A movement, sure, but where's it going?

With Tax Day behind us, and with it the Tea Party rallies across the country, the question is, What's next for the one-year-old Tea Party ?
 
Tea Party protesters in Washington made clear they weren't interested in establishment Republicans showing up, and no House or Senate GOP leaders were invited. The movement isn't really organized, and isn't coalescing around a substantial number of third-party candidates. Those who split off haven't done so well. Who represents the Tea Party, and what role will its supporters play in this fall's elections?

If you haven't seen the New York Times/CBS News poll from today on the Tea Party, you will want to check this out. The Tea Party remains a conservative movement, supporters tend to be more conservative than the average Republican and 84 percent of them have an unfavorable view of President Obama. A staggering 96 percent of them disapprove of the Congress. According to the poll, they are wealthier and better educated than the general public and more than half of them say the policies of the Obama administration favor the poor. A quarter of respondents said they think the administration's policies favor blacks over whites, compared with 11 percent of the general public that shares the same view.
 
Most of those Tea Party members polled said they didn't want a third party and usually or always vote Republican. They believe, in large numbers, that the president is a socialist and that the country is headed in the wrong direction. But in follow-up interviews many said they didn't want to cut entitlements they said they deserved and hoped that cuts in waste would be enough. Catch this quote from a Tea Party supporter from California — "I don't know what to say. Maybe I don't want smaller government. I guess I want my Social Security," said Jodine White, 62, and added, "I didn't look at it from the perspective of losing things I need. I think I've changed my mind."
 
Can't wait for the exit polls on Nov. 2.
 

WILL REPUBLICANS SUPPORT REGULATORY REFORM? Ask A.B. returns Tuesday, April 23. Please join my weekly video Q&A by sending your questions and comments to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Thank you.