I'm not a regular blogger or diarist and I generally have other things to do, but I get really tired of people claiming or implying the tea baggers are working class, like in this post to the diary Don't Get Palin's Appeal? Try a Little Harder
The post said: is it possible to break through to Palin fans?
how to get past the politics of resentment?
even if their situations are improved--they get universal healthcare, or jobs, or their kids can go to college--is it possible that this segment of American society will ever 'get it'?
or do we just write them off?
why pander to them? why water down our policies just to get them into the tent?
I don't believe it would change them. The reason it wouldn't change them is that this group doesn't have any problems sending their kids to college or getting health insurance. If you look at their self reported demographics,they are upper middle class.
To summarize
Only a little more than a quarter earn under 50 thousand a year. 85% are home owners. Not a working class bunch as many have suggested.
A little less than a quarter are single. A small majority are male. 3/4 are between 35 and 64. 87 percent are white, with 5 percent declining to respond.
85% lean right. 58% are republicans.
Their favored candidates for President are.
1)Sarah Palin
2)Mitt Romney
3)Newt Gingrich
They appear to be the mainstream right and are upper middle class, white and married.
Some of the stats are weasely like how big the income brackets are. 10-50 thousand a year all in the same bracket. Looks like they were trying to make the baggers look more working class than they are. Putting people aged 35 in the same bracket with those up to 64 makes it look like they are trying to make the baggers look younger. The party affiliation and ideology section is presented in a confusing way so you have to get out your calculator.
They aren't working class like many have claimed. They appear to be mainstream conservatives.
Granted the diary itself implies it. I think their populism is simply the populism of the c student who gets by on connections and looks and not the populism of the working class. They do vote more than other groups, because they have more at stake, and they are well connected to the political elites. Her little wink represents her group insider status. W wasn't working class either.