party better.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Good news for Obama, he doesn't have to worry about them at all.

[Robert&Karen 264]

How about this.

I would say that angry people shouting and yelling and believing they've got Absolute Truth on their side, and that those who are not in their camp have no truth on their side, and who are not willing to listen to another point of view, are bad.

You must hate those loud car dealer commercials too. :-)

Anyone who fails to listen to all viewpoints has their head in the sand. Religions are the perfect example. As for loudmouths, we see what the press airs. I know loud muslims and quiet tea partiers. There are no absolutes. It's easy to give tea partiers bad press the same way it is to disparage gun owners, absent dads, and illegal immigrants.

[mawilson 2,133]

It's my perception that this statement applies to many, if not a majority, of the Tea Party members.

And you know this how?

[Ironman140 45]

Keep drinking the kook/ kool aid

LoL

How about this.

I would say that angry people shouting and yelling and believing they've got Absolute Truth on their side, and that those who are not in their camp have no truth on their side, and who are not willing to listen to another point of view, are bad.

It's my perception that this statement applies to many, if not a majority, of the Tea Party members.

It's my perception that it applies to a minority of Muslims.

[^_^ 5,021]

I would say that angry people shouting and yelling and believing they've got Absolute Truth on their side, and that those who are not in their camp have no truth on their side, and who are not willing to listen to another point of view, are bad.

It's my perception that this statement applies to many, if not a majority, of the Tea Party members.

And you know this how?

Does the phrase "it's my perception" confuse you?

[The_Dude 1,142]

Keep drinking the kook/ kool aid

LoL

Do the country a favor and make sure the koolaid that the teabaggers are drinking comes from Jim Jones' batch

[mawilson 2,133]

Does the phrase "it's my perception" confuse you?

Perceptions come from personal experiences.

[^_^ 5,021]

Perceptions come from personal experiences.

Very good. So now you know where his perceptions came from

[mawilson 2,133]

Very good. So now you know where his perceptions came from

No, I don't. That's why I asked the question. "And you know this how?"

[The_Dude 1,142]

Perceptions come from personal experiences.