Tea Party: less popular than atheists

According to an op ed in the New York Times, recent polling data is showing that the Tea Party is one of the most disliked groups in the country. More disliked than Muslims and atheists. And apparently, the "Christian Right" isn't real popular either. The article states what anyone with half a brain knew from the start – the Tea Party, contrary to their early declarations that they were not about any particular political party, are overwhelmingly Republican Christian conservatives. They've never really had a uniform, coherent ideological stance, but if they all favor anything, it's Jesus:

Next to being a Republican, the strongest predictor of being a Tea Party supporter today was a desire, back in 2006, to see religion play a prominent role in politics. And Tea Partiers continue to hold these views: they seek “deeply religious” elected officials, approve of religious leaders’ engaging in politics and want religion brought into political debates. The Tea Party’s generals may say their overriding concern is a smaller government, but not their rank and file, who are more concerned about putting God in government.

This inclination among the Tea Party faithful to mix religion and politics explains their support for Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and Gov. Rick Perry of Texas. Their appeal to Tea Partiers lies less in what they say about the budget or taxes, and more in their overt use of religious language and imagery, including Mrs. Bachmann’s lengthy prayers at campaign stops and Mr. Perry’s prayer rally in Houston.

Yet it is precisely this infusion of religion into politics that most Americans increasingly oppose. While over the last five years Americans have become slightly more conservative economically, they have swung even further in opposition to mingling religion and politics.

Personally, I've always thought that the Tea Party was more or less a platform for people who know fuck-all about politics, history, science, culture and law to pretend like they have anything important to say.

Maybe someday, we'll evolve past this in-group/out-group, us-vs.-them stuff and have a global community working for the betterment of all. Maybe. 

H/T Jen McCreight