Richard Schwab Writes

Occupy wall street far more popular than tea party




A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows that Americans support the Occupy Wall Street protesters by a two-to-one margin (37% in favor, 18% opposed.) While more Americans view the Tea Party negatively (28% in favor, 41% opposed.)



And, a recent Time Magazine poll found even more positive results for Occupy Wall Street, showing 54% held a favorable view of the movement, compared to just 27% with a favorable view of the Tea Party.



Why is this?

Because there is a deep strain of anti-establishment feeling in America which started at the end of the Bush Administration. It is the reason Barack Obama was elected.



Both the Tea Party and the Occupy movement share a frustration. Though they are very different in the objects of their frustration. Occupy is frustrated with the financial system. The Tea Party is frustrated with government.



Occupy is concerned with social and economic inequality, corporate greed and influence over government. Occupy's slogan, "we are the 99%" refers to income inequality in the U.S. between the top 1%, who control 40% of the wealth, and the rest of the population.



The Tea party looks at politicians and government as the problem and has the backing of billionaires like the Koch brothers.



Occupy looks at the influence of money, Wall Street, and big banks on government and elected officials as the problem. The movement is in 70 cities and 600 communities throughout the country.



A Washington Post- Pew Research Center poll shows the majority of Tea Party support comes from Republicans, while backing for Occupy protests arises from Democrats. Occupy has met with near universal derision from Republicans. Mitt Romney called them "dangerous." House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) claimed they were a "mob." Herman Cain denounced them as "un-American." Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) said the protests were an "attack upon freedom."



Is it any surprise the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (signed into law 7/21/10) passed the House along party lines (223 -202) and the Senate (59 - 39) once again along party lines? The GOP continues to paint the law as big- government over regulation.



A volunteer with Occupy Wall Street stated, "business folks should be able to make money... but we have to have a culture to come together, take care of each other, and make sure that the consolidation of wealth and power doesn't mean that folks who have the most are also rigging the game for the future. And that's what's happening."

This is a social justice message that is consistent with the traditional Democratic message. That's why if there was a logical political alignment for the Occupy movement, it would be with the Democratic party.



And for sure, neither Occupy protesters or Democrats want to promote the Bush legacy of unregulated speculation which does harm to our economy and communities.



Richard O. Schwab was formerly associate head of school, and middle school head, Cincinnati Country Day School. He is currently neighborhood team leader, Glendale Organizing For America Community Team (www.gofact.blogspot.com)

Richard O. Schwab

830 Congress Ave.

Glendale, Ohio 45246

H.513-771-4397

Richard Schwab Writes

Investing in our economy, our workers, and our future

I think President Obama's $450 billion "American Jobs Act" is right on.

It proposes:

•Cutting the payroll tax in half for 98 % of businesses.

•A complete payroll tax holiday for added workers or increased wages.

•A "Returning Heroes" hiring tax credit for veterans.

•Preventing up to 280,000 teacher layoffs, while keeping police and firefighters on the job.

•Modernizing at least 35,000 public schools across the country - creating jobs and improving classrooms to meet twenty-first century needs.

•Immediate investments in infrastructure and a bipartisan National Infrastructure Bank.

•A New "Project Rebuild," which will put people to work rehabilitating homes, businesses, and communities.

•Expanding access to high-speed wireless.

•Extending unemployment insurance to prevent 5 million Americans looking for work from losing their benefits, and innovative work-based reforms to prevent layoffs and to give states greater flexibility to use UI funds.

•A $4,000 tax credit to employers for hiring long-term unemployed workers.

•Expanding the payroll tax cut passed last year to cut workers payroll taxes in half in 2012.

•Providing a $1,500 tax cut to the typical American family.

•Allowing more Americans to refinance their mortgages at today's near 4 percent interest rates.

We need smart government for a strong economy. We need smart government to get America back into the future.

Our ability to compete in the twenty-first century is dependent on our willingness to invest in our infrastructure.

We need faster broad band, a state-of-the art national electrical grid, modernized water and sewage systems, the best airports, trains, roads, and bridges.

There is no evidence we can succeed in the twenty-first century with an anti-government strategy. Austerity is the wrong course right now. Cutting government programs and public employee jobs just adds to our economic problems.

The American Jobs Act does not add a dime to our deficit.

The President pays for The Act in large part by requiring the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share. The President has proposed that those who earn more than $1 million a year pay the same share of their income in taxes as middle-class families do. Everyone paying a fair share to get a fair shake is the practical and balanced way forward. The alternative is to diminish education, decimate medicare, let roads and bridges further decay, and whittle-down social security.

Results of a September 14 CNN/ORC national survey revealed, " Who do you trust more to handle the economy? Obama: 46% ... Republicans: 37% -- Obama and Congress should pay more attention to Jobs: 65% ... Deficit: 29% -- Obama jobs plan: Favor: 43% ... Oppose: 35%."

Austerity doesn't produce jobs or growth. It is not how we cut; it is how we can grow.

Let's prove the cynics and naysayers wrong and support President Obama's effort to create jobs in America.

Richard O. Schwab was formerly associate head of school, and middle school head, Cincinnati Country Day School. He is currently neighborhood team leader, Glendale Organizing For America Community Team (www.gofact.blogspot.com)