150 Years Later, Tea Partiers Still Aren’t Over The Civil War

Every time I go back to Think Progress, there's something new. A diligent bunch! Links at site.

Today is the 150th anniversary of the Civil War’s beginning, when secessionists fired on Union troops at Fort Sumter, South Carolina. According to a new poll from CNN, the Civil War’s legacy remains unresolved. The poll finds that Republicans and Tea Party supporters are more likely to support the Confederacy and confederate leaders than Democrats or Independents.

According to the poll, nearly one in four Americans sympathize with the Confederacy more than with the Union. That number grows to nearly four-in-ten among white Southerners. Among Tea Party members, 26 percent sympathize with the Confederacy more than the Union, and that number grows to 28 percent among Republicans.

There's that Dead End Quarter again.

Meanwhile, while respondents overall viewed slavery as the main reason for the war by a 54-42 margin, Tea Partiers and Republicans held different views. Fifty-two percent of Republicans believed slavery was not the main reason, and that number rose to 54 percent among Tea Partiers.

Yeah, it wasn't over slavery, it was over the "states' rights" that permitted slavery. Yeesh.

Even though these battles are radical and out of the mainstream, it isn’t that shocking that these Republicans are attempting to refight them. According to these poll numbers, that’s exactly what large segments of their base want them to do.

Fine. The sane people kicked their ass once and apparently they've recovered enough that they need it kicked again.

Note to Confederacysymps: Just secede already. The United States will pay a high price in the loss of a lot of fine people but I can accept it if it makes you STFU. Maybe a sound wall around you would work. A thick one.