Most Say Tea Party Has Better Understanding of Issues than Congress

[Stephanie]

but but how can that beeeeeeeeeeee? we be told we is stupid, extremist, scary terrorist types.
Let's roll Tea Party patriots.

Sunday, March 28, 2010 Email to a Friend ShareThisAdvertisement

In official Washington, some consider the Tea Party movement a fringe element in society, but voters across the nation feel closer to the Tea Party movement than they do to Congress.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of U.S. voters believe the average member of the Tea Party movement has a better understanding of the issues facing America today than the average member of Congress. Only 30% believe that those in Congress have a better understanding of the key issues facing the nation.

When it comes to those issues, 47% think that their own political views are closer to those of the average Tea Party member than to the views of the average member of Congress. On this point, 26% feel closer to Congress.

Finally, 46% of voters say that the average Tea Party member is more ethical than the average member of Congress. Twenty-seven percent (27%) say that the average member of Congress is more ethical.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

As you would expect, there is a wide divide between the Political Class and Mainstream Americans on these questions. Seventy-five percent (75%) of those in the Political Class say that members of Congress are better informed on the issues. Among Mainstream Americans, 68% have the opposite view, and only 16% believe Congress is better informed.

By a 62% to 12% margin, Mainstream Americans say the Tea Party is closer to their views. By a 90% to one percent (1%) margin, the Political Class feels closer to Congress.

the rest.
Most Say Tea Party Has Better Understanding of Issues than Congress - Rasmussen Reports

 

[uscitizen]

Lol

thanks for the laugh.

 

[Luissa]

Lol

thanks for the laugh.

It is a good laugh!!!


Curious about the factual knowledge that these people have regarding the issues they are protesting, my friend David Frum enlisted some interns to interview as many tea partiers as possible on a couple of basic questions. They got 57 responses--a pretty good sized sample from a crowd that numbered between 300 and 500 people. (Survey results are here.)

The first question that was asked concerned the size of government. Tea partiers were asked how much the federal government gets in taxes as a percentage of the gross domestic product. According to Congressional Budget Office data, acceptable answers would be 6.4%, which is the percentage for federal income taxes; 12.7%, which would be for both income taxes and Social Security payroll taxes; or 14.8%, which would represent all federal taxes as a share of GDP in 2009.

Not everyone follows these numbers closely and tea partiers may have been thinking of figures from a few years ago, before the recession when taxes were higher. According to the CBO, the highest figure for all federal taxes since 1970 came in the year 2000, when they reached 20.6% of GDP. As we know, after that George W. Bush and Republicans in Congress cut federal taxes and they fell to 18.5% of GDP in 2007, before the recession hit, and 17.5% in 2008.

Tuesday's tea party crowd, however, thought that federal taxes were almost three times higher than they actually are. The average response was 42% of GDP and the median was 40%. The highest figure recorded in all of American history was half those figures: 20.9% at the peak of World War II in 1944.

To follow up, tea partiers were asked how much they think a typical family making $50,000 per year pays in federal income taxes. The average response was $12,710 and the median was $10,000. In percentage terms, this means a tax burden of between 20% and 25% of income.

Of course, it's hard to know what any particular individual or family pays in taxes, but according to the IRS tax tables, a single person with $50,000 in taxable income last year would owe $8,694 in federal income taxes, and a married couple filing jointly would owe $6,669.

But these numbers are high because to have a taxable income of $50,000, one's gross income would be higher by at least the personal exemption, which is $3,650, and the standard deduction, which is $5,700 for single people and $11,400 for married couples. Owning a home or having children would reduce one's tax burden further.
Ignorance Is Bliss for the Tea Party Crowd | Capital Gains and Games

According to the JCT, last year's $787 billion stimulus bill, enacted with no Republican support, reduced federal taxes by almost $100 billion in 2009 and another $222 billion this year. The Tax Policy Center, a private research group, estimates that close to 90% of all taxpayers got a tax cut last year and almost 100% of those in the $50,000 income range. For those making between $40,000 and $50,000, the average tax cut was $472; for those making between $50,000 and $75,000, the tax cut averaged $522. No taxpayer anywhere in the country had his or her taxes increased as a consequence of Obama's policies.

It's hard to explain this divergence between perception and reality. Perhaps these people haven't calculated their tax returns for 2009 yet and simply don't know what they owe. Or perhaps they just assume that because a Democrat is president that taxes must have gone up, because that's what Republicans say that Democrats always do. In fact, there hasn't been a federal tax increase of any significance in this country since 1993.

 

[saveliberty]

I would have to disagree with the article. Congress knows exactly what the issues are inside and out. The Tea Party just happens to want the results to be limited government, fiscal responsibility and freedom. Congress wants no part of that.

