Americans favor Occupy Wall Street far more than Tea Party
dignin
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plu ... _blog.html
The Morning Plum
By Greg Sargent
* Americans favor Occupy Wall Street far more than Tea Party: Despite nonstop GOP and conservative disparagement of the Wall Street protests, the most detailed polling yet on Occupy Wall Street suggests that the public holds a broadly favorable view of the movement — and, crucially, the positions it holds.
Time released a new poll this morning finding that 54 percent view the Wall Street protests favorably, versus only 23 percent who think the opposite. Interestingly, only 23 percent say they don’t have an opinion, suggesting the protests have succeeded in punching through to the mainstream. Also: The most populist positions espoused by Occupy Wall Street — that the gap between rich and poor has grown too large; that taxes should be raised on the rich; that execs responsible for the meltdown should be prosecuted — all have strong support.
Meanwhile, the poll found that only 27 percent have a favorable view of the Tea Party. My handy Plum Line calculator tells me that this amounts to half the number of those who view Occupy Wall Street favorably.
In fairness, the Tea Party has been in existence since before the 2010 elections, and even has had a seat at the governing table during the debt ceiling and government shutdown debacles, which clearly took their toll on the Tea Party’s image. Occupy Wall Street is just getting started. But it does seem clear that a confluence of events — the protests, Obama’s jobs push, Elizabeth Warren’s Senate candidacy, and the national backlash from the right all these things have provoked — are pushing populist issues such as fair taxation and income inequality to the forefront of the national conversation.
It turns out we don’t live in Tea Party Nation, after all.
The Morning Plum
By Greg Sargent
* Americans favor Occupy Wall Street far more than Tea Party: Despite nonstop GOP and conservative disparagement of the Wall Street protests, the most detailed polling yet on Occupy Wall Street suggests that the public holds a broadly favorable view of the movement — and, crucially, the positions it holds.
Time released a new poll this morning finding that 54 percent view the Wall Street protests favorably, versus only 23 percent who think the opposite. Interestingly, only 23 percent say they don’t have an opinion, suggesting the protests have succeeded in punching through to the mainstream. Also: The most populist positions espoused by Occupy Wall Street — that the gap between rich and poor has grown too large; that taxes should be raised on the rich; that execs responsible for the meltdown should be prosecuted — all have strong support.
Meanwhile, the poll found that only 27 percent have a favorable view of the Tea Party. My handy Plum Line calculator tells me that this amounts to half the number of those who view Occupy Wall Street favorably.
In fairness, the Tea Party has been in existence since before the 2010 elections, and even has had a seat at the governing table during the debt ceiling and government shutdown debacles, which clearly took their toll on the Tea Party’s image. Occupy Wall Street is just getting started. But it does seem clear that a confluence of events — the protests, Obama’s jobs push, Elizabeth Warren’s Senate candidacy, and the national backlash from the right all these things have provoked — are pushing populist issues such as fair taxation and income inequality to the forefront of the national conversation.
It turns out we don’t live in Tea Party Nation, after all.
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I wonder where the comment "despite nonstop disparagement by the national media and the DNC, the poll found that 27% have a favorable view of the tea party..."
I don't think FNC and a few congressman and some tea party representatives count as non-stop disparagement. I wonder what a poll from 2009 would say about the tea party
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/12/16/wsjnbc-news-poll-tea-party-tops-democrats-and-republicans/
More than four in 10, 41%, of respondents said they had a very or somewhat favorable view of the Tea Party movement, while 24% said they had a somewhat or very negative view of the group. The Tea Party movement gained notoriety over the summer following a series of protests in Washington, D.C. and other cities over government spending and other U.S. economic policies.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party, which controls both the White House and Congress, has a 35% positive rating compared with a 45% negative rating.
looks a little familiar....this movement is new, and yes, as soon as it is usurped the favorable ratings will decrease.
Point being, while everyone tries to differentiate the two, specifically the tea party and the Occupiers...they are forgetting that they want the same results...Less government ties to the markets.
It is terrifying when you are too stupid to know who is dumb
- Joe Rogan
When almost 50% of people don't pay any income tax and still like having roads, schools, military, police force, welfare, etc.... it's not hard to see why they would support OWS.
It's tougher to force the government to look closely at it's spending than it is to look at who has money and make them give more to the goverment.
50% of Americans dont pay income tax.....holy shit :shock: news to me. Can you show some kind of stats to back this up.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Nearly-ha ... 3.html?x=0
that was 2009, not sure if the 3% gap has been bridged now or not, but close enough to 50% for me
It is terrifying when you are too stupid to know who is dumb
- Joe Rogan
Study this: http://www.usdebtclock.org/...it will answer most of your questions.
Looks like people already posted some links.
(see link for a breakdown)
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/UploadedPDF/1001289_who_pays.pdf
I heard this stat yesterday and didn't believe it. It's pretty shocking.
right, but if you are poor, and pay no taxes at all and are asked a question about a group that is perceived to be taking on the evil 1%...wouldn't it also make sense that they would support that movement.... So if half don't pay taxes and about half are supportive of the movement...
