Washington (CNN) – It may be no surprise, but a new poll indicates that Tea Party supporters and those opposed to the movement don't see eye to eye on some of the top issues facing the nation.
According to a USA Today/Gallup survey released Monday, 61 percent of self-described Tea Party movement supporters say that the federal government's debt is an extremely serious threat to the country, with only 29 percent of self-described Tea Party opponents saying that the debt is an extremely serious threat.
Forty-nine percent of Tea Party supporters say the size and power of the federal government is an extremely serious threat, with only 12 percent of Tea Party opponents agreeing.
Tea Party activists say one of the aims of their movement is to reduce the size and power of the federal government, and that's reflected in the poll. Eight out of 10 Tea Party supporters questioned say that the government is doing too much that should be left to individuals and business. That drops to 27 percent among Tea Party opponents. Only 17 percent of Tea Party activists say the government should be doing more to solve the nation's problems. That figure jumps to 64 percent among Tea Party opponents.
The survey also indicates that the concerns of Tea Party supporters are not that different from those of Republican voters.
The USA Today/Gallup poll was conducted May 24-25 and June 11-13, with 2,063 adults questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
From CNN Politics
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I am glad to see that the Tea Party nut jobs care about the debt. They should walk to talk. Let's have them start by giving up their Medicare, Social Security, police protection, fire protection, roads, bridges, etc. So, come on tee tee party people – get with it.
Ahhh Jeeeeze ..just when I thought the media had finally stopped their 24/7 love affair coverage and promotion of the TPers after their pathetic showing in DC on tax day......viola
What do these tea smoking wingnuts know about economics anyway? They can't tell the difference between normal and the off-the-wall stupidity most of them exhibit.
END THE WARS NOW! $6 BILLION a month in foreign wars. The Tea Party demands an end to the wars NOW!
Seriously? Bashing people with degrees? If you're too dull or lazy to put in four years, even if it's just at a community college, what could you possibly have to add to the conversation?
July 5th, 2010 2:42 pm ET
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I sure hope these tea party idots realize they are being used by the republicans and the likes of that loser Sarah Palin. Where were they when "W" was digging this country deeper and deeper in debt to pay for the Iraq war and at the same time giving tax cuts to the rich????
Tea baggers=repulickkkans.
"Actually the stimulus has created over 2.8 million jobs. Stop listening to the nuts at extreme media."
Even if true–I haven't seen any reliable numbers–most of those jobs, by far, are non-productive jobs in state and local governments. Such jobs contribute nothing to the economy, but they consume the country's resources, so they're essentially parasitic.
what percentage are the tea party people?
from the Gallup article:
"Thirty percent of Americans identify as Tea Party supporters, 28% are opponents, and 36% are neutral to the movement, according to combined data from three USA Today/Gallup polls conducted in March, May, and June 2010."
Statistically, as many oppose the tea party directly, don't we get a voice too CNN, or is common sense not entertaining enough?
Tea Parties are for little girls with imaginary friends.
They're right!
If we get the debt under control we can afford to get the teabaggers some dental work!
On this particular thing, they are correct...
HOWEVER, the two problems I see are that thy attempt to lay the entire problem at the feet of the current President and their "solutions" are more tax cuts for the rich and fewer services for the poor and under employed.
I don't see that they have properly assessed or attributed blame nor have they offered any reasonable logical solutions.
Yes, Tori in Texas, entitlements including Social Security and Medicare, should be phased out, and the money taxed away from individuals to support these programs should be returned to those individuals.
And, yes, we should bring our troops home. The US has no business meddling in the affairs of other countries.
What a bunch of losers. Where was the Tea Party and all these concerns when Bush was in office and screwing everything up?