MaxedOutMama
Monday, April 05, 2010
Death Of Another Narrative
Gallup looks at the Tea Party demographics:
Almost no statistically significant differences except for white/black. The suggestion is that hispanics incline a bit more to the Tea Party overall. There's more at the link. The most notable stuff is not the Tea Party stats, but the total population stats. With the largest single bloc calling themselves "conservative" (40%), one senses a seismic shift. "Moderates" come in at 38%. "Liberals" are a wussy 21%. In terms of party affiliation, Independents win hands down at 40%. There is also the clear implication that the GOP fouled its nest for some time to come with its recent misdeeds, because 70% of Tea Party supporters call themselves conservatives, but more than half of the Tea Party supporters call themselves Democratic or Independent.
SW looks at the "racist tea-swilling ranters" meme. Only the media and those who deeply desire the reassurance of the concept can believe in it.
Ann Althouse has a post with a link to a Rasmussen poll. In contrast to the Gallup poll, the Rasmussen poll is focused on the voting population, which is somewhere around 53-56% of the adult population. I found the recent Rasmussen segmentation of the voting population very suggestive, although I am somewhat skeptical due to the book-pushing element. But the information about the "political class" does make sense demographically.
One of the vectors pushing the entire Tea Party movement are the concerns of small businesses, aka Main Street America. Another vector appears to be conservative dissatisfaction with the GOP's free-spending ways. Another is the stark terror (induced by our ballooning deficit) in all those who have had life experience in making the numbers add up. Logically, if one is dependent on the government for some essential functions (and who isn't?), then one really, really wants the government to be functional. And if you can't make it functional, you want it out of your way.
IMO journalists are so prejudiced against the Tea Party movement purely because it is not of their making and has sprung into existence below their radar and without their imprimatur. It is like a mirror held up to the MSM that refuses to show them any reflection without the aura of futility with which they are now enshrouded. They attempt to shatter it out of self-defense.
Afterthought: But not all journalists are playing the game. See Samuelson:
And another: This SFGate article on the debt and our currently inane policies points out the problem; our political debate is concentrated on avoiding the reality rather than figuring out how to cope with it. This one whales away at both the GOP and the Dems for trying to bamboozle the public. We are headed straight toward the deficit wall, and virtually our entire political establishment is pretending that we aren't. Is it any wonder that something like the Tea Party has emerged?
I shall not post again until I finish the gizmo to show why Mark's approach has validity.
Almost no statistically significant differences except for white/black. The suggestion is that hispanics incline a bit more to the Tea Party overall. There's more at the link. The most notable stuff is not the Tea Party stats, but the total population stats. With the largest single bloc calling themselves "conservative" (40%), one senses a seismic shift. "Moderates" come in at 38%. "Liberals" are a wussy 21%. In terms of party affiliation, Independents win hands down at 40%. There is also the clear implication that the GOP fouled its nest for some time to come with its recent misdeeds, because 70% of Tea Party supporters call themselves conservatives, but more than half of the Tea Party supporters call themselves Democratic or Independent.
SW looks at the "racist tea-swilling ranters" meme. Only the media and those who deeply desire the reassurance of the concept can believe in it.
Ann Althouse has a post with a link to a Rasmussen poll. In contrast to the Gallup poll, the Rasmussen poll is focused on the voting population, which is somewhere around 53-56% of the adult population. I found the recent Rasmussen segmentation of the voting population very suggestive, although I am somewhat skeptical due to the book-pushing element. But the information about the "political class" does make sense demographically.
One of the vectors pushing the entire Tea Party movement are the concerns of small businesses, aka Main Street America. Another vector appears to be conservative dissatisfaction with the GOP's free-spending ways. Another is the stark terror (induced by our ballooning deficit) in all those who have had life experience in making the numbers add up. Logically, if one is dependent on the government for some essential functions (and who isn't?), then one really, really wants the government to be functional. And if you can't make it functional, you want it out of your way.
IMO journalists are so prejudiced against the Tea Party movement purely because it is not of their making and has sprung into existence below their radar and without their imprimatur. It is like a mirror held up to the MSM that refuses to show them any reflection without the aura of futility with which they are now enshrouded. They attempt to shatter it out of self-defense.
Afterthought: But not all journalists are playing the game. See Samuelson:
My argument was that politics increasingly devotes itself to making people feel good about themselves -- elevating their sense of self-worth and affirming their belief in their moral superiority. By contrast, the standard view of politics is that it mediates conflicting interests and ideas.I disagree with Samuelson often enough to enjoy reading him. I never find his writing superficial.
And another: This SFGate article on the debt and our currently inane policies points out the problem; our political debate is concentrated on avoiding the reality rather than figuring out how to cope with it. This one whales away at both the GOP and the Dems for trying to bamboozle the public. We are headed straight toward the deficit wall, and virtually our entire political establishment is pretending that we aren't. Is it any wonder that something like the Tea Party has emerged?
I shall not post again until I finish the gizmo to show why Mark's approach has validity.
Comments:
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I find the debasement of our language a serious problem in trying to discuss what is going on."Liberal" used to mean someone who believed in individual rights and limited government,and good grief,Barry Goldwater was the arch conservative!Neither of our current political parties shows any faith in the Rule of Law or respect for the Constitution let alone the wishes or needs of the populace.
# posted by 
: 12:06 PM
: 12:06 PM
There is at least one Republican who is facing the fiscal problems head on. This speech by Congressman Paul Ryan is long, but worth the time:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/04/02/should_america_bid_farewell_to_exceptional_freedom.html
His Roadmap for America makes some sense, too. The numbers may not actually add up, but it at least proposes a way ahead rather than spend, spend, spend.
See it here:
http://www.house.gov/ryan/RoadmapSummary.pdf
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/04/02/should_america_bid_farewell_to_exceptional_freedom.html
His Roadmap for America makes some sense, too. The numbers may not actually add up, but it at least proposes a way ahead rather than spend, spend, spend.
See it here:
http://www.house.gov/ryan/RoadmapSummary.pdf
# posted by : 2:40 PM
: 2:40 PM
The more interesting info would be their geographic location. If its two here and there then its political impact is very small but its my guess that this movement is heavy on the social conservative side so it might have the largest impact on the South.
politics increasingly devotes itself to making people feel good about themselves -- elevating their sense of self-worth and affirming their belief in their moral superiority
Public schools have been pushing self-esteem over learning for 25 years. It should surprise anyone that when those pupils became adults they would have the same attitude in regards to politics/government.
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Public schools have been pushing self-esteem over learning for 25 years. It should surprise anyone that when those pupils became adults they would have the same attitude in regards to politics/government.
# posted by : 8:06 AM
: 8:06 AM << Home
