From my v. small direct experience of the USA I would say that the tea party is largely made up of low intelligence, low education, low information, low career achievement magical thinkers. There are huge numbers of these in the States - biblical fundamentalists, creationists, snake handlers, white supremacists, American exceptionalists.

They are xenophobic, insular, anti-science, prone to conspiracy theories and have a huge reservoir of resentment against all others - especially minorities - who they see as doing well at their expense. In one sense, they are even right in this regard. Smart blacks and Latinos are increasingly moving into better jobs which would once have been the preserve of whites - almost to the extent of post apartheid South Africa.

They have two options for explaining their failure to achieve the American Dream.

1. Blame themselves
   
2. Blame somebody else.

It's always easier to find a scapegoat, and they don't have the analytical skills to understand how the system is, in fact, rigged against them but not by who they think. They actually believe the marketing hype of Corporate America. You have to be very credulous to believe the world was created 4000 years ago... and then go and drive a car created by the same scientific methods and principles that disprove the creationist theory.

That is why Obama's remark about bitter people clinging to their guns went down so very badly - especially coming from him. HE is the reason they are so downtrodden and their hatred for him has to be seen to be believed - and it doesn't matter a damn that, objectively, he is actually trying to improve their lot.

Index of Frank's Diaries

Romney put Ryan on the ticket so he can shut him up and so he can control him (and his friends).  Romney appeals to a lot of wannabe's, business-types--they LOVE him.  LOVE him.  Ryan represents something else, that is more foreign to those well-to-do business republicans than anything the Democrats might put forward.  In Romney's cynical calculation no doubt, Ryan puts stars in the eyes of those "low education, low information" Limbaugh lovers.  But it's a film flam, and Romney will never deliver for them.  Romney will do as he pleases--he is no GWB, and Ryan is no Cheney.  

The educated, ambitious business people want nothing to do with Ryan style ultrasounds, and fetal personhoods--that stuff is so idiotic, it doesn't even register in their minds.  I'm sure a lot of people who will vote for Romney aren't even paying attention to the junk Ryan has put out, and now Romney has ensured that Ryan will never mention any of it again.