Tea Party now more unpopular than Muslims, atheists

[The Man]

Honestly, I can't say I'm surprised. The study also reveals that, as expected, the Tea Party are mostly not political neophytes but just conservative Republicans, and also indicates that people are becoming more opposed to the mixing of religion and politics.

[AynMisesLibertarian]

I think "communists" would top the char,but it was not a option

[Watser?]

Of course not. Neither was Manichean.

[LadyShea]

So what do Tea Partiers have in common? They are overwhelmingly white, but even compared to other white Republicans, they had a low regard for immigrants and blacks long before Barack Obama was president, and they still do.

OMG, who could have possibly known before now that the Tea Party was largely racist?

[Ari]

'So what do Tea Partiers have in common? They are overwhelmingly white, but even compared to other white Republicans, they had a low regard for immigrants and blacks long before Barack Obama was president, and they still do. '

But they totally have a black friend, so it's ok.

[Vivisectus]

I never properly thanked ChuckF for introducing the term "Teahadist" into my vocabulary. Thanks Chuck! You have brought a happy little chuckle to many of my days with that.

Muslims and Atheists? I am part of the top 3 most despised groups? What a proud day!

[LadyShea]

You're a MUSLIM??? OMG get the pitchforks and torches!

[Vivisectus]

Indeed I am. And I am engaged in a Jihad against racism, which I aim to achieve by complete segregation of all muslims.

[LadyShea]

A Dutch Muslim separatist of Romani descent. You're probably quite a conversation piece to have at parties.

[Vivisectus]

Yeah. And according to the "Vivi is a gay pussy because of chamomile tea" thing, a lesbian one too!

[Vivisectus]

On a serious note - I am glad to hear that the backswing against the idiotic religious fundamentalism in the states seems to have begun at last! Well done Merkins!

[Angakuk]

Your "serious note" is completely off-key. What are you, tone deaf? There is no backswing (did you mean 'backlash'?). That article is a transparent attempt on the part of the liberal elite to reshape public opinion and make people think that it is now cool to disrespect Tea Partisans. It is doomed to fail. The right will triumph.

[Janet]

Perhaps backswing was right? I'm sure you would need a good one to win against the Tea Party Zombies.

[Clutch Munny]

I hate that.

[Angakuk]

Not enough rust on that crowbar.

[Jerome]

Originally Posted by The Man

[url=http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/17/opinion/crashing-the-tea-party.html?_r=2]

they had a low regard for immigrants and blacks long before Barack Obama was president, and they still do.

Evidence?

[Jerome]

David Campbell // Department of Political Science // University of Notre Dame

David Campbell is the John Cardinal O'Hara, C.S.C. Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame and the founding director of the Rooney Center for the Study of American Democracy. He is the co-author (with Robert Putnam) of American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us, author of Why We Vote: How Schools and Communities Shape Our Civic Life and the editor of A Matter of Faith: Religion in the 2004 Presidential Election. He has also co-authored and co-edited books on civic engagement, school vouchers, and charter schools. In addition, he has published articles in a number of scholarly journals on such subjects as religion and politics, young people, schools, and civic engagement.

Rooney Center // University of Notre Dame

The mission of the Francis and Kathleen Rooney Center for the Study of American Democracy is to examine politics and policy making in the United States—leaving Notre Dame’s distinctive imprint on the study of American democracy. With a grounding in Notre Dame’s Catholic mission, the Center facilitates research on the critical issues facing America’s democratic system, and encourages Notre Dame’s students to be engaged in both civic and political life.

[Jerome]

So, you guys just take the word of a guy with a professed "Catholic Mission"?

[Jerome]

See, this guys wants religion in the political system, just not religion other then Catholicism.

The Tocqueville Program for Inquiry Into Religion and American Public Life is dedicated to fostering the study of the role of religion in American democracy. Through classes, outreach seminars, conferences, and fellowships the Tocqueville Program seeks to create an energetic and stimulating environment for students, professors, the South Bend community, journalists, and policy makers to discuss and better understand the role of religious faith, religious communities, and religious issues in American public life, and to encourage public awareness of the various historical and philosophical principles involved.

Rooney Center // University of Notre Dame

[Jerome]

Couple of upcoming events this guy supports:

September 11, 2010 - Roundtable on Catholicism and Politics with Cathy Kaveny, John McGreevey, Rick Garnett, and Philip Munoz, moderated by Michael Zuckert.

October 13, 2010 - David Campbell and Robert Putnam, co-authors of “American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us” gave a talk to discuss their new book.

[Sauron]

Originally Posted by JEROME DA GNOME

So, you guys just take the word of a guy with a professed "Catholic Mission"?

Yawn. I just finished a four year stint at a Jesuit university that was also 'grounded in its Catholic mission'. I never saw a priest in any classroom; only bumping into one while walking across the campus. No prayers, no rosaries, no Inquisitions. Although I think I saw a nun once; I couldn't tell; it was too far away.

The phrase 'grounded in its Catholic mission' is pretty ethereal and aspirational, with only very broad and generalized impact, mostly along a humanist side: respect for the individual, respect for the environment, championing the causes of the poor and the weak.

But you know all that already - this is just your half-hearted attempt to resurrect a weeks-old thread by attaching a little troll bait to the end of the hook.

[Jerome]

Sauron, he created an organization with the purpose.

[BracesForImpact]

Originally Posted by Ari

'So what do Tea Partiers have in common? They are overwhelmingly white, but even compared to other white Republicans, they had a low regard for immigrants and blacks long before Barack Obama was president, and they still do. '

But they totally have a black friend, so it's ok.

Watching a Will Smith movie is not having a black friend.

[LadyShea]

Originally Posted by JEROME DA GNOME

they had a low regard for immigrants and blacks long before Barack Obama was president, and they still do.

Evidence?

Beginning in 2006 we interviewed a representative sample of 3,000 Americans as part of our continuing research into national political attitudes, and we returned to interview many of the same people again this summer. As a result, we can look at what people told us, long before there was a Tea Party, to predict who would become a Tea Party supporter five years later. We can also account for multiple influences simultaneously — isolating the impact of one factor while holding others constant.

Looks to me like the evidence is to be found in the survey responses.

The authors provide some detail here

[LadyShea]

Originally Posted by JEROME DA GNOME

See, this guys wants religion in the political system, just not religion other then Catholicism.

The Tocqueville Program for Inquiry Into Religion and American Public Life is dedicated to fostering the study of the role of religion in American democracy. Through classes, outreach seminars, conferences, and fellowships the Tocqueville Program seeks to create an energetic and stimulating environment for students, professors, the South Bend community, journalists, and policy makers to discuss and better understand the role of religious faith, religious communities, and religious issues in American public life, and to encourage public awareness of the various historical and philosophical principles involved.

Rooney Center // University of Notre Dame

How do you read "He wants religion in the political system" into the stated goals of "fostering study of the role of religion in American Life" and attempting the "better understand the role of faith...in American Public Life"?

That's a really strange interpretation of that paragraph.

I've studied and tried to understand those things, yet I don't want religion in the political system.