What kind of people want to “occupy Wall Street”?

By Tom Quiner

You can’t help but glean some quick reactions to the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) crowd.

They’re profane.

They like to copulate in public parks.

The women like to display themselves in a state of undress.

Impressed so far?

But what is really on their minds?

Democratic pollster, Douglas Schoen, had a senior researcher poll OWS in New York about their beliefs and their goals. Mr. Schoen was the pollster used by former President Clinton. Here is a brief overview of his findings, as reported in The Wall Street Journal.

Media coverage led us to believe that OWS are disaffected because they are out of work. In fact, 85% are employed, a rate only slightly less than the national average.

The OWS view the role of government as to guarantee everyone affordable health care, to guarantee everyone a college education, to guarantee everyone a secure, comfortable retirement, the cost be damned.

But they don’t really want to pay for it.

They evidently want the “one percent,” the reviled rich, to pick up the tab.  Seventy-seven percent support raising taxes on the wealthy, but 58% of them don’t want taxes increased for everybody.

These folks don’t represent the nation. About all of them (98%) support civil disobedience to bring about a radical redistribution of wealth. Nearly a third (31%) support violence to bring about the change they demand.

What is most disturbing is the blanket support the OWS are receiving from President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and other members of their party.

The president seems increasingly comfortable currying favor with these left wing Marxists (forgive the redundancy). Will his support of these unwashed and naked (by choice) unleash a new wave of violence in our land?

Pollster Schoen issues a warning to members of his party:

“Rather than embracing huge new spending programs and tax increases, plus increasingly radical and potentially violent activists, the Democrats should instead build a bridge to the much more numerous independents and moderates in the center by opposing bailouts and broad-based tax increases.”

4 Comments

  1. soilis on October 18, 2011 at 5:50 pm

    just one thing….i feel sorry for you and people who pervert truth like you do in this article.if it makes you feel better ,fine,but is it?better try to be truthfull to yourself and stop attacking people who try to make everyones life beter ,even yours.start thinking for a change,not just repeating the orders of the brainwashing you ve been subjected.There is a big nice world out there ,stop being afraid ,locked in your cage (even if it is golden its still a cage).How can you go on living if (god fobid) they succeed?what will be your excuse to the people of earth ,if they manage to free you from your slavery to the few?or will it be ok then?and they will become your heroes?better try to be one of the heroes.now.good luck whatever you choose.
    a greek.(so you have an excuse to dismiss my comment ,and carry on your work)



    • Concerned Onlooker on October 18, 2011 at 7:12 pm

      Perhaps you might have an actual have answer to my question. What, exactly, do these protesters want to occur as a result of these protests?



  2. Tom Maly on October 18, 2011 at 6:02 pm

    Nice succinct summary of Schoen’s study.
    Quite a bunch out there in the Park!!
    With any luck, they will become an albatross around Pres. Obama’s neck in 2012



  3. soilis on October 23, 2011 at 3:20 pm

    short answer:a better life! long answer:they want to live on a planet without contrl from the few who ruun things only for profit.they want to live in a repsectfull world,they want to work fairly,not in exchange for some arbitrary unit that measurew work according to the capitalistic view of human beings.If what you need is a practical guide of how they willl achieve these things,i am not the one to give it.i admit this kind of movement (if you call it that ,i dont,i call it people) they werent ready for this kind of war.so in thse first steps of realisation ,maybe there arent specific things they can syggest.but givenn the opportunity ,(they will take it ,they wont wait for someone to give it really),they will be able to create a system ,to satisfy the communication purposes .because deep inside we all know what they are after.we all need the same things they are asking for.we all are humans(exception these few who sold their souls to the money devil ,those perverted enough to want more and more ,as if what they already have is not enough to materialise their dreams.but since they are unsatisfied ,they shouldnt be allowed to steal any more.the world needs a new way to live.the planet is not going to be patient with us destroying it for profit.so we need maybe to take a wider view.we maybe need to think bigger ,and at the same time act locally.we need to change ourselves,the consuming animals .but of course i m talking rubbish.its all an utopia.if thats how we want it to be…..
    PS:i realise that my first comment was a not polite at all,thanks for your patience and politeness.again apologies,my intention is not to insult ,but to say what i believe .and i do get emotional ,(i am greek ,i have an excuse :):))>be well.Never mind me.i m opnly a theorist.Just another useless production of ideas that will remain ideas…..we are out of time.and i am sad for that.how can i be happy in a world of misery?how can i ignore whats going on next to me?i cant.i tried.and i am disapointed. and frustrated and it shows.