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Brookings Data Now: 71 Percent of Tea Party Conservatives Believe Obama Poses Existential Threat

In this edition of Brookings Data Now: Master’s degrees are less useful in education than the pay bump would suggest; the U.S. benefit from carbon dioxide emissions reduction is less than the total global benefit, and less than compliance costs; the Tea Party is not dead and most view President Obama as a threat; neonatal care improves; estimates of Christian followers in China expected to increase. 

71%

Among Tea Party conservatives, 71% believe that Obama poses an existential threat

Tea Party groups’ membership has tripled from 185,000 to 550,000 members in recent years.

$3,205

Average pay difference for first-year teachers with MAs vs. those with BAs in U.S. school districts

At the top of the salary schedule, this difference increases, on average, to $8,411, and tops out at over $30,000 in three Maryland districts.

2%

Percentage of babies born in the U.S. before 32 weeks, or “very preterm”

One in eight is born preterm, before 37 weeks, and although these figures are relatively unchanged for three decades, there has been a 67 percent reduction in neonatal infections.

33 million

Estimated number of Christians in China

Some estimate that this number is as high as 100 million and could reach up to 250 million by 2030.

$2 billion – $7 billion

Estimated climate benefits to U.S. alone for new EPA emissions proposal

The estimated total, global climate benefit is estimated at $30 billion by 2030, but the compliance cost for U.S. power plants is estimated to be $7.3 billion.

Elina Saxena contributed to this post.