Forum Post: Newsflash: Americans agree with Occupy Wall Street’s message
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 17, 2011, 11:26 a.m. EST by looselyhuman
(3117)
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There was a good deal of crowing in some quarters yesterday about a new poll showing support dropping for Occupy Wall Street. And there’s no sugar coating the fact that the movement should be very concerned about its image and direction.
But a new poll today from the Public Religion Research Institute suggests something that national Dems should not lose sight of as the battle over Occupy Wall Street’s meaning continues: Americans agree with the basic critique of the system embodied by the movement.
It finds that 67 percent of Americans agree that government should do more to reduce the gap between rich and poor, which a large majority says is growing. Sixty nine percent favor hiking taxes on millionaires. Fifty seven percent favor eliminating tax breaks for corporations. Sixty seven percent oppose cutting federal programs that help the poor (though a large majority also says the poor are too dependent on government). A plurality, 48 percent, thinks the American Dream — that if you work hard, you’ll get ahead — no longer holds true. These general findings are borne out in many other polls.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/the-morning-plum/2011/11/17/gIQApINJUN_blog.html
Campaign Finance Reform. Boom.
I agree with OWSs' general ideas as well. I think most do, and your data shows that. I do, however, think that we need to focus on a reasonable place to begin the reform. We need one issue that embodies the general frustration of Americans, but can be achieved because it is reasonable and inclusive.
The Occupy movement needs to get it's act together and develop a coherant message. it can do this by going after the head of the snake -THE FEDERAL RESERVE! -ther federal reserve is a private corporation, not part of the governmetn, they like to masquerade as a govt. entity, but they are not. They are the ones who cut regulations so that billionaire bankers can enrich themselves, the fed and the bankers run our govt. by proxy, WAKE UP!
Americans have revolted against the fed and their financial scam 6 times already........
From that poll:
"Caveats: Those" [the ideas you mention in your post] "were not presented directly as ideas embodied by Occupy Wall Street. Only 29 percent say the movement shares their “values,” though an identical number says that about the Tea Party. In this poll the two movements command roughly equivalent levels of support. But Occupy Wall Street still seems to be perceived as radical, and is still in danger of fizzling."
So don't get so excited. To me that seems to mean a good majority of America agrees with the complaints, but only 29% agree with OWS action.
Also, that poll found 71% of people think the poor are too reliant on the government.
OWS = free loaders I have 3 kids and my family to support, where do these people find the time and the funds to sit there day after day? I'm guessing most of them get some type of government support such as welfare or unemployment. That's my tax dollars being spent on the police and paying these idiots to sit on their butts causing problems. If, they put as much energy into finding a job as opposed to sitting there, they would be working by now. When Obama stated that, "Americans are becoming lazy and don't have the drive anymore". He must of been looking at this group, and to think our own president supported this idiotic movement at the beginning. That just makes me furious.
What these people are doing is intended to ensure that your three kids will be able to get decent jobs and support their own families some day.
I've watched a live feed of the protests and most of those people look clean cut and middle class. They probably have jobs and are just taking time off to do something they think is important
the Occupy movement needs to get it's act together and develop a coherant message. it can do this by go ing after the head of the snake -THE FEDERAL RESERVE! -the federal reserve is a private corporation, not part of the government, they like to masquerade as a govt. entity, but they are not. they are the ones who cut regulations so that billionaire bankers can enrich themselves, the fed and the bankers run our govt. by proxy, WAKE UP!
The police are there to protect and serve everyone regardless of affiliation. I applaud the NYPD and the Mayor for putting the security of the public as the top priority of the day. If you peacefully protest you might not get arrested. If you clean up after yourselves and not literally crap in the street the police would not have to raid the protest to clean the park. If you didn't infringe on other people's daily commute you might not get arrested. And by the way go to http://www.irs.gov/taxstats/indtaxstats/article/0,,id=98123,00.html you would actually get your facts straight about how mach in taxes the "rich" pay. The top 1% of income earners pays 37% of total income tax revenue to the IRS. The top 5% pays 58% of the income tax revenue. That means that 5% of the income tax paying population is paying for over half of the money to the IRS. They also are getting taxed at a rate of up to 35%. They also pay taxes on capital gains as well. So I suggest you that next Thursday you be thankful that the “rich” are paying the majority of the burden for entitlement programs like education, Medicare, government housing, and yes the police and military who sacrifice day in and day out for YOUR safety and mine. Also, do a little research about how the top earners also give more to charitable organizations then about half the population. After you do your research you tell me how the “rich” are greedy after you do your research, and look at the greed that you are portraying by your actions today. Mine you this statement is being made by a former liberal! All your demands sound great in theory till you get out in the real world and have to work to support a family with the lifestyle they deserve. You are responsible for your actions. If you make poor financial decisions you have no one to blame but yourself. If you take out a loan you have a responsibility to pay that loan back. Remember that the real world might not let you get a $150,000 salary if you’re not willing to earn it. And just because you spent 100,000 on an education that doesn’t mean you’ll get a $100,000 job.
*Why do you need the police to clean up the park? There are many other effective ways to reduce the sanitary "concerns" without police involvement. It was clearly a Raid....if you think the police are there merely to clean the park you're in la la land.