What percentage of the country do you feel are Palin/Limbaugh/Hannity types?

[OneGrassRoot]

I know only 20% or so are supposed to belong to this group, but it sure feels like a helluva lot more are out there. Feels like half the country to me.

What do you think? Do you believe their numbers are small enough that they will be effectively marginalized after 11/4 or large enough in number to continue to grow, infecting their children with hatred as we've seen at these Palin rallies?

[boobooday]

1. Twenty-eight percent

That's my guess.

[Sukie]

9. Before I clicked to the answeres

28 percent is the exact figure that jumped into my head too. All the crazy polls that you would think sensible people would react a certain way to, always have right around 28% of the respondents reacting like the crazies. LOL

[MiniMe]

2. Too many

[Solly Mack]

4. That was my answer

Too fucking many

[madrchsod]

3. 25% is a conservate estimate

[Historic NY]

31. Bwahhhh you said conservative.....

seriously your probably close but it seems like there are so many more.

[TexasObserver]

5. 25-30%

Most of the GOP base is racist and backward.

[Tiggeroshii]

6. Between 25% and 28%

Think a large portion of the people who thought Bill Clinton was a terrible president most of his presidency, and the people who think George Bush is a good one right now.

[Demeter]

7. Take Comfort! They Die Early

and their children either don't reproduce, or they are measurably smarter than the parents.

[billyoc]

8. 28%

[mwb970]

10. I'm going with 25-30%. More in some places, less in others.

I wonder if it would be better or worse if they were all concentrated in one geographical area.

[vi5]

11. 20-30%.....They're just EXTREMELY vocal and loud...

They are an insecure bunch and they think that by their opinions being stated louder, that it means they're correct.

[sendero]

12. They are called the...

... 30% idiot contingent for a reason.

[depakid]

13. Depends where you are

Some areas close to 80%, others closer to 20%

And, unfortunately, after two generations of enabling and legitimizing dishonesty and fundamentalism- and reinforcing these attitudes, beliefs and values throughout the media, the nation won't easily be able to pop that genie back into the bottle.

Had they been exposed and roundly ridiculed back in the 1980's, when they were creeping out from the fringe (where they remain in other Western nations) it might be a different story.

[Fumesucker]

21. I agree, it depends where you live..

At least half where I live, in a quasi rural area of a red state..

[UnrepentantUnitarian]

14. At least 30 percent here in SC.

...and you forgot the Drudgaholics in that mix. I work with six other people, and I know that at least four of them follow Sludge routinely. When I relieve at shift-change, two of them are listening to Savage or Limbaugh and are "loaded for bear."

I'd guess that nationwide it would be a smaller figure, maybe 25 percent.

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

15. Party Faithful

I would estimate that 38.3% are party faithful, tow the line, unable to engage in critical thinking, and have arm bands and brown shirts waiting to come out of the closet. They are backed up by another 10.2% who are often along for the ride but are not true diehards. Educate yourselves, learn to spot them, and remember who they are.

[OneGrassRoot]

16. "unable to engage in critical thinking" ... and, as someone above said...

LOUD and OBNOXIOUS.

Your estimate feels right to me, including the hangers on.

Welcome to DU. :)

[groovedaddy]

17. 29.58% or there abouts...n.t

[rucky]

18. Smaller than that, I think, but they don't seem to STFU

I was raised to be polite and not discuss religion or politics with people you don't know very well (and even then...)

These assholes will bash into a dinner party, or even a professional setting, and spout off talking points with no regard (religion or politics). People usually nod their heads or whatever out of politeness, so these people think they're right. I finally started getting into it with people like this in my family and at work, and they're shocked when somebody faces them down in public. Shocked! What usually happens is we have a vigorous debate, then they STFU next time I see them.

[Marrah_G]

19. They are just VERY loud

The Media loves Drama. They help provide Drama. They are loud and they get airtime.

[ShortnFiery]

20. No, IMO, only 20% but an OBNOXIOUS part of the population. eom

[Lerkfish]

22. what is the percentage of white supremacists?

I figure about 20%. Rightwing religious nutjobs are another 5-8% above that (there is a lot of overlap, but hey, I'm just speculating) so, I figure about the amount that Bush's favorability never goes below is about 28%.

