Now, MeanMesa has already spent "plenty of typewriter ink" discussing just how important it is to the corporate media frauds to sell every issue as a two-sided "burning question of the day." Their grotesque inflation of the tiny Tea Bag "movement" to what they feverishly hope will come to be considered a Potent Third Party should not surprise anyone.
After all, it is precisely these same sham artists who encourage unchallenged statements from their Republican Party Masters during interviews -- you know, Senator McChinless screeching out that "Thu 'Merican people has spoke! They hate this thing!" and the like.
Well, CBS and the New York Times have taken the effort to conduct a fairly rational opinion poll -- one in which Tea Bag opinions have been explored even more fully than they possibly deserve, given their miniscule demographics. Naturally, MeanMesa, an incredibly objective seeker of all things possibly interesting (Oh, all right. We can add "for the inquiring mind..."), felt obliged to present their poll's findings. They are cited here (below) directly from the report.
However, first, please enjoy an anaesthetic moment of comic relief. The photo of the autocrat in all his insipid, smiling splendor is provided from the Huffington Post.
George W. Bush is back...in billboard form. Hovering over I-35 near Wyoming, Minn., is an ominous/how'd-anyone-take-him-seriously pic of the former president with the question, "Miss Me Yet?"
There have been no reports as to who is behind the billboard. For all we know Bush put it up after finding a picture of himself as he was about to catch a hamburger at a barbecue. (via NPR)
UPDATE: Morphyne.com is taking credit for the billboard claiming they spent only $1,200 for the ad space.
Read the whole Huffington story here.
Read the entire story of the CBS/NYT poll here.
CBS NEWS/NY TIMES POLL
For release: Thursday,
February 11th, 2010
6:30 PM (EST)
6:30 PM (EST)
THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT
February 5-10th, 2010
February 5-10th, 2010
Americans who call themselves supporters of the Tea Party movement express strong levels of anger toward Washington generally, and great personal antipathy toward President Barack Obama specifically. They are more likely to call themselves Republicans than independents.
Despite those strong views, for most Americans the movement remains relatively unknown: most haven’t heard of the Tea Party, and those who have are still unsure about its stances.
Americans who call themselves “Tea Party members” in this poll:
• Mostly consider themselves Republicans – not independents - and most view the Republican Party favorably (62%).
• Are overwhelmingly negative about President Obama personally (80%); Americans overall are more favorable.
• Are more likely to think President Obama is working mainly on behalf of the poor, and not the middle class.
• Express nearly three times more anger toward Washington (45%) than Americans overall (17%).
• Are more likely to believe President Obama has already raised taxes, while most Americans do not.
WHO ARE THE TEA PARTIERS?
Tea Party identifiers hold an overwhelmingly negative opinion of President Obama, while Americans overall are slightly positive about him personally, even if not all of them approve of his job performance.
VIEWS OF PRESIDENT OBAMA
............................All Tea Partiers......
Favorable..........39% 11%
Unfavorable......34 80
Undecided/
haven’t heard...25 9
Tea Partiers also express much higher anger toward the government in Washington. Compared to Americans overall, nearly three times as many say they feel angry about the government.
FEELINGS TOWARD GOVERNMENT IN WASHINGTON
............................................All Tea Partiers
Enthusiastic/satisfied......29% 9%
Dissatisfied.......................53 46
Angry.................................17 45
Enthusiastic/satisfied......29% 9%
Dissatisfied.......................53 46
Angry.................................17 45
One-third of Tea Party identifiers think the Obama administration favors the poor, compared to just 18% of all Americans. About half of all Americans think President Obama is working for the middle class or all classes equally.
THINK THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION FAVORS…
..........................................All Tea Partiers
The poor..........................18% 33%
The middle class............24 10
The rich............................22 24
Treats all equal...............25 17
Most Tea Partiers hold favorable views of the Republican Party (62%); they are nearly twice as positive as Americans overall (35%). And Tea Partiers are much less favorable about the Democrats (9%) compared to Americans overall (42%).
FAVORABLE RATINGS OF DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN PARTIES
................................................................All Tea Partiers
Favorable view of Democrats............42% 9%
Favorable view of Republicans........ 35 62
RATINGS OF CONGRESS
All Tea Partiers
Approve 15% 18%
Disapprove 75 77
GOVERNMENT IS RUN…
All Tea Partiers
By a few big interests 78% 92%
For benefit of all people 18 4
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FEDERAL DEFICIT?
