The only scientifically significant poll taken of the Occupy Movement says a lot

OWS has many fellow travellers in other parts of the world, with just some minor differences based on local issues. I am a supporter, and from my understanding I would point out that: We do not hate the rich, just the greedy who will use anything to increase profits, including criminal activities like bribery and fraud. We are not anti-Capitalist or anti-profit, but we are against the supercharged economic rationalism behind a lot of corporate globalised Capitalism which makes profit infinitely more important than people. The rescue packages we see as necessary, not for the sake of the banks but for the sake of the population who would have suffered if the banks went down. Punishment is desired only for those guilty of criminal activity, and let's face it, crime and greed are same cell twins. Lash

You appear to be quoting Doug Schoen's poll without attribution. You might be interested in this article: http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/10/18/347165/breaking-doug-schoen-grossly-misrepresents-his-own-poll-results-to-smear-occupy-wall-street/ Schoen also writes that “[s]ixty-five percent say that government has a moral responsibility to guarantee all citizens access to affordable health care, a college education, and a secure retirement—no matter the cost.” But the actual question makes no mention of costs.

This is another discussion I'm late in getting to! I've tried to avoid most of the posts about the OWS movement because it seemed it would be a waste of time to add my two cents. Most of the OWS bashing discussions were started by die-hard right wing and/or tea party supporters and it seems the two groups are natural "enemies" despite having some common ground if they'd only give each other a chance and look for it. The "poll" you referenced notwithstanding, from what I've learned about the "occupiers" isn't that they "hate" the rich or capitalism but that they're fed up with the massive inequity in our country today. I think many of them likely agree with me that health care isn't something that should be part of a "free market capitalist economy" or that a good education should be something available only to the rich. It's not right that the biggest corporations and their lobbying groups should be able to contribute unlimited amounts of money, some of it anonymously, to political campaigns, in effect "buying" many if not most of our lawmakers. Some of those politicians then proceed to do everything they can to disenfranchise the voters most likely to vote against the interests of these donors. I don't know about you but that's NOT my father's free market capitalism. Annie

I would like to know which one Occupy was polled as most of them across this nation have many different ideas and they aren't all united completely under one banner like the one that is going on locally has the tax the rich stuff but also callings for ending the Federal Reserve bank. Also many other things the big things are. No Bailouts, End the Wars and Punish Corporate crime. Also it seems that they are more targeting the Financial institutions that did play a huge part in the setting the stage for the collapse of the economy. While it does have a very left leaning slide I would say that some of the ideas are very much on target for what is so very wrong with the system as it is working right now. I am a part of this movement but of course representing the Libertarians who have joined this movement in the hopes that it will cause some changes to the system and well ending the fed would be a libertarian dream come very much true.

My understanding of the american tax system is that the rich do not pay tax at all. This movement is full of people who pay their appropriate tax and who are tired of seeing the country fall apart while the few at the make a profit from it. I do not support cappitalism or communism, both are extreme and neither can produce a good society that benefits all. A good example is the millionare actor who buys a farm for a bit of recreation and then claims a tax exemption as a 'poor' farmer. That is abuse of the system and should not be allowed. The people at the top of the income scale do a lot of things like this that allows them to avoid tax they should rightfully pay. If the wealthy of your country paid a fair tax then your country would not be so broke as it is. It is not just the rich that they dislike but the rich and powerful who use their power to exploit others and benefit themselves. This revolt is one of the middle class who are sick and tired of the greed and I mean greed not wealth. There have always been rich people but they respected their role as people of authority and responsibility and they took care of their workers. The ones who did not follow the creed were dealt with by societal punishment. The same holds true today, if you do not respect your workforce for their work and respect them as human beings then you will not have a good workforce. If you hit your workers too much then one day they will hit back. Remeber the phrase 'I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it any more." That is how many respectable mainstream middle class people feel these days. These are the people who never get worked up about anything, never get angry, always follow the law etc. Well they are angry now and they are likely to remain so.

Those are some interesting results. I would like to know their education level, although education is no indication of intelligence. I don't know why but I am shocked by how many people think the government has an endless supply of money that magically appears out of nowhere. I'm also surprised how ill read these people are, how ignorant they are of how the wealthy spend their money. Most of those people have probably been the beneficiaries or know someone who has benefited from the charities and good works those rich people have invested in. If not for rich people they would not have those SmartPhones, iPads and other technology they are using to further their cause.