Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Political Typology
Political attitudes have become more doctrinaire at both ends of the ideological spectrum. Yet at the same time, the growing center of the political spectrum is increasingly diverse. As an in-depth guide to the political landscape, the 2011 Political Typology sorts Americans into cohesive groups based on their values, political beliefs and party affiliation.
Tea Party: Better Known, Less Popular
As the Tea Party has evolved from a grassroots movement into a major force on Capitol Hill, public views of the movement have grown more negative. Slightly more disagree than agree with the Tea Party — a reversal in public evaluations from a year ago.
Obama Ratings Slip Amid Economic Anxieties
About as many now approve (47%) as disapprove (45%) of the way Obama is handling his job with the president getting especially negative ratings on his handling of the budget deficit and the overall economy. The GOP has an advantage on the budget, while Democrats are favored on traits such as concern for average people, willingness to work with the opposition, and ethics. The parties run about even on jobs and health care.
How big a proportion of the American public is the Tea Party?
Senior research staff answer questions from readers relating to all the areas covered by our seven projects, ranging from polling techniques and findings, to media, technology, religious, demographic and global attitudes trends.
The Tea Party, Religion and Social Issues
Tea Party supporters’ conservative opinions extend beyond economic matters to social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. The Tea Party also draws disproportionate support from the ranks of white evangelical Protestants.
Tea Party’s Hard Line on Spending Divides GOP
Across a wide range of issues — including entitlements, education, agriculture and energy — Tea Party Republicans take a much harder line on cutting federal spending than do non-Tea Party Republicans, who are far more in sync with Democrats.
Rethinking Budget Cutting
Views about federal spending are beginning to change. Americans no longer call for more spending on many popular programs. Still, support for cutting spending remains limited, though in a few cases it has risen noticeably. The public remains reluctant either to cut spending — or to raise taxes – to balance state budgets.
