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Saturday April 14th brought the intersection of two seemingly irreconcilable groups of political activists in the hometown of Sarah Palin (it is also my hometown, since 1985). On Saturday morning, the Mat-Su Democrats, easily the most progressive area Democratic Party organization, held their presidential choice caucus, and met in their legislative district groups (for the last time, as statewide redistricting will fragment them by the end of June). Saturday afternoon, the Conservative Patriots Group Tea Party of Wasilla, easily the most regressive area Tea Party organization, held their annual tax day protest less than a mile from where the Democrats were winding down their caucus.
I attended the Mat-Su Democrats’ caucus as a party member (and past district and area officer). I was questioned by the State Central Committee Treasurer – a dear friend of mine – as soon as I came in.
“You’re not going to object to the nomination of Obama, are you, Phil?”
I hadn’t thought of what I might do when motions were presented. I asked, “Why?”
“Every other area caucus has endorsed the President by acclamation, and by unanimous consent. If you object, we would be the only group that didn’t do that.”
“Do you want me to STFU?”
“What does ‘STFU’ mean?”
A friend interjected, “It means ‘abstain,” I think.”
“In that case, yes,” replied the statewide treasurer.
I decided to not make waves on the issue and said “Sure.”
I brought a poll with me. I had four questions I wanted to ask both the Wasilla Democrats and Wasilla Tea Party Patriots. I polled 18 of the 78 or 79 people there. I attended my district caucus of 22 people, voted on resolutions for the upcoming state convention in Fairbanks, and signed up to be a delegate.
After the scheduled events were over, I drove over to Wasilla Lake, where the Tea Party event was about to start. I had polled this annual tax day protest in 2009 and 2010. I missed 2011 because of a work schedule conflict. I polled 20 of the 350 people there with the same questions I’d posed to the local Dems. The poll results for both groups are below the fold. [cont'd]
The 2008 Mat-Su Democrats presidential caucus had drawn about 900 people, compared to 2012′s 80. The 2009 Tea Party Wasilla protest had drawn about 500 compared to this Saturday’s 260 to 275 I counted. Though not part of my poll, I asked several of these “conservatives” about their gut feelings on Romney. Most who lauded him were clearly faking it and back-pedaled when I probed:
“So do you really think Romney’s choices at Treasury would be that different from the people Obama has in there?”
“Uh, yeah, uh sure. Well, I hope so!” was one reply.
Here’s my four-question poll, with a direct comparison between our local progressive Democrats and very Christianist Tea Party. Some people did not answer every question:
1. President Obama’s administration’s Solicitor General recently sided with plaintiffs in the Supreme Court Decision granting police authority to strip search any prisoner held, even for the smallest charge. Do you agree?
Agree: Democrats – 2 — Tea Party- 0
Disagree: Democrats – 15 — Tea Party – 202. President Obama asserts the right to be able to assassinate any American overseas for any reason his advisors see fit, without recourse to even attempt due process. He also asserts that all information on how these decisions are made needs to be kept secret. Do you agree?
Agree: Democrats – 1 — Tea Party – 0
Disagree: Democrats – 17 — Tea Party – 203. President Obama has markedly expanded the use of of armed drone strikes in countries around the world. Do you agree?
Agree: Democrats – 4 — Tea Party – 6
Disagree: Democrats – 12 — Tea Party – 124. President Obama has used the Espionage Act for prosecution of more people than all previous administrations combined. Do you approve?
Approve: Democrats – 0 — Tea Party -5
Disapprove: Democrats – 17 — Tea Party – 13
As I left the Tea Party event, I saw this Suburban, a Tea Party limo:
22 Comments
I’d bank money that if you had substituted Bush for Obama then you would have had more tea partiers perfectly okay with the President’s actions.
Oh, exactly.
And on the last two questions, notice how many more Tea Partiers were willing to support Obama on them, despite his being of the wrong color and party.
Some of the TP’ers would have disapproved of Obama giving ‘em $10,000. As much as Obama bums me out, when listening to some of the racist comments I heard at the Tea Party event, I called them out.
A lot more of the Tea Party people in Wasilla were packing yesterday than Dems.
Interesting. But I’m confused about the first question, and it may just be because I’ve been so busy – I thought the administration backed the side of the prison strip searchers, and that the plaintiffs were the victims of the searching. Are you sure the people you polled were clear on that?
