Occupy Wall Street: Public Opinion Of Protesters Higher Than Corporations, Washington

LOWELL, Mass. -- A new national poll released Sunday shows neither Wall Street nor Occupy Wall Street conjuring up strong favorable impressions among the American public.

But protesters fared better than their wealthy corporate targets in the poll conducted for the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and the Boston Herald.

Among 1,005 adults surveyed, 35 percent had a favorable impression of the protest movement that began in New York City and gained support worldwide. Only 16 percent could say the same for Wall Street and large corporations.

Twenty-nine percent had a favorable impression of the tea party movement and 21 percent of government in Washington.

Knowledge Networks conducted the survey, asking participants their impressions of the four groups.

Wall Street and large corporations tied with Washington government in unpopularity, with 71 percent of those polled saying they had an unfavorable impression of big business and Washington. The tea party got a 50 percent unfavorable response and Occupy Wall Street 40 percent.

The group surveyed was selected randomly and the poll conducted online from Oct. 28 through Nov. 1. It had a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points, meaning the results could go up or down by that amount.

Last month, an Associated Press-GfK poll showed some 37 percent supported the Wall Street protesters. Fifty-eight percent said they were furious about America's politics, up from 49 percent in January.

 

Comments

[karlhungus08]

03:38 PM on 11/09/2011

According to the stats in this article, more people disapprove than approve of OWS. Funny how that wasn't part of the headline.

[eagle17765]

11:53 AM on 11/08/2011

TO:Ashley22

YOU WROTE
I wonder if the Occupy protesters watch television­,go to movies or attend concerts or sporting events
Where is their indignatio­n about a sports star signing a quarter-of­-a billion dollar contract,o­r a TV
star getting a million dollars per 30-minunte episode,or a movie star being paid $20 million per
picture ,etc ? Next step Hollywood ?

ME TO YOU:

1) When Sports Stars bring down the US Economy like Wall Street did in 2008 then you might see some protest sports stars

2) Ya know, if you'd turn offFOX and Limpba//s, you'd learn that Occupy is NOT protesting "wealth"

Occupy is Protesting Wall Street because Wall Street OWNS the US Congress and as a result of that ownership, Wall Street WRITES US LAWS that protect their wealth while at the same time eliminatin­g the "wealth" the Middle Class USED to have.

[LetMeOffThisPlanet]

12:48 AM on 12/06/2011

There's only one way to fix the problem of corporate lobbying. Vote for government officials that will stand up to it. In the meantime, OWS needs to find a way to contribute to society (and no, whining loudly and making a mess to voice a message doesn't count) instead of draining it.

[ellawensmom]

04:29 PM on 12/16/2011

They can't stand up to it because the whole system is built on it. If they want to get their bill passed, they have to get some buddies to support it. If the buddies support it, then they have to support their buddies' bills. It's a really messed up system that isn't working for much of anyone outside congress of the very wealthy.

[eagle17765]

11:50 AM on 11/08/2011

From the article
"The group surveyed was selected randomly and the poll conducted ONLINE from Oct. 28 through Nov. 1."

Keywords: "poll conducted ONLINE"

Oh pallezze ... if you're going to report on a poll at least use data from a poll that is at least more "scientific" than an ONLINE poll.

Sheesh

[Steve Albert]

11:59 AM on 11/07/2011

when are people going to start speaking up for what is really necessary,.. the only way anything in this country is going to GET FIXED , is when we stop letting american companies manufacture outside the US ..... and import their goods back in here untaxed... if we de-regulated our American companies a little and gave them tax credits to remain here while taxing imported goods it would level the playing field ,....... and the large corporations need to stop being so greedy and start showing a little more loyalty to their customers and employees.... there's nothing wrong with making money or turning a profit,.. but when you stop taking care of your own employees and the people who are keeping you in buisiness ,... you inevitably are cutting your own throat.... if you keep taking away jobs from the people you are trying to sell to how are they going to have any money to buy your goods or services ???????

[John Cotton]

07:22 AM on 11/08/2011

I was with you until you said deregulate. Do you want led in your toothpaste? Do you want mines collapsing on more miners? Do you want more oil spills? No? Then you should be for regulations.

[ashley22]

11:43 AM on 11/07/2011

I wonder if the Occupy protesters watch television,go to movies or attend concerts or sporting events
Where is their indignation about a sports star signing a quarter-of-a billion dollar contract,or a TV
star getting a million dollars per 30-minunte episode,or a movie star being paid $20 million per
picture ,etc ? Next step Hollywood ?

