In my nascent examinations of the Tea Party movement, I have been astounded by the frequency with which Tea Partyers speak of rebellion, secession, and striking out against the government. Thankfully, the data likely indicate only a minority of Tea Partyers hold such hostile sentiments. But, it is troubling to see some members of the […]
Who Is the Tea Party?
I have an op-ed in the Sunday, June 12, 2010 copy of the Philadelphia Inquirer that essays a provisional answer to this question. You may read the op-ed at http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/. It builds upon my previous blog posts on this question. Call it a further step in my nascent effort at political sociology on the Tea […]
Explaining the Appearance of the Tea Par...
Mark Lilla has an article in the April 29, 2010 issue of the New York Review of Books titled “Tea Party Jacobins.” It is typical Lilla—very well written, philosophical, and witty. By Lilla’s take, the Tea Party movement is worth taking seriously. It is a manifestation of deeper social and psychological changes that the country […]
Polling the Tea Party
The New York Times and CBS News conducted phone interviews of persons who identify with the Tea Party movement. The full results, all 41 pages worth, can be viewed freely at http://s3.amazonaws.com/nytdocs/docs/312/312.pdf. The results are fascinating, at least to a political scientist. The Tea Party identifiers believe deeply in free markets. An astonishing 92% say […]