All Tea Partiers
Bush admin. 41% 16%
Obama admin. 7 19
Congress 24 33
All 10 15
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HAS ALREADY…
All Tea Partiers
Raised taxes 24% 44%
Lowered taxes 12 2
Kept taxes same 53 46
In one difference on economic policy, Tea Party supporters (and many Republicans) express greater opposition to the idea of more bank regulations, while most Americans are in favor of increased regulations.
SHOULD BANK REGULATIONS BE INCREASED?
All Tea Partiers
Yes 56% 42%
No 36 48
TEA PARTY IDENTIFICATION BY REGION
All Americans Tea Partiers
Northeast 23% 16%
South 32 37
Midwest 22 19
West 24 29
Tea Party identifiers are overwhelmingly white -- 95% are white, compared to 77% of Americans.
Tea Party members’ income and education is comparable to that of all Americans: they are as likely to have college educations (26%) and earn over $50,000 per year (51%) as Americans overall.
THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT AND AMERICANS OVERALL
A majority of Americans still say they do not know much about the Tea Party movement; more than half say they have heard not much or nothing about it.
HOW MUCH HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT TEA PARTY MOVEMENT?
A lot 18%
Some 27
Not much/none 55
HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT TEA PARTY POSITIONS?
(Among those who’ve heard of Tea Party)A lot 19%
Some 41
Not much/none 40
The Tea Party movement gets mixed reviews from those who have at least heard of it, but more than half are still unsure. Republicans who’ve heard about it have favorable views of the Tea Party movement, but even many Republicans aren’t sure.
OPINIONS OF THE TEA PARTY
(Among those who’ve heard of Tea Party)
All Reps Dems Inds
Favorable 26% 42% 3% 30%
Unfavorable 20 2 47 14
Undecided/unsure 54 56 50 56
Among those who’ve heard of the Tea Party movement, only a third thinks it reflects the views of most Americans. 21% aren’t sure.
DOES THE TEA PARTY REFLECT MOST AMERICANS?
(Among those who’ve heard of Tea Party)Yes 33%
No 42
Don’t know 21
However, 36% of those who’ve heard of it say they generally agree with the Tea Party movement’s positions on issues; including 60% of Republicans.
Overall, less than one in five Americans considers themselves a “member” of the Tea Party. (This is a self-identification not related to whether they have attended any rallies or events.) Tea Party ranks are dominated by Republicans: one-third of all the Republicans in this poll identify themselves as Tea Party members, as do one in five independents.
DO YOU THINK OF YOURSELF AS A TEA PARTY MEMBER?
All Reps Dems Inds
Yes 18% 35% 2% 19%
No 39 26 52 37
Don’t know/
Haven’t heard of it 43 39 46 44
_____________________________________________________________________This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1084 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone February 5-10, 2010. Phone numbers were dialed from random digit dial samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.
This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
CBS NEWS/NEW YORK TIMES POLL
The Tea Party Movement
February 5-10, 2010
q11 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?
Total Tea Party Supporters
Approve 15% 18%
Disapprove 75 77
DK/NA 10 5
("DK/NA" = "don't know /or/ no answer")
("DK/NA" = "don't know /or/ no answer")
q14 Is your opinion of Barack Obama favorable, not favorable, undecided, or haven't you heard enough about Barack Obama yet to have an opinion?
Total Tea Party Supporters
Favorable 39% 11%
Not favorable 34 80
Undecided 19 8
Haven't heard enough 6 1
Refused 2 0
q29 Which comes closest to your feelings about the way things are going in Washington -- enthusiastic, satisfied but not enthusiastic, dissatisfied but not angry, or angry?
Total Tea Party Supporters
Enthusiastic 3% 2%
Satisfied, not enthusiastic 26 7
Dissatisfied but not angry 53 46
Angry 17 45
DK/NA 1 0
q30 Would you say the government is pretty much run by a few big interests looking out for themselves, or that it is run for the benefit of all the people?
Total Tea Party Supporters
Few big interests 78% 92%
All people 18 4
DK/NA 4 4
q36 Who do you think is mostly to blame for the federal budget deficit -- 1. the Bush administration, 2. the Obama administration, 3. Congress, or 4. someone else?
Total Tea Party Supporters
Bush administration 41% 16%
Obama administration 7 19
Congress 24 33
Someone else 10 8
All of the above (vol.) 10 15
("vol" = "voluntary response")
("vol" = "voluntary response")
Combination (vol.) 7 8
DK/NA 1 1
q40 In general, is your opinion of the Republican Party favorable or not favorable?
