The Tea Party IS Mainstream America (regular, racist, 9/11, support)
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What demographics are outer fring people? Using the categories the article used. What numbers would draw you to conclude that the tea party was not mainstream?
First of all, I made reference right off the bat in my first post, that I know many tea partiers, and hear a lot of the tea party conversation. So, I have no reason to be confined by the categories used in the article. However, using those categories, first, tea partiers represent a cross-section age-wise and income-wise that doesn't stray too far from the overall demographics of Americans which suggests that statistically speaking, you're not getting outer-fringe people who would be much more distinct demographically. Moreover, there is the party affiliations reported in the poll. While the group is clearly drawn from the more conservative segment of Americans, it is not exclusively drawn from that segment, which suggests that there is some centrism at play, and that would not be the case if the tea party was some outer-fringe movement.
Me too. Angry gun carrying people who hold up 'Hilter' signs and shout about short-circuiting our peaceful transfer of power through elections are not who I picture when I envision mainstream Americans.
"Get ready to rumble"? Do I need to start cleaning our guns?
I don't remember seeing Hilter stuff relating to Bush. But I wouldn't have approved of that either. And furthermore, two wrongs don't make a right. Stupidity has to stop somewhere.
Oh, you mean lower taxes, stopping deficit spending, stop increasing the debt, smaller government, doing away with new multi-trillion dollar entitlements we can't pay for...that kind of extremism?
I was looking through a gallery of tea pary signs last night and found one that said, "Cut taxes, not defense". What a riot! How does the sign-bearer think defense is paid for!
First of all, I made reference right off the bat in my first post, that I know many tea partiers, and hear a lot of the tea party conversation. So, I have no reason to be confined by the categories used in the article. However, using those categories, first, tea partiers represent a cross-section age-wise and income-wise that doesn't stray too far from the overall demographics of Americans which suggests that statistically speaking, you're not getting outer-fringe people who would be much more distinct demographically. Moreover, there is the party affiliations reported in the poll. While the group is clearly drawn from the more conservative segment of Americans, it is not exclusively drawn from that segment, which suggests that there is some centrism at play, and that would not be the case if the tea party was some outer-fringe movement.
Well if one is using this poll as evidence that the tea party is mainstream, than why would one use different criteria to justify their conclusion? That being said, what income group or age group would imply that the party is a fringe party. Another words, any responses on this poll could be used to justify any group as mainstream. I mean it asks about gender and age. How is that a measurement of being on a fringe or not. That being said, the poll suggest that the tea party representation leans heavily towards older White non college educated conservatives. So if that is what the Op meant by mainstream, that his his opinion and he is entitled to it. I dont' think anyone found these results to be surprising.
Well if one is using this poll as evidence that the tea party is mainstream, than why would one use different criteria to justify their conclusion? That being said, what income group or age group would imply that the party is a fringe party. Another words, any responses on this poll could be used to justify any group as mainstream. I mean it asks about gender and age. How is that a measurement of being on a fringe or not. That being said, the poll suggest that the tea party representation leans heavily towards older White non college educated conservatives. So if that is what the Op meant by mainstream, that his his opinion and he is entitled to it. I dont' think anyone found these results to be surprising.
Fringe groups are by their very nature small. If it's a large movement, it means that many people subscribe to its ideology, and that removes a movement from the political fringes of our society. Fringe groups also rarely mirror the demographics of a society as a whole. Because of their small size, they tend to be focused within small demographics. In fact, sociologically speaking, fringe groups tend to be dominated by men, in the 20-35 age demographic. When you have an older demographic, especially in an aging society like the United States, it's very hard to ascribe "fringe" status to that group.
The poll tells us that the tea party is comprised overwhelming of older white conservative non college educated members. This is their idea of America. No mention of minorities, college eduated, or young people. Which is really at the heart of the tea party movement. If anything this tells us what the OP views at as "mainstream"
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