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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Tea party's other half

Tea party's other half - David Kirby and Emily Ekins - POLITICO.com:
"Just under half, or 48 percent, of tea partiers at the recent Virginia Tea Party Convention held views that are more accurately described as libertarian — fiscally conservative, to be sure, but moderate to liberal on social and cultural issues. Many of these activists, however, are unfamiliar with the word 'libertarian.' Rather, 60 percent of the libertarian tea partiers label themselves as 'independent' or 'something else,' compared to 37 percent of tea party conservatives.

"The other half of our survey sample, roughly 51 percent, held traditional conservative views — agreeing on “the less government the better” but also believing that government should promote traditional values.

"Many still mistake the tea party as one large group, sharing common interests, which our research shows is incorrect. Understanding the tea party’s two halves — libertarian and conservative —
may help unravel the seemingly contradictory impulses of the group"

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