OWS: Occupation or Infestation?
This morning the front page of the Washington Post asked of Occupy Wall Street:
Is the most far-reaching protest movement in the past decade solving problems or creating them?
Is this an occupation or an infestation?
Well, new data [PDF] from Public Policy Polling seems to come down on the infestation side:
As the Occupy Wall Street movement has continued and spread, its esteem in American voters' eyes has slipped. Last month, when PPP first asked about the movement nationally, voters were split, with 35% supporting the movement's goals and 36% opposing them. Now, that is 33-45, 11 points worse. Still 52% of Democrats support their goals, but opposition has risen from 16% to 24%. Meanwhile, both Republicans (from 13-59 to 11-71) and independents (from 39-34 to 34-42) have moved 13 or 14 points against O.W.S.
That now makes the movement less popular than its right-wing counterpart, the Tea Party. 42% support that movement's goals, and 45% oppose them. It was 39-45 in the previous survey. When asked of which movement they have a higher opinion, voters side with the Tea Party now, 43-37, a reverse of last month's 40-37 in favor of O.W.S. Democrats (from 62-9 for O.W.S. to 58-12) and Republicans (from 11-71 to 10-78) have each moved seven or eight points toward favoring the Tea Party, while independents have shifted 13 points, from 43-34 to 40-44.
OWS RIP.
Go here for Reason's extensive coverage of OWS.
