USA Today attempts to define the Tea Partiers.
They deny that bigotry or rejections of Obama because of his race are part of the movement’s appeal, a perception fueled by YouTube videos showing racist signs at some Tea Party rallies. Even so, they do have a distinctive perspective on race.
Those who embrace the Tea Party movement are much less likely than others to see discrimination as a threat to the nation’s future and a hurdle for minorities. More than three in four say racial minorities have equal job opportunities; half of non-Tea Party supporters agree. They overwhelmingly reject the notion that economic disparities between blacks and whites are mainly the result of discrimination.
Nearly half say blacks lag in jobs, income and housing “because most African Americans just don’t have the motivation or willpower to pull themselves up out of poverty.” One-third of non-supporters agree.
Tea Party supporters are much less sympathetic than others to illegal immigrants. By 4-to-1, they say illegal immigrants in the long run cost taxpayers too much by using government services rather than becoming productive citizens. That view is hardly out of the mainstream, though — it’s held by 52% of those who are not Tea Party supporters.
And, yes, they are Republicans.
Most Tea Party supporters are Republicans or Republican-leaning independents, but that doesn’t mean all Republicans share their views. Their conflict, apparent in some primaries this year that pitted establishment candidates against Tea Party challengers, could signal a battle ahead for the soul of the GOP.
Among Republicans, 57% identify themselves as Tea Party supporters; 38% do not — and the two groups have distinctly different views. Non-Tea Party Republicans are twice as likely to cite the environment as an extremely or very serious danger to the country’s future, for example, and much less likely to see the size and power of the federal government as a dire threat.
Another big difference between them helps explain the Tea Party’s muscular influence in the party: An overwhelming 73% of Tea Party Republicans say they are more enthusiastic about voting this year than usual. Half as many, 36%, of non-Tea Party Republicans feel that way.
Think black people are lazy. Really dislike immigrants. Don’t give a crap about the environment. Is it any wonder we are dismissive of their views and complaints?