They were clear that Obama’s SG sided with the obtrusive search policy. INAL, and I suppose at the USSC level it is petitioners and respondents.
I knew what the response was before the ‘fold’ flip. I knew the parties would be aligned on contitutional issues. I believe this is what kept Ron Paul alive so long in the primaries and also contributes to the Libs and Progs success in getting the Fed (partially) audited legislation passed last year.
Question is: Since the Tea Party is fading and Progs have no organizational skills How do we get both parties aligned again, to get meaningful legislation passed?
Let’s not embarrass ourselves by rocking the boat. I think there’s more spine in my shoelace than the democratic party.
Nice poll BTW.
So this was a Tea Party tax protest?
Did it matter that Romney and Obama both pay a lower percentage in taxes than many of them do? (They both pay lower than I)
-stewartm
The question you also should have asked is; “Do you believe that Mittens Rumoney will do anything different?”
conversely, I’d bank if you substituted bush for obama you’d have far more democrats disagreeing with the policy
He used Obama in his poll questions. Read the poll questions again. And yes I do believe there are morons in both parties that treat politics like a political sport and pay more attention to the jersey color than the policy positions or in the Democrats case the willingness and ability to fight on behalf of those positions.
However, I also believe that the conservative movement has more people that are aligned with authoritarian type leadership. It’s why they are much more capable of creating a lock step movement. It’s also why you hear them parroting talking points instead of taking the time to think something like government death panels as opposed to for profit death panels or bosses having religious freedom but workers not having that same access to freedom to choose how they worship. You literally have to be a pretzel to buy the logic Republican leadership sells (deficits matter until it comes to taxing the wealthy or paying for wars, religious freedom matters unless you want to build a mosque, government health care means death panels but allowing someone to die because they are unable to afford or access for profit care is in no form a death panel.)
and if you changed it to “Bush” all the Dems would move to the disagree category.
Uhhh, I think you all need to re-read the results.
Strangely interesting progression of comments……
That’s pretty cool. You basically have a “meta poll” going on in the comments.
On the democrate side, your poll lays bare the sheer genius of a presididn’t Obomba:
“Get the retards to vote for their own undoing.”
On the teabagger side… well, the jihadi looking kid with the flag pinwheel kind of says it all.
I read em’. They’re interesting but unless you delve deeper than I really don’t see them as overwhelmingly helpful. The answers may be similar between the tea party and Democrats but the rationale behind why is not(and I say that as someone who has a neighbor who is a tea partier).
Is there anyone here who thinks the tea partiers despite their agreement with Obama on those last 2 questions are going to VOTE for Obama?
Is there anyone here that thinks that despite their disagreement with Obama that at least some of these Democrats will vote for Obama?
Until politics become more than a team sport I don’t see us moving forward.
Empires_create_comfort
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Comfort_allows_the_ignorant_to_thrive_and_multiply
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Masses_of_ignorant_citizens_tear_down_the_Empire
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(I_can_imagine_that_kid_in_the_picture_being_scolded_for_not_frowning_hard_enough)
I wonder how much of the stuff on the back of that ‘burban was made in China.
Interest in both races by both sides seems off Obama is an easy win for reelection plus he has disappointed the Left this explains Dem turnout.
However Wasilla is Sarah’s home turf and the Tea Baggers can’t get a crowd with Mitt as their nominee against Obama in Wasilla???
On police searches, the right to be able to assassinate any American overseas for any reason, drones, Espionage Act for prosecution of more people than all previous administrations combined. Do you approve? etc The Tea Baggers are to the Left of Democrats?
I as a Lefty find myself in the Tea Bagger camp??? I thought Obama’s whole rational for going Right on these issues was to buy Righty Cred? But Obama is to Right for the Tea Party…in Wasilla?
Just how out of touch is Obama never mind the GOPers and Media who want to go more Right?
I agree that if Bush not Obama had said this the results would have flipped some because Racism but the Dems defending our Guy with Authoritarianism ingroup thinking suggests that if we Dems do take power we have a problem.
Rahm is not an only child.
Agreed those in power breed with each other to keep money and power in the family since they are to rich the weak ones never fall to their natural level and contaminate the upper class breeding stock.
In a few generations expect the American Nero.