posted on Dec, 7 2009 @ 09:46 PM
slate.com
One key to the success of the Tea Party movement is that no one has bothered to measure it. Democrats pump up Tea Partiers—or, in their
preferred nomenclature, tea baggers—as a fringe coalition of nativists and neo-Nazis taking over the Republican Party. Moderate Republicans dismiss
them as a small but vocal band of gripers. Conservative Republicans claim they're a vibrant cross-section of concerned Americans like you and me. The
argument, and the publicity, is endless, because no one knows how many Tea Partiers there are.
Until now. Rasmussen Reports took the first crack last week at measuring the strength of a third-party "Tea Party" candidate on a generic ballot,
and the results are in. "Suppose the Tea Party Movement organized itself as a political party," the survey asked. "When thinking about the next
election for Congress, would you vote for the Republican candidate from your district, the Democratic candidate from your district, or the Tea Party
candidate from your district?" Democrats led the way with 36 percent. Republicans pulled in 18 percent. And the Tea Party candidate got 23 percent.
The Democratic National Committee would like to point out that 23 is more than 18.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
As someone left of center, I look at the Tea Party movement as something of an amusement and a bemusement. I cannot take them seriously.
Seeing signs calling us "morans" (
sic) at Tea Party rallies and far crazier slogans doesn't help their image much.
I hope they do run a third party candidate next election though. It will split the Republican vote and leave the victory to the Democrats.
[edit on 7-12-2009 by Sestias]
[edit on 7-12-2009 by Sestias]