Thursday, April 15, 2010

Just angry about uh, something

Thers already summed up the Teaparty movement earlier, but let us just look at a snippet of a detailed poll of the loud, angry, and over-covered (we all remember the detailed polling of the anti-war movement right?):

...in follow-up interviews, Tea Party supporters said they did not want to cut Medicare or Social Security — the biggest domestic programs, suggesting instead a focus on “waste.”

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.”


So, maybe Obama isn't a Socialist Muslim? Surely, this woman needs a chalk-board to reaffirm her prejudices, this thinking stuff is discomforting.

But the important thing is they're real Americans and you aren't, as Digby noted,

Regardless of your overall opinion, do you think the views of the people in the tea party movement generally reflect the views of most Americans?

84% of the self-identified teabaggers said yes. Only 25% of the general public agreed.


[cross-posted at Firedoglake]

4 comments:

StonyPillow said...

I’m concerned about methodology. Phone surveys underrepresent people who have thrown out their phones because they emit gummint thought control waves.

Phone surveys also underrepresent those who are taking mind-altering drugs to control their rage, as well as those who are too drunk to answer the phone, or too busy beating the children like the Bible says.

Second, they didn’t take into account that most self-respecting teabaggers will hang up on somebody who says they’re from the New York Times or CBS just on principle. Either that, or they’ll shoot the phone like some varmint.

A miserable example of how not to do a poll.

Anonymous said...

They should've asked, "Do you think people in the tea party movement have mental health issues?" and offered the following mental health checklist:

1- Fetus fetish?
2- Gun fetish?
3- Tax fetish?
4- Socialism fetish?
5- Homophobia?
6- Confederate flag fetish?

If you answered "yes" to all the above--- congratulations! You are a total fucking lunatic!

-Privatize the Profits! Socialize the Costs!

DanF said...

A tiny point, but it disproportionately bugged me: Their responses are like the general public’s in many ways. Most describe the amount they paid in taxes this year as “fair.” Most send their children to public schools. A plurality do not think Sarah Palin is qualified to be president [...]

According to an ABC poll from this February, 70% of Americans don't think Palin is qualified to be President. Amongst the tea baggery, they can only summon up a plurality - and depending upon the size of the "undecideds" that can be a rather tiny number. That is decidedly not like the general public.

pansypoo said...

of courser not AN ALL QUIZZED ABOUT WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF GEORGEE'S SPENDING.
sorry, unless they were unhappy then, they have to STFU now.