[KharmaTrain]

23. A Bit Of Math...

I don't think everyone who listens to Rushbo or Insanity are racists, but plenty of them are. I don't think they represent a majority of the right wing or repugnicans, just a very vocal minority. These are the squeeky wheels...the guy at work who just can't shut up...yet you don't know if the quiet ones agree or disagree.

Here's something to think about...on an average night, Faux will have about 2 million viewers....out of a nation of 300 million...that's about .5% of the population...and out of that group, not all are wingnuts. Rushbo's radio audience supposedly is about 3 million a WEEK...divide that by 5 or about 600,000 on a single day...and of that sample, that only indicates those people tuned in for 15 minutes...so the math goes down from there. Other hate spewers reach far less. Thus it's squeeky wheels...and ones that always will have to be dealt with.

[OneGrassRoot]

25. Thank you for logical insight. :) n/t

[ProfessorGAC]

33. What KT Said

You and i have both been saying this for at least 5 years.
The Professor

[KharmaTrain]

35. Has It Been That Long???

The saving grace of this election is how inefficient that hate machine has been this year...maybe, just maybe, we're witnessing the implosion of hate radio as anything more than background noise.

Cheers...

[SmokingJacket]

24. Guess it depends on where you live.

I know only a handful. 5%?

But I know in other areas it's almost everyone, so my guess it averages out to about 30%.

[mmonk]

26. As much as 40%.

I think political lies and hate speech should be labeled so to speak with a disclaimer at the beginning.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

27. They took a poll in Arkansas

and asked folks "Do you know anyone who won't vote for Obama because he's black?" The answer was 36%. The commentator on AETN (PBS)went on to say that the national average is around 28%. So I'd say that the 28% figure is correct for the nation as a whole, but, sadly, there are places where the percentage is higher. Luckily, they are in states like mine that have few electoral votes.

[arcadian]

28. I'd say it's more like 20% of those who vote.

Don't for get, most of the country simply doesn't give a fuck about politics.

[BlooInBloo]

29. 40%

[ThomWV]

30. I've always held the notion that it was about 30% but for the real number

Just look for Bush's approval number.

[ProfessorGAC]

32. Nah! I Even Think 20% Is Too High

It's a tiny fraction of the population and they have been loud enough, and persistent enough to get the attention of people who think they agree, but haven't thought it all the way through.

If the country was really THAT radically right, wouldn't a lot more things have changed toward the way they want them?

The fact is, the support isn't really there, and most elected officials know that there aren't enough of the nutjobs to support a political career. Even Michelle Bachmann is finding that out.
The Professor

[xen]

34. Too Many

I live in Jacksonville Florida in the Arlington south side area, and i would say it is about 60% McCain Palin easily It is a military Area and they are largely right wing goodly Godly christians.
I think the word is Jacksonville is the state that has Banned the most books in the US.
Also Elvis and the Beatles were burned in effigy, and their records smashed burned,as they were considered Evil when they first came out.
So many of these people overdosed on their God,that some tell me that we should just go in Wipe all the Arabs out,that is the the type of mentality they have,most of them I work with, think that way,except for the younger ones.

They also think that even though I am a disabled viet nam vet,that I am anti-American because i was against the Iraq war,and that I am pro Peace.
they are a sick bunch,and very dangerous I should say.
If you heard some of the things they believed in it would make you ashamed to be and American.
their motto is both Immoral and ungodly,it is the "My Country Right or Wrong Mentality,and that one must stand behind your president no matter what.the Same mentality as Hitler and the Germans.

[OnionPatch]

37. I've never been anywhere as Republican as Jacksonville.

We went through there four years ago and the Bush signs were like fleas on a stray dog. The conversations in restaurants were openly racist and full of hate and they didn't even try to hide it by talking low. Boy was I glad to get out of there, no offense. I think it's easily one of the most right-wing areas of the country.

Welcome to DU, by the way! You have us now. :hug:

[Turbineguy]

36. 15%

but they are noisy. Proud to be stupid.

Many voters (IMO) who will vote for McCain simply do so because they vote republican.