A just-released CNN/Opinion Research Poll finds that more Americans are viewing the Tea Party Movement in an unfavorable light, even as less than 200 teabaggers turned out on Thursday at the U.S. Capitol to rally in support of Republicans desire to gut billions of dollars from the federal budget.
The poll conducted during March 11-13, found 47 percent of Americans now view the Tea Party Movement unfavorably, with 32 percent “favorable” and another 14 percent who had “no opinion”.
These figures are in contrast to 43 percent of Americans that viewed the movement as “unfavorable”, 37 percent “favorable” and 13 percent that had “no opinion” in a poll conducted in December 17-19, 2010.
With the current stopgap spending measure running out on April 8, House Republicans backed by teabaggers are being urged to hang tough in their negotiations with Democrats and stick to the $61 billion in budget cuts, already passed by the House. Democrats have offered to cut $33 billion from discretionary spending for the remainder of fiscal 2011.
Republicans and tea partiers are prepared to shut down the government if a compromise cannot be reached. But this might not sit well with Americans who are increasingly viewing the teabaggers unfavorably.
The CNN/Opinion Poll was conducted by telephone with 1,023 adult Americans during March 11-13, 2011 and has a margin of error of +/- 3 percent.
