Tea Party's tough tactics on debt alienating moderate voters, polls show

[Turborama]

Source: The Guardian

Pollsters expect backlash against Tea Party movement following unwillingness to compromise on US debt ceiling talks

Ed Pilkington in New York | Tuesday August 2 2011 19.01 BST

Tea Party leaders are claiming victory in the outcome of the debt ceiling talks despite indications that their tough tactics, which pushed the US to the point of a government shutdown, may have alienated many moderate voters.Key players in the Tea Party movement said that for the first time they had succeeded in putting spending cuts at the centre of Washington affairs.

=snip=

(However...)

The more influence they wield on Capitol Hill, the more they will be held accountable for the impact of their actions.

That is already reflected in opinion polls. A survey by the Pew Research Center found that 37% of respondents had formed a less favourable opinion of the Tea Party affiliates in Congress as a result of the debt ceiling standoff – exactly the same indication of political damage as recorded for Barack Obama.

The only group that fared worse was the Republicans in Congress, who suffered a deteriorating reputation among 42% of the survey sample.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/02/tea-party-us-debt-talks

[IamK]

1. the only poll that matters is the one in their district..... n/t

[femmocrat]

2. Doesn't matter.

They aren't going away. Too much powerful money behind them, IMO.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Their job is to inflict maximum damage against the President and Dem policy--

all under a different brand than "Republican". When Obama goes away and a Repub is President, they'll go back to being just Republicans.

[cstanleytech]

5. I agree nt

[moondust]

8. And if they are not re-elected

they can expect a nice reward waiting for them at a think tank or on K Street. They have made it known that they don't care about being re-elected and I suspect that's why.

[Mary1234]

9. k street

this is unfortunately so true....that is why the one-year prohibition is not working...must have law that Congress and staff cannot ever become lobbyists'

[Cronus Protagonist]

4. No such thing as a tea party. They are Republicans.

The "news" needs to be properly educated.

[Trajan]

15. Yeah ... you're right

There is no tea party ...

Now ... Where is Richard Lugar these days ? .... He is a good old boy GOP .... Let's go after HIM ! ...

What do we got ? ....

Oh .. He is in the same party that embraced the ..... the ..... uh .... oh yea ..... Cannot mention their name ....

Oh well .... Time to knit a sweater !

:sarcasm:

[MyshkinCommaPrince]

6. Republicans in Congress

The "Tea Party" are Republicans in Congress. We really need to concentrate on breaking the framing they've established for this. I think it's going to be important for 2012.

[MzShantal]

16. WHO IS GROVER NORQUIST??

Grover Norquist says: My goal is to cut government in half in twenty-five years, to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub.

Who funds him? How is it that he can get repugs to sign a pledge not to increase taxes?

[CBHagman]

7. The thing is, they can't govern.

All they've got is "My way or the highway" and the like.

The media has focused on them because it craves the dramatic scenario to attract readers, viewers, etc., but tea p'ers were and are a minority, and based on a negative premise. What do you do when your entire message is paranoia and stubborn refusal?

[marasinghe]

10. tough shit these TP guys - long as they have a milksop opposition.

only way to deal with bullies is to fight back. not pander to their sadistic sociopathic asses.

[santamargarita]

11. Teabaggers could stink up an outhouse.

[Kalidurga]

12. I can't say I didn't see this coming....

as soon as I saw the teabaggers take office I said that they were going to ensure that Democrats take the House and Senate in 2012. I can't say it will be easy some of these baggers are from bright red districts, but perhaps there are enough people in their districts that will realize that their effective tax rate has now actually sky rocketed.

[santamargarita]

17. I remember hearing President Carter say something like...

'Americans will see these people for who they are and we take back the house in 2012'
Of course they are planning steal the election as always.

[unkachuck]

13. "Tea Party leaders are claiming victory in the outcome of the debt ceiling talks..."

....as well they should....they play a mean hand of poker while we stink at twenty dimensional chess....

"...have alienated many moderate voters."

....they don't care....they're more than confident, from all the winning they've been doing, that they can spread their bullshit two feet deep next year and still come out smelling like roses....that's discounting the fact that many moderate voters will vote for any politician willing to fight perceived unfair power....

....and everyone knows, moderate voters have the attention span of a newt....this will all be seen as ancient history by November 2012....Dems viewed as worthy to lead, may also be seen as ancient history....

[Trajan]

14. Dont be afraid of these assholes .... and DONT let them hide in the GOP ...

Instead - Declare the Teavangelists as terrorists, and then make the GOP own them ...

I HOPE they dont go away ..... They damaged their brand, and it is up to Democrats to make them front and center - The CORE of the GOP ....

Rotten to the core ....

The GOP are terrorists .... See how that works ?

The GOP have a tiger by the tail ..... Let's help them get bit ...