 

[Terry]

This is exactly why they have tried to besmirch the Tea Party by such names as astro turf, nazi, terrorist, and teabagger. They know that this organization is a major threat. In the past they were successful in using Alinksy rules to shut down any opposition, but little do they know that this tactic has failed so much so that it has increased the movement members.

You will notice this by how posters will come in and try to make personal hateful, funny comments about the Tea Party Members. They do not know what to do so they fall back on what was taught to them.

 

[jillian]

Lol

thanks for the laugh.

if she didn't vote it would be amusing.

 

[Xenophon]

The poll is proof of what I keep saying, the more you attack us, the stronger we get.

Everytime someone post 'teabagger' or some idiot op ed calling us racist we get more people disgusted with the small minded propaganda of the big government stooges.

The out of touch Congress is a shinning example of how to do government wrong.

 

[WillowTree]

the tea party knows how to listen,, congress doesn't .. this is a fuck you we know better congress.

 

[jillian]

The poll is proof of what I keep saying, the more you attack us, the stronger we get.

you mean the more propaganda gets spewed, the more 'the base' likes it?

okay.

 

[Modbert]

you mean the more propaganda gets spewed, the more 'the base' likes it?

okay.

I guess in that case if Xeno is right, Obama is a Communist Muslim Racist who hates America and Israel and wants to see everyone die in the name of Allah. Oh, and he's a Atheist weak spine idiot.

Interesting.

 

[WillowTree]

The poll is proof of what I keep saying, the more you attack us, the stronger we get.

you mean the more propaganda gets spewed, the more 'the base' likes it?

okay.

translation: " don't believe your lying eyes."



you are so funny jill.

 

[WillowTree]

you mean the more propaganda gets spewed, the more 'the base' likes it?

okay.

I guess in that case if Xeno is right, Obama is a Communist Muslim Racist who hates America and Israel and wants to see everyone die in the name of Allah. Oh, and he's a Atheist weak spine idiot.

Interesting.

you should learn to be a little more civil.. you might get some R E S P E C T

 

[uscitizen]

The poll is proof of what I keep saying, the more you attack us, the stronger we get.

you mean the more propaganda gets spewed, the more 'the base' likes it?

okay.

The need to feel persecuted to justify their beliefs?

 

[WillowTree]

The poll is proof of what I keep saying, the more you attack us, the stronger we get.

you mean the more propaganda gets spewed, the more 'the base' likes it?

okay.

By the way. I'm glad you dropped by. How do you feel about the shabby treatment of the Israeli prime minister as was doled out by obama..

 

[Xenophon]

The poll is proof of what I keep saying, the more you attack us, the stronger we get.

you mean the more propaganda gets spewed, the more 'the base' likes it?

okay.

See, Jill, you don't understand, it has nothing to do with a 'base'.

Many democrats show up and protest at these events, and have all along.

You are wrapped in the 'us vs them' mentality, when the movement is about getting unresponsive GOVERNMENT (Not just democrats) to stop the out of control spending and crazy polices.

Until you understand that this isn't a GoP movement, you will keep tripping up.

 

[Stephanie]

Lol

thanks for the laugh.

if she didn't vote it would be amusing.

and of course the jilly flies right in with her personal INSULTS as usual. Boring.

 

[Xenophon]

you mean the more propaganda gets spewed, the more 'the base' likes it?

okay.

I guess in that case if Xeno is right, Obama is a Communist Muslim Racist who hates America and Israel and wants to see everyone die in the name of Allah. Oh, and he's a Atheist weak spine idiot.

Interesting.

You are VERY close to getting negged boy.

Appologize for making up lies about what I say and I might let this go.

 

[WillowTree]

The poll is proof of what I keep saying, the more you attack us, the stronger we get.

you mean the more propaganda gets spewed, the more 'the base' likes it?

okay.

See, Jill, you don't understand, it has nothing to do with a 'base'.

Many democrats show up and protest at these events, and have all along.

You are wrapped in the 'us vs them' mentality, when the movement is about getting unresponsive GOVERNMENT (Not just democrats) to stop the out of control spending and crazy polices.

Until you understand that this isn't a GoP movement, you will keep tripping up.

give her some slack, they have some catching up to do.. for the first year of the movement they denied their existance, and then their numbers.. it will take another year for them to "get it"..

 

[antagon]

maybe we should scrap our government and make signs. grab a marker

 

[WillowTree]

you mean the more propaganda gets spewed, the more 'the base' likes it?

okay.

I guess in that case if Xeno is right, Obama is a Communist Muslim Racist who hates America and Israel and wants to see everyone die in the name of Allah. Oh, and he's a Atheist weak spine idiot.

Interesting.

You are VERY close to getting negged boy.

Appologize for making up lies about what I say and I might let this go.