CBS News and the New York Times took a poll of Tea Party Supporters: Who They Are and What They Believe. As with all polls, both pro- and anti-tea people will find things to support their arguments. I haven’t made any secret of how I feel about the tea party movement: I think it’s a deeply divisive and destructive political movement based on unfocused populist rage ginned up by cynical astroturfers, Fox News, and leaders who are often crazier than the followers, and I see nothing here that will change my mind.

Obama Derangement Syndrome is endemic:

Ninety-two percent of Tea Party supporters believe President Obama’s policies are moving the country toward socialism. Fifty-two percent of Americans overall share that belief.

There’s a disturbing amount of support for Birtherism (and other conspiracy theories, such as the “sekrit Moslem” theory), which will come as no surprise to anyone who’s followed this movement.

Thirty percent of Tea Party supporters believe Mr. Obama was born in another country, despite ample evidence to the contrary. Another 29 percent say they don’t know.

If you’re looking for coherent ideologies, forget it. Besides Birtherism, the poll highlights several other points at which the tea party crowd seems seriously reality-challenged. They can’t define what they mean by “socialism,” even though almost all of them are convinced we’re heading towards it. They’re angrily opposed to the health care reform bill, but they say entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare are worth the cost. They’re an anti-tax movement but most of them think their taxes are fair. Two thirds of them think global warming is a hoax perpetrated by mad scientists out to trick the world.

And the two most popular political-media figures with the tea-heads: Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck.

Here are the full crosstabs at the New York Times: New York Times/CBS News Poll: National Survey of Tea Party Supporters.