[AnthropologistAmongApes]

01:10 PM on 11/07/2011

We're starting with the outright sociopaths the endorse the "greed is good" sickness.

[Rodger leMonde]

01:57 PM on 11/07/2011

Just don't get it do you. It's always about the money for the right.
OK here it is a simple as it can be stated. The point is the misuse of wealth to buy influence against the interests of the people.

[ellawensmom]

04:30 PM on 12/16/2011

It's like beating our heads into a wall, isn't it?

[frosty6731]

11:04 AM on 11/07/2011

Geez, I would hope so!

[vobox3343]

11:01 AM on 11/07/2011

In other words, almost everyone hates the TRex-baggers.

[Jerry Bourbon]

10:45 AM on 11/07/2011

fleabaggery

[megabob]

10:09 AM on 11/07/2011

The poll was conducted by University of Massachusetts at Lowell and the Boston Herald????? They polled 1005 in a state that is about as far left as can be imagined. So the numbers are not real. The Associated press is not much better. Combined polls show the OWS types have less than 27% support, and that is dropping as people wise up! Of course it is no surprise that ultralefthuffnpuffaol would use these kinds of polls!

[sylvia wadlington]

10:37 AM on 11/07/2011

Funny isn't it, polls about the popularity of corporations, done by CORPORATIONS show whatever corporations want them to show.

[ChrisClement]

11:23 AM on 11/07/2011

" dropping as people wise up"? I think everyone is tired of being cheated. Insurance that doesn't insure. Phony investments that tank. Insider trading. Why would anyone other than the scammers themselves not support it?

[PC Contrarian]

09:12 AM on 11/07/2011

Perhaps if the main stream media actually reported incidences like this, opinions would change about OWS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tl_2WJTyE2A

Imagine if something disgusting like this happened at a Tea Party event, ( I know it's even hard to imagine.); what would be the coverage by the MSM? Massive.

[Rodger leMonde]

01:53 PM on 11/07/2011

One wonders what he people in back of them were shouting at the people in front of them.

[PC Contrarian]

03:50 PM on 11/07/2011

A. What do you imagine?
B. Why?
C. What difference does it make?

[ekg]

08:49 AM on 11/07/2011

A vote for OWS protesters is a vote for a public health crisis in STD's and head and body lice.
Are these the people we want shaping our future?

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/occupy_ball_street_aIoZXVqZ3hU8Zm9oX5aGWM
http://weaselzippers.us/2011/11/06/occupy-portland-suffers-from-head-and-body-lice-outbreak/

[ALoayza]

08:34 AM on 11/07/2011

Wait, 35% agree with protesters but still 29% of these "adults" surveyed still support the Tea Party? Either this is a false poll or FOX, RUSH, and BECK have to stop taking money AND Talking Points the 1% funds of the Heritage Foundation, Koch Industries, ALEC Group, and the Chamber of Commerce.

Corporate interests are not design in our Monetary System to have the interests of anyone below the Stock Holder in the hierarchy. And yet the 29% of fools still supporting the Tea Party are still listening to Corporate PR and Marketing through the filter of Rush's fat mouth.

[sylvia wadlington]

10:39 AM on 11/07/2011

Want a real picture of how Americans feel? The move your money thing went pretty well, how about now we encourage people to move their 401K's into a cash position and pull the three trillion dollars of worker's retirement out of wall street's greedy hands?

[Rick Rembold]

08:28 AM on 11/07/2011

I suspect the banks and corporations assume, with winter coming and it's harsh conditions, all they have to do is wait it out and the protesters will grow weary and lose interest. With enough support, OWS can endure. By Spring they could be too large for anyone to ignore. This could prove to be very bad for the Republicans in an election year.

[John Cotton]

07:06 AM on 11/07/2011

The protesters get my vote.

[ChrisClement]

06:25 AM on 11/07/2011

The reason for the movement is real and righteous. Shutting stuff down won't help as much as coordinated efforts to relocate bank accounts, stop using credit, and use bartering/co-op'ing. Don't feed the Beast. Try to live without it. Forget the smart phones and malls.

[Moonwood]

10:00 AM on 11/07/2011

Its not a beast - its out of control rich idiots - if we shut the "Beast" down everyone loses - especially the poor. We need to redirect the resources for the "Beast" into helping everyone. Smart phones are not the problem - greed is the problem - out of balance trading is the problem. "the price of liberty is etenal vigilance" Thomas Jefferson.

[sylvia wadlington]

10:42 AM on 11/07/2011

We need to push the government to let us buy shares of the national debt with our 401K's so we can keep our retirement savings safe from wall street and get the interest on the debt paid to us instead of China.