Support Grows for ‘Occupy Wall Street’ Movement

 

A USAToday poll shows that American blame both Wall Street and Washington politicians for the nation’s economic woes. 87% of those polled said Washington bears a great deal to a fair amount of the blame, and 78% said the same of Wall Street.

The poll’s findings are consistent with findings by regulators that most investors do not understand the complex alternative investments sold by Wall Street, and, by extension, do not understand the details and nuances of how Wall Street and the 1% operate and control the financial system in America. The poll does show, however, that a significant percentage of Americans do understand that Wall Street’s influence on Washington is part of the problem.

Another poll ? this one by the Associated Press (AP) ? found that 37% of Americans support Occupy Wall Street protests, 58% are furious with Washington and the state of the economy, and 90% are frustrated. Occupy Wall Street supporters are comprised of 64% democrats, 22% independents, and 14% republicans, according to the AP poll.

Last week, USAToday published an article (“Protests spotlight a stressed middle class”) to the effect that middle class values are behind Occupy Wall Street. The barbarians are at the gate, but the middle class is right behind them.

Page Perry is an Atlanta-based law firm with over 150 years collective experience protecting investor rights and fighting Wall Street greed.