Comments on: Tea Party Popularity in Perspective http://www.fair.org/blog/2010/02/09/tea-party-popularity-in-perspective/ The national media watch group Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:38:11 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: February 2010 « Questionable Content http://www.fair.org/blog/2010/02/09/tea-party-popularity-in-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-39223 February 2010 « Questionable Content Sun, 05 Sep 2010 02:13:36 +0000 http://www.fair.org/blog/?p=13649#comment-39223 [...] http://www.fair.org/blog/2010/02/09/tea-party-popularity-in-perspective/ 2/8 [...] [...] http://www.fair.org/blog/2010/02/09/tea-party-popularity-in-perspective/ 2/8 [...]

]]> By: Doug Latimer http://www.fair.org/blog/2010/02/09/tea-party-popularity-in-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-12602 Doug Latimer Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:39:47 +0000 http://www.fair.org/blog/?p=13649#comment-12602 Em, I was being, perhaps unempirically (if that's a word) hopeful about the poll. Again, folks have different definitions of "socialism", and while I view it in a holistic way, others may more narrowly define it as focused on economic equality, which would explain to some degree the relative high favorable rating, given the shit many are knee deep in, wouldn't it? It'd be interesting to see the results from a similar question posed a few years earlier, don't you think? But even if that's the case, that's something to have some hope about, isn't it? And I hope Aaron's right - that respondents are expressing more than just a perfunctory endorsement of loosing our "better angels", and are calling for true political change to confront the injustices of a system based on profit. Things are going to get worse, aren't they - so we'll have a clearer picture of this soon enough, it'd seem. Em, I was being, perhaps unempirically (if that's a word) hopeful about the poll. Again, folks have different definitions of "socialism", and while I view it in a holistic way, others may more narrowly define it as focused on economic equality, which would explain to some degree the relative high favorable rating, given the shit many are knee deep in, wouldn't it?

It'd be interesting to see the results from a similar question posed a few years earlier, don't you think?

But even if that's the case, that's something to have some hope about, isn't it? And I hope Aaron's right – that respondents are expressing more than just a perfunctory endorsement of loosing our "better angels", and are calling for true political change to confront the injustices of a system based on profit.

Things are going to get worse, aren't they – so we'll have a clearer picture of this soon enough, it'd seem.

]]> By: aaron http://www.fair.org/blog/2010/02/09/tea-party-popularity-in-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-12583 aaron Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:29:11 +0000 http://www.fair.org/blog/?p=13649#comment-12583 The vast majority of American voters vote against their interests--which is to say that the vast majority vote for Democrats or Republicans, the twin parties of capitalism. I disagree that the "pro-socialists" are saying what they think sounds altruistic. Socialism has been disparaged as evil and oppressive--*by definition*--for generations in this country, so it makes no sense to think that there's some large pool of folks who're in fact supporters of the capitalist system who nonetheless think they sound better being on record as being keen on socialism. The vast majority of American voters vote against their interests--which is to say that the vast majority vote for Democrats or Republicans, the twin parties of capitalism.

I disagree that the "pro-socialists" are saying what they think sounds altruistic. Socialism has been disparaged as evil and oppressive--*by definition*--for generations in this country, so it makes no sense to think that there's some large pool of folks who're in fact supporters of the capitalist system who nonetheless think they sound better being on record as being keen on socialism.

]]> By: Big Em http://www.fair.org/blog/2010/02/09/tea-party-popularity-in-perspective/comment-page-1/#comment-12575 Big Em Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:27:51 +0000 http://www.fair.org/blog/?p=13649#comment-12575 I agree with DL's sentiments above but am more cynical about what the "36% favorably disposed towards socialism" means. Unfortunately, I tend to think that a lot of this is people answering a poll the way they think they SHOULD answer it, not the way the really believe. They tend to be more altruisitic in their responses to polls than in their actual actions, including voting. When you look at the presidential voting stats*, you have to go all the way back to 1932 -- a major time of despair during the Great Depression -- before you find a Socialist party member getting more than 1% of the vote. (* http://www.usconstitution.net/elections.html) I agree with DL's sentiments above but am more cynical about what the "36% favorably disposed towards socialism" means. Unfortunately, I tend to think that a lot of this is people answering a poll the way they think they SHOULD answer it, not the way the really believe. They tend to be more altruisitic in their responses to polls than in their actual actions, including voting. When you look at the presidential voting stats*, you have to go all the way back to 1932 — a major time of despair during the Great Depression — before you find a Socialist party member getting more than 1% of the vote.

(* http://www.usconstitution.net/elections.html)

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