Kos/R2K Poll: Republican Voters Are Extremists

At a tea party in Philadelphia
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Markos Moulitsas has formally unveiled his new Research 2000 poll of Republicans nationwide, setting out to demonstrate the GOP’s party base are extremists with whom the Democrats can’t possibly try to work.

Kos declares that this poll shows that bipartisanship, or compromise with the Republicans, are not an option: “Ultimately, these results explain why it is impossible for elected Republicans to work with Democrats to improve our country. Their base are conspiracy mongers who don’t believe Obama was born in the United States, that he is the second coming of Lenin, and that he is racist against white people. They already want to impeach him despite the glaringly obvious lack of high crimes or misdemeanors. If any Republican strays and decides to do the right thing and try to work in a bipartisan fashion, they suffer primaries and attacks.”

We posted yesterday on an early sneak peek at the poll, showing that 63% of Republicans consider Obama to be a socialist, 39% want him impeached, and only 42% say he was born in the United States.

The major pattern that emerges is that even where only minorities or weak pluralities of Republicans hold to some extreme positions, there also exists a large bloc of undecideds.

• “Should Barack Obama be impeached, or not?” Yes 39%, No 32%, Not Sure 29%.

• “Do you believe Barack Obama was born in the United States, or not?” Yes 42%, No 36%, Not Sure 22%.

• “Do you believe Barack Obama wants the terrorists to win?” Yes 24%, No 43%, Not Sure 33%.

• “Do you believe ACORN stole the 2008 election?” Yes 21%, No 24%, Not Sure 55%.

• “Do you believe Barack Obama is a racist who hates White people?” Yes 31%, No 36%, Not Sure 33%.

• “Do you believe your state should secede from the United States?” The answer here is Yes 23%, No 58%, Not Sure 19%. On this basis, Kos declares: “42 percent of Republicans aren’t really patriotic.” Among Republicans in the South, secessionism is stronger at Yes 33%, No 52% Not Sure 15%.

There were some areas of reasonableness, though. In particular, the role of women as equals in family and professional life is now a settled matter in American culture. “Are marriages equal partnerships, or are men the leaders of their households?” Men 13%, Equal 76%, Not Sure 11%; and “Should women work outside the home?” Yes 86%, No 4%, Not Sure 10%.

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