1. “Poll Finds Tea Party Backers Wealthier and More Educated” KATE ZERNIKEKATE ZERNIKE and MEGAN THEE-BRENANMEGAN THEE-BRENAN New York Times April 14, 2010

2. Taxed Enough Already Times/CBS News poll of Tea Party Supporters Tea Party supporters are wealthier and more well-educated than the general public, and are no more or less afraid of falling into a lower socioeconomic class… Tea Party: Not Widely Studied The Tea Party movement burst onto the scene a year ago in protest of the economic stimulus package…but the demographics and attitudes of those in the movement have been known largely anecdotally. Poll: Offers New Details The Times/CBS poll offers a detailed look at the profile and attitudes of those supporters.

3. Taxed Enough Already Scope of Tea Party Support 18 percent of Americans who identify themselves as Tea Party supporters. They tend to be: Republican White Male Married Older than 45.

4. Taxed Enough Already Opinions of Tea Party Supporters Their responses are like the general public’s in many ways. Taxes: Most describe the amount they paid in taxes this year as “fair.” Schools: Most send their children to public schools. Politics: A plurality [did] not think Sarah Palin is qualified to be president, Social Security and Medicate: are worth the cost to taxpayers.

5. Taxed Enough Already Politics of Tea Party Supporters: Angry at Washington Tea Party supporters’ fierce animosity toward Washington, and the president in particular, is rooted in: Deep pessimism about the direction of the country and Obama administration Critique of Obama Administration: Favors the Poor Tea Party supporters object to what they see as the the Obama administration disproportionately concern with helping the poor rather than the middle class or the rich.

6. Taxed Enough Already Personal Critique of Obama The overwhelming majority of supporters say Mr. Obama does not share the values most Americans live by and that he does not understand the problems of people like themselves. 50%: administration favor the poor, 25%: think that the administration favors blacks over whites — compared with 11 percent of the general public. Race Politics of the Tea Party They are more likely than the general public, and Republicans, to say that too much has been made of the problems facing black people.

7. Taxed Enough Already Personal Critique of Obama Nearly 9 in 10 disapprove of the job Mr. Obama is doing over all, and about the same percentage fault his handling of major issues: health care, the economy and the federal budget deficit Obama: Socialist? 92%: believe Mr. Obama is moving the country toward socialism, an opinion shared by more than half of the general public.

8. Taxed Enough Already Obama: Socialist? Tea Party Supporter: “I just feel he’s getting away from what America is…He’s a socialist. And to tell you the truth, I think he’s a Muslim and trying to head us in that direction, I don’t care what he says…”

9. Taxed Enough Already Politics of Tea Party Supporters: Angry at Washington Above all, what angers Tea Party supporters about Washington are three issues: 1. Health Care Reform 2. Government Spending 3. A feeling that there not represented in Washington.

10. Taxed Enough Already Government Spending: What Would the Founders Think? Tea Party Supporter: “I’m sick and tired of them wasting money and doing what our founders never intended to be done with the federal government.”

11. Taxed Enough Already Politics of Tea Party Supporters: Who is to Blame? But while most Americans blame the Bush administration or Wall Street for the current state of the American economy, the greatest number of Tea Party supporters blame Congress.

12. Taxed Enough Already Politics of Tea Party Supporters: Partisanship? They do not want a third party and say they usually or almost always vote Republican. A majority (57 %) hold favorable opinion of President Bush. Politics of Tea Party Supporters: Policy positions? Although more conservative as a group than Republicans, Tea Party supporters are more concerned with Economic Policy than Social issues.

13. Taxed Enough Already Politics of Tea Party Supporters: Policy positions? The main policy recommendation of Tea Party supporters is: Reduce the Size of Government. Focus of Tea Party Movement: The largest number of respondents said that the movement’s goal should be reducing the size of government, more than cutting the budget deficit or lowering taxes. 75%: favor smaller government said they would prefer it even if it meant spending on domestic programs would be cut.

14. Taxed Enough Already Politics of Tea Party Supporters: Uncertainty About Cuts In follow-up interviews, Tea Party supporters said they did not want to cut Medicare or Social Security — the biggest domestic programs, suggesting instead a focus on “waste.”

15. Taxed Enough Already Politics of Tea Party Supporters: Policy Uncertainty Others could not explain the contradiction. Tea Party Supporter: “That’s a conundrum, isn’t it…I don’t know what to say. Maybe I don’t want smaller government. I guess I want smaller government and my Social Security.” She added, “I didn’t look at it from the perspective of losing things I need. I think I’ve changed my mind.”