Poll: Washington to blame more than Wall Street for economy

[progressoid]

Poll: Washington to blame more than Wall Street for economy

Most Americans blame Wall Street for the nation's economic predicament — but they blame Washington more.

And in the democracy that fancies itself the capital of capitalism, more than four in 10 people describe the U.S. economic system as personally unfair to them. A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken last weekend, as the Occupy Wall Street protest movement completed its first month, found that:

When asked whom they blame more for the poor economy, 64% of Americans name the federal government and 30% say big financial institutions.

...

Support for the Tea Party movement and its conservative agenda is roughly the same as Occupy Wall Street's, the poll found. About a fifth of Americans (22%) describe themselves as Tea Party supporters and 27% as opponents. Almost half (47%) say they're neither.

Asked what the wealthiest 1% of Americans — the ones excoriated by Occupy Wall Street —should pay in taxes as a percentage of their income, more than a quarter of people — 28% — have no opinion. Another 21% say the richest should pay 10% or less, and only 18% say they should pay more than 30%.

...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-10-17/poll-wall-street-protests/50804978/1

[marmar]

1. Washington and Wall Street are one and the same anyway.

nt

[valerief]

13. EXACTLY! One is the top of the monster, the other is the bottom.

The top is Wall St. Our govt is the bottom and it pisses on us.

[nc4bo]

2. WallStreet and DC are like Jack & Jill, inseparable.

One poops, the other wipes. Must break the cycle somewhere so how about we start with the ones who benefit the most from paying off our politicians and creating legislation that benefits them over the welfare 99%?

[kctim]

11. And a few thousand protesters will

convince Wall Street to volunteer to 'break the cycle?' Or will it take legislative action from DC?

[valerief]

14. Oh, it HAS to take legislative action from DC. It will probably takes strikes and boycotts and other

stuff to get there.

[kctim]

16. I can see a combination

of strikes, boycotts and smart protests having a lot more of an effect on DC than just protests.
Good points.

[valerief]

23. Yeah, most of the country has to say FU to the greedy 1%. nt

[nc4bo]

15. I wish I knew.

DC will have to have the balls to put action to words, something they've been unwilling to do so far.

OWS is a huge shaming on both WS and DC and I guess it's the ones who feel they have the most to lose who will blink first.

Thinking specifically behind the idea of November 5th, Bank Transfer Day as a way to chip away at WS.

[Marr]

3. The whole complaint is that they've become the same entity.

That's why citizens are on WALL STREET protesting this GOVERNMENT corruption.

[Cali_Democrat]

4. Two sides of the same coin. n/t

[Andy823]

5. Both are guilty

Wall street caused the mess, deregulation by the government allowed to them to do it legally, congress didn't top them when they saw what was going on, and then they got bailed out for their mistakes and near collapse of the economy!

Now as for the tea party and OWS, all the polls I have seen show a much higher rate of support for OWS than the tea party.

[Puzzledtraveller]

6. they keep eachother propped up

It's very sinister, and the ones that give the most, doesn't matter to who, you'll find the same people donating to both parties, the only thing they do different is hedge their bets on who they think will win ensuring them of the governments complicit support. Don't for one minute think Wall Street and Washington are opposed to each other. D or R, makes no difference, and they just love the OWS movement, fits right into their playbook.

[nc4bo]

17. What? OWS fits into who's playbook?! Ya gots some 'splainin to do. nt

[Puzzledtraveller]

20. This is my opinion

It fits into Wall Streets playbook. Wall Street doesn't want anything to change, they want the status qou, the old guard in place, the people who OWE them, to stay in Washington.

Both administrations propped up and supported the "Too Big to Fails", with taxpayer, hard earned dollars! Wall Street cannot afford for any change to take place in Washington, policy wise or electorally. Wall Street will bear the brunt of the peoples contempt and derision because they don't care. As long as we keep our focus on them, all will remain the same.

[nc4bo]

21. I guess it's too much of a stretch for people to conclude that there's a reason for an unregulated

WS capable of destroying economies.

First question would be how did this happen and who allowed it to happen?

Easy answer would be to follow the money.

But I understand what you're saying. Sorry, I took it wrong.

[Kurmudgeon]

7. Washington is what the US voter sends there, look at the 2010 election.

It's all well and fine to blame the government, but if you set on your hands and didn't vote or worse and voted for the GOP candidate, then the fault is yours.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

8. Deregulatory policies came first and have remained intact since Ronald Reagan!

Therefore I blame government first becase government sets the parameters--the rules of the game, if you will.

American hatred for the poor and working classes have allowed for this pro-corporate climate to prevail.

This country will NEVER be destroyed by an international terrorist or anything of the sort. It WILL be destroyed from within!

[sinkingfeeling]

9. Proving once again that propaganda works!

[Bandit]

10. Something wrong with their percentages

Asked what the wealthiest 1% of Americans — the ones excoriated by Occupy Wall Street —should pay in taxes as a percentage of their income, more than a quarter of people — 28% — have no opinion. Another 21% say the richest should pay 10% or less, and only 18% say they should pay more than 30%.

About a quarter of the people have no opinion 28%....21% say rich should pay less...18% say rich should pay more...what about the remaining third 37%? I have seen countless polls saying over 70% say rich should pay more in taxes...This poll is weird...

[0rganism]

12. i have to wonder what their demographics were

you're correct, this poll doesn't square with the others.

[nc4bo]

18. This isn't like some of the other polls I've seen. Yes, suspicious indeed. nt

[Douglas Carpenter]

22. I'm sure this is classic push polling - multiple polls reveal that

a majority - ranging between 50%+ to 68% indicated they were sympathetic with the Occupy movement and of course Americans by overwhelming majorities in a number of polls believe that the richest should considerably more than in taxes then they currently pay.But in push polling it is possibly to word questions in such a way and select respondents in such a way to produce the results that support the poler's agenda for the purpose of deceiving the public.

[Bonhomme Richard]

19. Follow the money and it comes from the top. Politicians are....

nothing more than paid mercenaries and their loyalty is to whoever pays their way.

[JoePhilly]

24. This is a push poll .... OWS is about how the financial industry manipulates our government

So the right way to read this is ...

The people are angry at the government for allowing itself to be control by wall street.

The question I don't see .... is one about the Citizen's United case.

That case connects the two points of anger.