Total Tea Party Supporters
Favorable 35% 62%
Not favorable 57 34
DK/NA 8 4
q41 In general, is your opinion of the Democratic Party favorable or not favorable?
Total Tea Party Supporters
Favorable 42% 9%
Not favorable 51 89
DK/NA 7 2
q62 In general, do you think the policies of the Obama Administration favor the rich, favor the middle class, favor the poor, or do they treat all groups equally?
Total Tea Party Supporters
Favor the rich 22% 24%
Favor the middle class 24 10
Favor the poor 18 33
Treat all equally 25 17
DK/NA 11 16
q67 So far, do you think the Obama Administration has increased taxes for most Americans, decreased taxes for most Americans, or have they kept taxes the same for most Americans?
Total Tea Party Supporters
Increased 24% 44%
Decreased 12 2
Kept the same 53 46
DK/NA 11 8
q77 When it comes to government regulation of banks and financial institutions, which comes closer to your opinion: 1. The government should increase regulations on these institutions now to help prevent more financial crises from happening again in the future, OR 2. The government should NOT increase regulations on these institutions now, because that will discourage private investors and slow down economic growth.
Total Tea Party Supporters
Should increase regulations 56% 42%
Should not increase 36 48
DK/NA 8 10
q88 How much have you heard or read about the Tea Party movement -- a lot, some, not much or nothing at all yet?
Total Rep Dem Ind
A lot 18% 20% 19% 17%
Some 27 28 25 27
Not much 21 22 19 22
Nothing 34 29 37 34
DK/NA 0 1 0 0
q89 How much do you know about what the Tea Party movement stands for -- lot, some, not much or nothing at all?
(AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE HEARD OF THE TEA PARTY)
Total Rep Dem Ind
A lot 19% 20% 16% 22%
Some 41 47 42 36
Not much 28 28 27 28
Nothing at all 12 5 15 14
DK/NA 0 0 0 0
q90 Is your opinion of the Tea Party movement favorable, not favorable, undecided, or haven't you heard enough about the Tea Party movement yet to have an opinion?
Total Rep Dem Ind
Favorable 26% 42% 3% 30%
Not favorable 20 2 47 14
Undecided 18 25 12 17
Haven't heard enough 36 31 38 39
Refused 0 0 0 0
Not favorable 20 2 47 14
Undecided 18 25 12 17
Haven't heard enough 36 31 38 39
Refused 0 0 0 0
q91 Regardless of your opinion, do you think the views of the people involved in the Tea Party movement generally reflect the views of most Americans, or not?
Total Rep Dem Ind
Reflect most Americans 33% 51% 6% 38%
Do not reflect Americans 42 21 69 38
Both/Some (vol.) 4 10 2 1
DK/NA 21 18 23 23
q92 Do you think the Tea Party movement has too much influence, too little influence, or the right amount of influence in the Republican Party?
Total Rep Dem Ind
Too much 21% 5% 47% 15%
Too little 21 31 9 23
Right amount 29 39 15 31
DK/NA 29 25 29 31
q93 Do you think the Tea Party movement will make the Republican Party stronger, will make the Republican Party weaker or will it have no effect on the Republican Party?
Total Rep Dem Ind
Stronger 30% 51% 15% 26%
Weaker 16 7 24 16
No effect 30 25 34 32
DK/NA 24 17 27 26
q94 From what you have heard or read, would you say you generally agree or disagree with the Tea Party movement's positions on most social and political issues?
Total Rep Dem Ind
Agree 36% 60% 9% 39%
Disagree 34 16 64 26
DK/NA 30 24 27 35
Total Rep Dem Ind
Yes 18% 35% 2% 19%
No 39 26 52 37
DK/NA/Haven’t heard 43 39 46 44
UNWEIGHTED WEIGHTED MARGIN OF ERROR
Total Respondents 1084 3 pts.
Tea Party Supporters 214 198 7 pts.
NOTE: The last portion of the poll presented above has been abbreviated to include only some of the more interesting responses. For example, the "q95" notation indicates "question 95."
Please "stay tuned" for Part Two of this series which should be posted very soon. In the meantime, just consider the prospects of what might happen if this crowd can actually dupe enough "information challenged" voters into electing their candidates.
Thanks for visiting MeanMesa!
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