It isn't about the right or wrong of the tax code, it was more about establishing direct correlation between the amount of people who don't pay taxes and the amount of people who are supportive of the OWS movement.
doesn't that make sense?
It is terrifying when you are too stupid to know who is dumb
- Joe Rogan
I'm pretty sure the poor pay taxes...you know things like sales tax and gas tax......anyhoo, I suppose folks want blood from a turnip....I guess we should go ahead and tax them...that will surely fix all our ills...
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
Again, you missed the point.
what about my post said tax the poor more?
there is no national sales tax. If they work they pay payroll tax like everyone else. But income is the one people think about, so again...doesn't ~50% support for a movement that is for taxing the rich more and 50% of the people in a country not paying taxes seem to simply be common sense?
let's stick to the topic, not the progressive tax structure. That was the point of the tax comment.
and no, more tax revenue will not fix our problems.
It is terrifying when you are too stupid to know who is dumb
- Joe Rogan
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
Should be 100%.
Wow
http://pajamasmedia.com/tatler/2011/10/ ... ll-street/
http://pajamasmedia.com/ronradosh/2011/ ... epage=true
slanted but worth reading for the perspective, even if you disagree
— Socrates
Right on.
It is terrifying when you are too stupid to know who is dumb
- Joe Rogan
someone says "but if you are poor, and pay no taxes" and I say "I'm pretty sure the poor pay taxes"...yeah, I guess I missed something somewhere...
I'm not in favor of a flat tax, but I do think it's a bit hypocritical to pay no federal income tax and complain that someone else's taxes aren't higher. How about we solve the problem another way: keep taxes where they are, cut the budget, and keep making cuts until it's balanced.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrPGoPFRUdc
SHOW COUNT: (164) 1990's=3, 2000's=53, 2010/20's=108, US=118, CAN=15, Europe=20 ,New Zealand=4, Australia=5
Mexico=1, Colombia=1
Despite complaints about federal income tax, the tax rates are relatively flat when you consider how quickly you reach the top income bracket. The problem is, there are far too many individuals who don't come close to that.
The idea that we need to put a greater tax burden on the poor is absurd. These people literally don't earn enough money to live. A flat tax rate would simply bankrupt the government at a faster rate as the bottom 50% have virtually nothing to give. Taxation has always been about curbing the abuses of private citizens who aim to monopolize the markets and consume all of a nations assets. With the lame-duck federal government you have in the US, this hasn't been too hard to accomplish.
What an idiot.
This is great pop journalism. The interviewer is clearly more articulate and far more prepared than his subject. It's the same kind of garbage we see on CNN, Fox MSNBC, and even John Stewart and Stephen Colbert. It's entertaining, but it doesn't really demonstrate anything other than the fact you can always find a fool in a crowd.
As an aside I would add that small business owners generally pay more than their share as well. My wife and I are self-employed, are in a relatively low income bracket (not poor but well below the median) and pay about 1/3 of our income to state and federal taxes. I wouldn't mind that at all to tell the truth if more of my tax money was being spent to feed and house the poor, give everybody at least basic health care and do everything possible to at least slow global warming and solve other environmental problems (which is partly why we tithe our income to environmental and social justice organizations- to make up what our tax dollars don't do).
The whole system is messed. But that's just the opinion of someone who is in the "elite".
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
I'm sorry to inform you, but you don't exactly sound like you're part of the so-called "elite".
There is a huge difference between the corporate elite and the countless small business owners who are simply trying to make things work. Heck, there are rich and poor small business owners, just like there are rich and poor working families. I've been watching the us debt clock and I find it interesting to note that while corporate assets are rising at an alarming rate, both small business assets and household assets are dropping just as dramatically. Small businesses aren't running Wall Street, nor are they in control of Washington. That being said, I find it fascinating that so many business owners empathize with Wall Street and condemn anybody else who has fallen on hard times. I just don't understood why some Americans are so quick to attack the poor who essentially have nothing while giving the super rich a free pass.
I was being totally facetious about being "elite". That is how another poster or two have characterized me. :?
Your summation regarding the debt clock are right on the mark. Corporations continue to make huge monetary gains while the average person continues to struggle more and more. Those of us who are in small business are either sweating bullets or shitting bricks. It's a damn tough gig right now. I'm lucky in a way- I've been at the bottom so the struggle is nothing new and I've had some breaks. Not every one is faring even that well and as I've said before, unless a person is amongst the true wealthy elite, I don't know why they would not support the (mostly) peacefull OWS protests.
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
No, I believe you missed my point...someone makes a false statement ("but if you are poor, and pay no taxes") and I corrected that statement...
thanks for adding your spin to it.... :thumbup:
Yep, paying sales tax with your welfare $ should count.
I guess I didn't see what you were saying because I mentioned specifically income tax and the poster responded to my post, so I'm pretty sure he was talking about income tax.
And the bottom line is still ... is it really difficult to see a majority of Americans being ok with more taxes on the top 1%...hell, the top 20%...maybe the top 40%? If you are just looking for a simple majority, it's pretty easy to see.