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10/28/2014 2:10:08 PM

http://www.psmag.com/navigation/politics-and-law/racial-resentment-drives-tea-party-membership-93419/

While some surveys show support for the Tea Party is waning, a recent Gallup poll found the movement “remains a powerful force, given their higher interest in the election, and higher motivation to vote.” It reports 73 percent of self-described Tea Party Republicans are highly motivated to vote in next week’s mid-terms—a figure far higher than that for Democrats or mainstream Republicans.

So what drives these voters, who will clearly have a disproportionate influence on next week’s election results? A new analysis comes up with a not-pretty answer: Racial resentment.

“At least to some degree, the Tea Party movement is an outlet for mobilizing and expressing racialized grievances which have been symbolically magnified by the election of the nation’s first black president,” writes a research team led by Florida State University sociologist Daniel Tope.

11/1/2014 11:16:27 AM

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So what drives these voters, who will clearly have a disproportionate influence on next week’s election results?[quote]

Ehh, disproportionate to what? Unless it's disproportionate to the number of them that voted I don't see how it's an issue.

No one can rightly complain about the elderly's disproportionate power in elections when it's due to the fact that old people vote. Did we hear a lot of grousing about the motivated to vote youth in 2012 being some kind of danger to the democratic process? I seem to recall that being lauded.

They're voting (much good may it do them), not their fault if others aren't doing it in as high a percentage during midterm elections.

11/1/2014 11:23:12 AM